From Mourning to Morning: Recent Episodes
Rabbi Mel Glazer
Rabbi Mel Glazer dedicates his life to helping people face loss, because he himself has faced loss. His father died the day before his twelfth birthday. Yet he has moved beyond the emotional pain which accompanies loss. So can you. Drawn to a life of service to others, he became a Rabbi, a Doctor of Ministry, and then a Grief Authority so he could help others find a better way to heal from their losses. His two award-winning books have helped thousands of grievers find direction in their response to loss. Whether we are of any faith, or of no faith at all, losing loved ones inspires some of the deepest spiritual questions we will ever face in our lives. What meaning can we find in our losses? Where do we begin? Rabbi Mel connects his life as a leader of his community with his life as a supporter and comforter of other mourners. From this unique position, he has a great deal to teach us about facing loss. Rabbi Mel makes it possible for us to go “from mourning to morning.”
When you lose someone whom you loved, your first thought is to cry, right? Makes sense. But my guest Nancy Weil believes and teaches that laughter also has a place in healing your pain. She has spent years in the funeral business and the laughter business, and you will learn that she is correct-laughter in the face of loss is important, not un-natural, and helpful. Find out what she has to say, you may be surprised...
While grief is expressed in different ways for every person, having some tools to help you get through a difficult time can help ease the pain. Therapeutic laughter not only reduces stress, but helps balance the emotions by boosting the immune system and giving you permission to laugh and feel joy, even for a moment. Presenter, Nancy Weil, has conducted research into how humor can be used as a coping tool. This program will help you understand why “when you feel the least like laughing is when you need to the most.
See you TH at 5PM PST.
What do you when a child dies? Do you forget about them, consign them to oblivion? No, of course not! You remember them forever. And that is our topic for this evening. Nora Wong, a normal gracious caring member of the human race, lost her son to a terrible disease. She will talk to us about that and help us remember that memories and life-lessons and teachings never die, even when the human body is no longer with us.
So we have talked for over a year about loss and healing, about many topics which have approached this main topic. Here is a new possibility: A Grief Cruise! That's right, next Feb. of 2018 a group of grievers will be together to discuss their losses and to share their successes. Healing is tough, we already know that. Perhaps being together on a cruise will set the tone for healing to take place. My guest, Glen Lord, will talk to us about last year;s cruise, and invite you to join him in Feb. I know it's a year away, but it is not too early to find out about it.
Look forward to being with you this Thursday night.
What do you when a child dies? Do you forget about them, consign them to oblivion? No, of course not! You remember them forever. And that is our topic for this evening. Nora Wong, a normal gracious caring member of the human race, lost her son to a terrible disease. She will talk to us about that and help us remember that memories and life-lessons and teachings never die, even when the human body is no longer with us.
Well, we know that we think differently, but do we grieve differently? I don't know either, but my guest Shawn Doyle, does. He has written about it and spoken about it, and I can't wait to hear what he has to say. This matters a lot. Because, if I know that if a woman has suffered a life-loss, I can better understand what she needs in the way of healing and consolation. The same with a man. So come and listen and learn with me.
I look forward to your being with me this Thursday at 5PM PST on From Mourning to Morning.
I used to be a fatalist. That is, I believed that if you were given the gift of cancer, you were done living. David Arnsteen disproves that theory every single day. He is in remission, and joyful and has learned important life-lessons from his cancer.
Come and listen. You too will be impressed with his ability to fully accept life and come out the other end.
And he will share with you the life-lessons he has learned about himself and the world while dealing with cancer.
He's my hero, and he'll be yours too!
This Thursday at 5PM PST.
Come and listen, you'll be glad you did.
I used to be a fatalist. That is, I believed that if you were given the gift of cancer, you were done living. David Arnsteen disproves that theory every single day. He is in remission, and joyful and has learned important life-lessons from his cancer.
Come and listen. You too will be impressed with his ability to fully accept life and come out the other end.
And he will share with you the life-lessons he has learned about himself and the world while dealing with cancer.
He's my hero, and he'll be yours too!
This Thursday at 5PM PST.
Come and listen, you'll be glad you did.
I was not even 12 years old when Daddy died. It was scary and mysterious and frightening. And we kids didn't talk about it, because our family didn't talk to us about his being sick. To this day, we're still not sure why he died.
