End of Life Conversations: Normalizing Talk About Death, Dying, and Grief

What if we could normalize and destigmatize conversations about death and dying, grief, and the many types of loss in our lives?

In this podcast, we'll share people’s experiences with end-of-life. We have reached out to experts in the field, front-line workers, as well as friends, neighbors, and the community, to have conversations about their experiences with death, dying, grief, and loss.

Our goal is to provide you with information and resources that can help us all navigate and better understand this important subject.

Reverent Mother Annalouiza Armendariz and Reverend Wakil David Matthews have both worked for many years in hospice as chaplains and volunteers, and in funeral services and end-of-life planning and companionship. We offer classes on end-of-life planning, grief counseling, and interfaith (or no faith!) spiritual direction.

We would love to hear your feedback and stories. You can email us at endoflifeconvo@gmail.com.

Please subscribe to our Substack here: https://endoflifeconvos.substack.com

We want to thank Wakil and his wife's children for the wonderful song that begins our programs. And we want to thank our excellent editor, Sam Zemkee. We also acknowledge that we live and work on unceded indigenous peoples' lands. We thank them for their generations of stewardship, which continues to this day, and honor them by doing all we can to create a sustainable planet and support the flourishing of all life, both human and more-than-human.

All Episodes

End of Life Conversations: Normalizing Talk About Death, Dying, and Grief

Valentines Day Memorial Special

February 14, 2024 • Rev Annalouiza Armendariz & Rev Wakil David Matthews • Season 1 • Episode 9

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In this special episode, we bring you memorials to beloveds who have crossed over the veil ahead of us.

Wakil and Annalouiza share memorial tributes to Wakil's Grandpa Herbert and Annalouiza's sister Vivian.

We'll also hear from Jane Ellen Nickell whom we interviewed in our last episode who shares the story of her mother's end of life.

Then, our friend Quan Yin Lynn Williams speaks about her journey with her friend Coco and her gracious and beautiful end-of-life story.

Finally, we are privileged to hear from Allaudin Mathieu, a talented musician and composer and one of Samuel Lewis's first students in his tribute to Sufi Sam (AKA Murshid Samuel Lewis), a beloved and renowned Sufi teacher who founded the Dances of Universal Peace and the International Sufi Ruhaniat Order.

Sufi Sam died in early 1971 and each year his community celebrates his Urs, or his wedding with the Divine. This tribute was excerpted with permission from this year's celebration.

You can find out more about the Dances of Universal Peace here: https://www.dancesofuniversalpeace.org/

And more about Samuel Lewis and the Ruhaniat Sufi order here:
https://www.ruhaniat.org/index.php/lineage/murshid-samuel-l-lewis

Support the show

You can find us on SubStack, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and BlueSky. You are also invited to subscribe to support us financially. Anyone who supports us at any level will have access to Premium content, special online meet-ups, and one on one time with Annalouiza or Wakil.

And we would love your feedback and want to hear your stories. You can email us at endoflifeconvo@gmail.com.