Have you ever heard of a conjurer? According to my guest “a conjurer is a magical practitioner based in the African American experience”. He explains that “being an African American is not just based on being a descendant of slaves from Africa but being the blueprint of mankind. We are the living embodiment of what multiple races look like in one vessel. All our bloodlines come with sets of magik.” But what is magic? Is it something that we all possess? Is this something given only to a select few for specific reasons? How do we discover, work with, and begin the process of utilizing our own m ..read more

“What you want in a mentor is someone who truly cares for you and who will look after your interests and not just their own. When you do come across the right person to mentor you, start by showing them that the time they spend with you is worthwhile.” – Vivek Wadhwa It is impossible to overstate the importance of having professional black mentors in the end of life and death care industry. Individuals who selflessly give of themselves, teach, encourage, uplift, and provide opportunity without being competitive all the while allowing apprentices, students, and professionals to stand on their s ..read more

Have you ever heard the sayings “eat the fish and spit out the bones” or “don’t throw the baby out with the bath water? Am I the only one who feels like they sound like some sort of secret language? These coded messages are known as euphemisms. Euphemisms are defined by Webster as a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing. For many, conversations about end of life, health care and planning for death and dying are considered private, personal, and not to be discussed in of doctors, nurses ..read more

“There is nothing more powerful than to clearly articulate our intention to the universe and trust boldly in its desire to not only deliver but to also unfold itself before us as our path to enlightenment. What is your intention?”   - The Grave Woman   “My intention is to alleviate unnecessary suffering in the world. Suffering is a spectrum; it doesn’t mean that we are in crisis and that that there is something wrong with us or that we are in a clinical space. The ways in which we are experiencing the world right now and the sickness of the unhelpful darkness is something that ..read more

SIGN UP HERE https://www.thegravewoman.com/store/p50/ALIGN.html  Read The Next Room Here https://www.amazon.com/Next-Room-Jane-Asher/dp/1737435608   It was obvious from the onset of our connection that Jane and I were connected and destined to do something impactful and meaningful in the death care space together. After 2 years of intentional listening, meditating, praying, planning, asking and waiting for the right time; the project we're sharing with you was conceived in the universe and now is being birthed into our reality.  This powerful workshop on the Afterlife is dedica ..read more

The universe has a very strange way of connecting us all in ways that at times seem divinely orchestrated and at others feel completely chaotic and random. Regardless of how it chooses to connect it; the universe, aka Spirit is intentional, timely and unfathomably precise and accurate in its execution. I was connected to today’s guest of The Death & Grief Talk Podcast; Krystina Christiansen in a way that feels equally divine and random. Krystina is a filmmaker based in Los Angeles, CA. She's produced, directed, and written a bit of everything - from documentaries and music videos to art in ..read more

End of life planning looks different for Black and Indigenous families. It’s more casual, more informal and in most cases involves food and historically happens around our tables at Sunday dinner. Sunday Dinner conversations not only serve as social gatherings but are imperative for Black and Indigenous families because they serve as a medium for opportunities to discuss preferences, desires and individual needs and wishes for end-of-life treatment, funeral and burial planning. Each person has their own unique “diet” so to speak when thinking about these vitally important matters. Most importa ..read more

​“To have and to hold”, these words are commonly thought of as being part of wedding or commitment vows but for me these words resonate across the board in all things especially finance. When we think about it, we are constantly in the process of working towards accumulating something. Possessions, money, a partner, a home, vehicle, health, relationships, achieving our personal goals, etc. During this accumulation of gathering to “have”; how many of us stop and think the cost of “holding” onto what we have accumulated. Especially when thinking about our personal finances and legacies. In toda ..read more

I had the honor of speaking with my death care colleague Nicole Comach known virtually as Emerald Awakening. Nicole is an End-of-Life Guide and Grief Companion. She assists people in navigating the death and dying process, while advocating or end-of-life wishes. As a death educator and empath, she guides others in finding a sense of ease and comfort in ties of immense sorrow and fear. During our time together we discussed answering the call of a career in death care, finding the balance in charging for death care services, the definition of holding space and much more. Contact Nicole Website h ..read more

I was first introduced to Caitlin Doughty through the Ask a Mortician YouTube channel in 2012. Caitlin Doughty is a mortician, advocate, and bête noire of the traditional funeral industry. In 2011 she founded the funeral reform collective The Order of the Good Death, which has spawned the death positive movement. Her educational web series "Ask a Mortician" has been viewed almost 200 million times and all three of her books Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, From Here to Eternity, and Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? were New York Times bestsellers.    \Caitlin was the first funeral director (and ..read more