My guest had a similar story, her parent died at when she was young. But Dr. Marilyn Mendoza has written about how and what to teach kids about grief, so that no child will ever have to go through what she and I did.
This is important, come and learn! Bring your friends, we ll know those who need to hear this wisdom.
Till Thursday, Rabbi Mel
When you meet somebody for the first time after they have suffered a life-loss, what should you say? What should you not say? How can you be most helpful to them, while not making them feel worse? My guest. Dr. Donalyn Gross, is an expert in this area. She will teach us and share with us what is appropriate and what isn't. We need to learn this!
Tune in, invite your freinds. This is important stuff!
Blessings, Rabbi Mel
Have you ever had a near-death experience? I never have, but it's such an interesting and exotic topic, that I always want to know more. My guest Dea Maltby was in a coma for t2 days, and in that time, she died and came back to life. Wow...
That's all I have to say. Come listen and be astonished with me. We'll learn about NDEs, and we'll learn about second chances, and we'll learn about returning to life after you were dead.
I'm interested, hope you are too!.
Till tomorrow...
Did you ever wish you could make things better for those who are dying? That you could be there with them as they leave this earth? But you were afraid of watching them die, of touching them, of talking to them, and you don't know what to say or do. So you stay away, thus missing an enormous opportunity to help them, and help yourself as well. My guest Deanna Cochran, can help you do what you thought was impossible, that is, assist the dying along their final journey. Tune in and tell your friends. You will be glad you listened, and who knows...maybe you'll try something for the very first time.
TH at 5PM PST. From Mourning to Morning. Blessings, Rabbi Mel
Lots of us deal with loved ones who are afflicted with cancer. We are going to give some hints and advice for care-givers, to make your job a bit easier.
The big idea: The National Cancer Institute estimates 14 million people in the U.S. have had a cancer diagnosis, and the number is rapidly rising. More and more people must struggle with how to face a life-threatening disease, while loved ones try to give support.
Why this matters: Today, cancer treatment is mostly given in outpatient treatment centers, not in hospitals. This means a family member or friend needs to be part of the day-to-day care of the person with cancer, but they're uncertain how to provide emotional support.
The so-what: The presence alone of caregivers is just part of the support cancer patients need -- the attitudes of the caregivers may be the most important variable in helping someone with cancer transition comfortably from independence to dependence.
When you celebrate at a holiday meal, whether it be Christmas, Hanukkah, New Years Eve or even a birthday party or aniiversary party, oftentimes there are empty chairs. Chairs where loved ones use to sit last year. The are now like the proverbial elephant on the table, and nobody knows what to do.
I do.
My show will once and for all give you a path to move forward, so that the party can truly be joyous.
Check it out, TH at 5:00PST.
HAPPY 2017!
I read this article in The Guardian, a British journal. It reminds us of several truths:
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Everyone mourns differently. There are several vignettes which illustrate this. I will share them, and as usual comment on them
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Healing is sometimes far away, but it is absolutely possible. We all have the life-force within us, and it is that force--call it God, Universe, Spirit--keeps us moving in the right direction, toward the future.
You will listen and you will remember your own reactions and responses to the death of your own loved ones.
And you, too, will begin to heal.
Till Thursday... Rabbi Mel
Have you ever had a near-death experience? I never have, but it's such an interesting and exotic topic, that I always want to know more. My guest Dea Maltby was in a coma for t2 days, and in that time, she died and came back to life. Wow...
That's all I have to say. Come listen and be astonished with me. We'll learn about NDEs, and we'll learn about second chances, and we'll learn about returning to life after you were dead.
I'm interested, hope you are too!.
Till tomorrow...
There is ritual, and here is meaning behind ritual. Or, if you like, the 'how' and the 'why' we observe rituals as we do. Every religion has its own death rituals. My guest this week, Dahlia Abraham-Klein, published a wonderful guidebook LAST WEEK! entitled 'Necessary Losses,' where she teaches about the 'how' and 'why' of Jewish death rituals.She adds a psychological understanding that is so nee ded by mourners. As we know, dealing with loss is difficult, Dahlia will led us to a better understanding. Hope you join us!
