The When You Die Project:
Hosting the conversation you've been avoiding.
From existential afterlife questions such as “What happens when you die?” to palliative care and the nuts-and-bolts of green burial, if it has to do with death, we’re talking about it. We believe death awareness brings a happier end to a fuller life.
Latest
Tips for Holiday Sadness
Everyone has been touched by loss in one way or another. And, of course, the holidays tend to bring out our sadness. Remembering loved ones who have passed, or just not feeling the holiday spirit—these two articles might help!
Dying to Watch: Binge-worthy Series
Over the years many TV shows have dealt with death. From a family of funeral directors to a man in deep anger in his grief, these series have actually created a conversation about death and dying, sometimes comedic, sometimes touching and sometimes painfully realistic. When You Die team member, Kelley Edwards, picks and shares her favourite binge-worthy series. (Caution, there may be some spoilers ahead.)
A Dying Mother’s Letter to Her Daughters
If you were dying, what would you want your children to know? The story of Julie Yip-Williams is one of
Death of a Loved One: The Year of Firsts
This winter, my very close friend lost her mom. She and her siblings were very close to their mother and so the loss of her mother was significant. I knew the feeling of losing a parent. Going through the death of a parent is a difficult process, but I also knew that it wasn’t over.
In the Footsteps of Grief
Jennifer was 41 when she was killed by a motorcycle while crossing the street. She left behind a loving husband
Features
Cultivating the Doula Heart
WYD Podcast in conversation with Death Doula Francesca Arnoldy, the author of Cultivating the Doula Heart: Essentials of Compassionate Care. She is the course developer, facilitator, and program director of the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine End-of-Life Doula Professional Certificate Program. www.contemplativedoula.com
Holiday Grief
When the loss of a loved one is fresh, and our grief is great, we need to know it’s okay. Grief is the cousin of love. And so, one perfectly valid coping mechanism for the holiday season is to say, “Not this year. I need to be with my heart.”
How do we talk to someone who is dying? How can we help? Hear practical advice from a lead hospital chaplin and bereavement counselor on the importance of listening and some suggestions on how to start the conversation we’ve been ignoring. Just enter your email for access. Just enter your email here for access to the full video.
Introducing In the Realm of Death and Dreaming, our 2020 Documentary
Since its origin, humanity has posed the question, ‘what really happens when you die?’ The presumed answers have defined culture, religion and community as we know them. Through a combination of near-death experiences, personal stories and scientific research, the documentary explores whether consciousness survives death, and why it matters when choosing end of life care.
Stories
Coming Through the Fog: Coping With the Trauma of Loss
Unable to think, concentrate or remember things is not uncommon after the death of a loved one. It is all part of what has been called “widow’s fog.”
Good Ground Great Beyond
Angela Lutzenberger, founder of the Maine non-profit, Good Ground Great Beyond, speaks about her vision for creating alternative, after death care options, including open air cremation, for the people of Maine.
Public Loss, Private Grief
Prince Harry was only 12 when his mother Diana was killed in a car crash. Young Harry struggled to come
Can Children Handle Death?
We want to protect our children, but if we don’t talk to them about death, are we hurting instead of helping?
Death, Virtual Grief and Your Digital Footprint
There is no discrimination in the digital world. When a person dies, their virtual selves can remain, existing in the same online space used daily by millions of people.
Saying Goodbye to Our Pets
“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” — Anatole France
The When You Die Project: Hosting the conversation you’ve been avoiding.
From existential afterlife questions to palliative care and the nuts-and-bolts of green burial, if it has to do with death, we’re talking about it. We believe death awareness brings a happier end to a fuller life.
WhenYouDie.org is where you’ll find clips from our upcoming documentary about death along with stories around death that inspire us, intrigue us, and help further a healthy discussion about death in our culture.
We don’t endorse every point of view in these stories but respect them and offer them up in the spirit of reclaiming death as a rich, challenging, rewarding, exhausting, heartbreaking, heart-filling, integral part of our human journey.
