Life Examined
Is there a way to prepare for a good death?
The pandemic has placed death and the acknowledgement of our mortality front and center in our consciousness and yet when it comes to dying, we understand little and do even less to prepare for it. Is there a good way to die?
By Jonathan Bastian • • 51m ListenThe pandemic has placed death and the acknowledgement of our mortality front and center in our consciousness and yet when it comes to dying, we understand little and do even less to prepare for it. Is there a good way to die? How do the funeral rights and bereavement rituals in other cultures provide solace and comfort?
In this episode
2 storiesWhy planning for death should start when we’re living
Death and dying are inevitable and a natural part of life’s cycle. The pandemic has brought the issue of our own mortality into sharp focus. Many people have died alone, away from family, and in the isolation unit of a hospital.
Read the story28 min“We pathologize the dead.” Mortician Caitlin Doughty on funeral rituals and why death is often hidden away
Some Native Americans have long believed that death is part of the natural cycle of life and many cultures believe the dead spirit continues to “walk on” implying the continuation of a journey rather than an end point with death.
Read the story24 min