TH 5PM PST
You don't know whether to turn right or left; go backwards or forwards. Your emotions are up and down like a roller coaster, all over the place and you don't know if you're coming or going. You want to close your eyes and sleep but you can't because your thoughts won't let you. It's time for YOU to BREAK FREE! In 2015 I released a poem book titled 365 Days of Self Worth Praise, I Survived! and in that book I wrote a poem titled, Soul Ties, and it starts like this, I was sleeping with this man and I couldn't understand why for the life of me I couldn't let him be. I knew he was no good for me and I wanted to break free, but I kept going back like a crack addict, I had to have it. My soul was not letting go even though my mind kept saying no. What's wrong with me, did he cast a spell to keep me locked in this hell? I can't explain why I can't release the pain...
Join Patricia Shaw to learn how she broke free. And how you can too!
Losing an election is like losing a loved one. So much time spent working for your favorite candidate, hours of time put in to make the candidate you support win his/her election. And then, they lose. And so do you.
You're in grief, just as if your best friend or pet or loved one had died. How do you cope, how do you move forward? And how do you deal with your anger at their losing the election?
I have a radical suggestion that I will speak with you about this week. It can work, it can quiet your heart and allow you to move forward.
But it's not so easy.
Interested? Tune in this Thursday at 5PM PST.
There is ritual, and here is meaning behind ritual. Or, if you like, the 'how' and the 'why' we observe rituals as we do. Every religion has its own death rituals. My guest this week, Dahlia Abraham-Klein, published a wonderful guidebook LAST WEEK! entitled 'Necessary Losses,' where she teaches about the 'how' and 'why' of Jewish death rituals.She adds a psychological understanding that is so nee ded by mourners. As we know, dealing with loss is difficult, Dahlia will led us to a better understanding. Hope you join us!
TH 5PM PST
People like to be kind and compassionate, so when you lose a loved-one, they want to comfort you with words that will somehow make you feel better. Unfortunately, they were never taught how to do this properly, so they end up saying the wrong thing. Our friends never learned what they should say, so they say what they shouldn't say, and that makes us feel even worse.
Please e-mail me with the worst comforting words you have heard, and w will discuss them.
Also, e-mail me with suggested topics. I can talk forever, but I'd rather talk about what you want me to talk about. The first five comments and suggestions will receive my book GPS FOR GRIEF AND HEALING as my gift.
rabbimel@griefok.com
Blessings, my friends!
I live in Colorado Springs, not in Florida or the Carolinas. We don't get hurricanes here. But the issue I will deal with, using some wisdom from my friend and colleague Rabbi Jack Riemer, who lives right in the middle of where Hurricane Matthew landed, are many:
How could this have happened so quickly and so cruelly? How could our lives have changed from lightness to darkness without sufficient warning? And, what do we do now?
I will talk about the role of religion-in this case Judaism, but all religions are included-and how religion has the wisdom to see us through these losses and help us heal and move forward.
There were life-losses and there was trauma. Now the hurricane has gone away, but its effects still linger.
Come listen this Thursday at 5PM PST. To my Jewish listeners, Happy New Year. And to all, I pray for a year of peace in this world created by God.
Isabel Stenzel and her twin sister Anabel, were both born with cystic fibrosis. They taught about what that meant and how to live with it. They wrote a book about it. Then Anabel died. Isabel re-doubled her efforts to speak and teach about living and coping with this awful illness. She continues to move forward, helping others to bring a mindset of healing from the effects of cystic fibrosis. She will be our teacher, and I invite you to come and learn from her.
Last week we spoke to a mediator, who taught us that ending a marriage was difficult and sad, but could lead to healing. This week, two views on divorce:
How I Learned to Love my Breakup, and The Five Lessons To Learn from Divorce.
We will hear two similar and different ways to approach ending a marriage, and there will be lots to think about. Hope you can join me, this TH 5-6 PST.
In many states in our country, before a divorce is finalized, the couple must go to mediation. Most folks think that mediation is cut-and-dry, simply another waste of time. But that is not true. My friend Beth Lieberman has been a social worker-mediator for many years, and has seen much healing with her work with divorcing couples. Often they will leave her office with much less venom and anger than before. Yes, they still divorce, but they are no longer enemies.
Come listen as Beth teaches us about healing.
Thursday night at 5PM PST.
From Mourning to Morning-you can do it!
Rabbi Mel Author, A GPS FOR GRIEF AND HEALING
Google 'GPS FOR GRIEF,' and Kindle will magically take you there.
I am Rabbi Mel Glazer, and this is my first show. I am delighted to be your host. I will introduce myself and you will get to know me a bit better. Then I will begin to teach what I know about grief and healing. I will ask and answer the questions: what is grief all about? What is the goal of mourning? My answer may surprise you, because it has little to do with the one who died. It has to do only with you! I will tell a Zen story and you will immediately understand how I hope you might begin to think about grief. Lots of different losses in our lives. Death, divorce, pet loss, loss of a relationship, weddings (yes, I mean that!) and many more. We have lots of work to do, I look forward to speaking and teaching and learning together. Finally, I am a Rabbi, but that has nothing to do with grief. Grief has no religion, it is an orphan that affects believers and non-believers alike. Tell your friends that The Grief Rabbi is coming, invite them to join you.
Kashi Labh Mukti Bhawan in Varanasi is one of the three guesthouses in the city where people check in to die. he has been present for 12000 deaths, and he has learned life-lessons from each one. I will read his article by Deepak Ramola -with my comments, of course!- and we will marvel together at this Hindu wisdom.
Please join me. Thursday evening 5PM PST, on VoiceAmerica.com.
With the help of a book I purchased last year, called I Will Die: A Creative Journal for Mortals -Jessica Featherly-, consisting solely of questions and feelings related to death, I will share some personal feelings and thoughts on death in general, my own death in particular. I can't wait to hear what I will have to say...
Please join me! Rabbi Mel 'From Mourning to Morning'
I don't remember who said it, but there is a comedian who once said: 'I'm not afraid of being dead, I am afraid of dying.' And it's the truth, isn't it.... But there is help on the way, in the form of -mostly- women who call themselves 'a doula.' They are like a midwife to the dying and to their families. They do not take the place of hospice nurses, rather, they take care of those who are dying. They help the dying navigate the journey from this world to the next, they comfort the dying and they assis the family in whatever will be helpful. My guest this week is Shelby Kirillin, a doula who lives in Richmond, VA, and who was the recent subject of an interview in the Richmond Magaz. She will enlighten us, comfort us and strengthen us, so that the dying experience need not be so scary. Shelby even laughs with the dying and their families, and you will learn why when you join us this Thursday night. I look forward to your being with Shelby and me on 'From Mourning to Morning.' Rabbi G
So you go into the back room at Panera's and you sit down with other people who have suffered a life-loss. And then you talk to each other over tea and cookies about death. Not dying, but death.
Sounds weird, no? But Death Cafes are happening all over America, and my guest Lizzie Miles hosted the very first one in America in 2012.
She is a multi-interest woman, the author of Somewhere In Between: The Hokey Pokey, Chocolate Cake and The Shared Death Experience, and lots of blogs about death. I just read her blog called: Does Jesus like chocolate? Not only is it poignant. It is truth in poetry, and I am delighted to have her as my guest.
Got a question during the show? 888 346-9141 E-mail me at rabbimel@griefok.com
Bring your friends!
We have been talking a lot about death, and this week we will get the view from the hospice nurse herself. Emma is caring and compassionate, you will learn much from her.
Yes, when they die, we grieve them. But we're not done grieving. At the next birthday arty or anniversary or Christmas dinner or Passover seder, we grieve the empty chair, and we grieve all over again.
In fact, we will grieve their looses forever.
Let's talk about it this Thursday. 5PM PST
From Mourning to Morning
So, does anybody in your family know your wishes for when you die? Or before you die?
Do you want the doctors to keep on trying to save your life no matter how many tubes they stick into your body? Or is there a point where you will have had enough, and want to just have everyone leave you alone and let you die?
Burial or cremation, which do you prefer? Do you have life insurance? Pension? Valuables? Does your family know the bills are? And how you pay them?
What about inheritance-who gets what piece of art?
You have to have the conversation when you are of sound mind mind, who knows when the time will come?
My guest, Harriet Warshaw, is Exec. Director of The Conversation Project. She and I will begin to sort these things out, so you will be able to have the conversation while you're still around.
Listen in, and invite your family and friends. TH July 21, 2016 ,at 5PM PST.
Call in? 888 346-9141
Blessings, Rabbi Mel
Most of us are afraid of death: we don't want to talk about it or hear about it. And especially, we do not ever want to touch a dead body and prepare it for burial. Death scares us and makes it more difficult to prepare for own death, as well as the deaths of our loved ones.
My guest is an up-and-coming funeral director, Caitlin Doughty. She is blazing new trails in the area of dealing compassionately with death and burial. She is at the beginning of change and transformation, and she and I will discuss these issues. Read about her and you will be as impressed as I am.
I look forward to Thursday night. Please listen to us speak about not feeling so afraid to deal with death.
You will feel better after Caitlin and I chat.
Okay, my friends, this week we are going to talk about suicide.
Married family, having problems, he is a drug addict. He OD's, either on purpose or accidentally, and dies. On his living room couch. The body was found by the children. Can you imagine the pain and crying and grief that affected the family? Of course you can. But...now here's the secret. His wife, still legally married to him, is angry as hell that he did what he did. Now she has the two kids (6 and 4) all to herself. Money is a problem, and she doesn't know where to turn. Yes, she is extremely angry at him. Of course, it's hard to say that to anyone beside your clergy. We have talked plenty about it.
And...she is also now free! She can be whomever she wants, she can stay in town, she can move. Her options are unlimited. Angry. Free. What would you do? Write me and tell me---rabbimel@griefok.com. Or call me on the show--888 346-9141. Look forward to being together Thursday night, 5PM PST. From Mourning to Morning.
So Papa dies, the funeral home comes and picks him up from the hospital/hospice, and you don't see him again until (maybe) right before the funeral. Or, you pay a cosmetologist to make him up so he looks like he's not....dead, and his coffin is open for you to stare at. How does this process, in which you take no part, help you to grieve his death? Well, maybe there's a better way: maybe you bring Papa home, and you prepare his body yourselves (yes, you can wash his body at home), then he stays with you until the funeral. Which you take care of, not the funeral home! I know, it's different and more than a little scary. But being with Papa from death to funeral means you can sit with him and talk to him and forgive him and apologize to him. At 2AM, if that's what you want to do.
Our guest, Lauren Carroll, is a Home Funeral Educator in Colorado Springs, and she will explain all this to us. She is compassionate, loving and caring, and she will give us lots to think about.
So far, we have been talking about the loss of a loved-one. But what about the loss of a less-than-loved-one? Someone who used to share our lives, our kids, our friends? Divorce can be an awful experience. It can shatter lives. And life is now different-where do the kids sleep during the week and who gets them over the weekend? Who cooks the meals, who arranges playdates? Who goes to school conferences? And the parents, once joined together by love, now what? Their friends now have to make choices-I'll be his friend, not hers. She doesn't get invited to social events anymore, because her girlfriends don't want their own husbands to look too hard at the divorcee? Can the formerly married retain a civil relationship with each other, or are they nasty and vindictive? Can you be friends with your former wife/husband? This is a great time for you to call in and talk about your own experience. Others will learn from you. Question: how do you make divorce work? Call me-888 346-9141.
Well, we know that we think differently, but do we grieve differently? I don't know either, but my guest Shawn Doyle, does. He has written about it and spoken about it, and I can't wait to hear what he has to say. This matters a lot. Because, if I know that if a woman has suffered a life-loss, I can better understand what she needs in the way of healing and consolation. The same with a man. So come and listen and learn with me. br I look forward to your being with me this Thursday at 5PM PST on From Mourning to Morning.
I am Rabbi Mel Glazer, and this is my first show. I am delighted to be your host. I will introduce myself and you will get to know me a bit better. Then I will begin to teach what I know about grief and healing. I will ask and answer the questions: what is grief all about? What is the goal of mourning? My answer may surprise you, because it has little to do with the one who died. It has to do only with you! I will tell a Zen story and you will immediately understand how I hope you might begin to think about grief. Lots of different losses in our lives. Death, divorce, pet loss, loss of a relationship, weddings (yes, I mean that!) and many more. We have lots of work to do, I look forward to speaking and teaching and learning together. Finally, I am a Rabbi, but that has nothing to do with grief. Grief has no religion, it is an orphan that affects believers and non-believers alike. Tell your friends that The Grief Rabbi is coming, invite them to join you.
When a loved one die, we cry, we get lonely, we are afraid to move forward. br What about when a pet dies, what happens then? Come and learn with Judy Wright, known as Auntie Artichoke. You'll find out why she calls herself that, and what an artichoke has to do with the death of a pet. br Come and listen and invite your friends. br Till Thursday...
Until I met my guest, Rev. Dr. Ahriana Platten nine years ago, I had no idea what Unity was all about. We have been close friends ever since, and I invited her to explain their unique theology to us. br How does Unity deal with death? What happens to the soul? The body? Is there an afterlife? Death rituals? What happens at funerals? What does mourning look like? br We Jews and Christians are mostly familiar with each others' customs, since we have been present at funerals and other ceremonies. On this episode, we will learn a different way of being spiritual. br Come listen to Ahriana teach us, she is delightful and kind and empathic and funny. You will learn much! br Blessings, Rabbi Mel
I am Rabbi Mel Glazer, and this is my first show. I am delighted to be your host. I will introduce myself and you will get to know me a bit better. Then I will begin to teach what I know about grief and healing. I will ask and answer the questions: what is grief all about? What is the goal of mourning? My answer may surprise you, because it has little to do with the one who died. It has to do only with you! I will tell a Zen story and you will immediately understand how I hope you might begin to think about grief. Lots of different losses in our lives. Death, divorce, pet loss, loss of a relationship, weddings (yes, I mean that!) and many more. We have lots of work to do, I look forward to speaking and teaching and learning together. Finally, I am a Rabbi, but that has nothing to do with grief. Grief has no religion, it is an orphan that affects believers and non-believers alike. Tell your friends that The Grief Rabbi is coming, invite them to join you.
Okay, here's a list for you, tell me the common denominator: br Prince br Nancy Reagan br Abe Vigoda br Boutro Butrous Ghali brbr What's the answer? They all died in 2016 (and it's only May!). But that's not the real question, which is... Why do we mourn their deaths, even though none of us knew them personally? They weren't our parents or family members, or next-door neighbors. So why all the tears when they died? br Think about that, and if you want to talk on the air with me with your suggestion, I encourage you to call me at 888 346-9141. br Till Thursday, br Rabbi Mel
So let's say you meet someone in a restaurant or in a store, and s/he asks: so how are you feeling? Or: what are you doing this weekend? Now, never mind that it's none of their business, but often after a life-loss, you just don't feel like talking about it. Even with friends. br This week I will speak about how to feel less awkward when talking to your friends. There will be practical suggestions as well as my own commentary on the topic. br Come listen, and invite your friends. br Want to call and ask a question during the show? 888 346-9141 Don't be afraid... Send me an e-mail? rabbimel@griefok.com br Blessings of peace to you and your family.
So you go into the back room at Panera's and you sit down with other people who have suffered a life-loss. And then you talk to each other over tea and cookies about death. Not dying, but death. br Sounds weird, no? But Death Cafes are happening all over America, and my guest Lizzie Miles hosted the very first one in America in 2012. br She is a multi-interest woman, the author of Somewhere In Between: The Hokey Pokey, Chocolate Cake and The Shared Death Experience, and lots of blogs about death. I just read her blog called: Does Jesus like chocolate? Not only is it poignant. It is truth in poetry, and I am delighted to have her as my guest. br Got a question during the show? 888 346-9141 E-mail me at rabbimel@griefok.com br Bring your friends!
So what do you do when you cannot care for Mom at home? It's jut too much for you. The doctors tell you she needs more meds, and you are exhausted from spending all day caring for her and worrying about her. br Well, hospice is the answer. Either she can stay home and the hospice team will visit several times a week, or you can move her to a hospice. br Dr. Kate Raphael works at Pikes Peak Hospice here in Colorado Springs. I will interview her and ask her questions about hospice-what it is, how it works, and anything else. br If you have any questions for Dr. Raphael, please call during the show at PLEASE FILL IN THE NUMBER, THANKS!) br Come and listen and invite your friends!
When my Daddy died, my brother, sister and I were not allowed to attend his funeral. I suspect that was because our adult family members thought we couldn't handle it. And they were worried that we would be traumatized forever, and have bad dreams forever. They did love us, as they wanted to protect us. Well, they didn't. br Now, we understand these things much better, and we normally bring our kids to the funeral and the cemetery. We want them to know that death is a normal part of life, and we do not want to exclude them from the family at such a major event. br I will share some info from a NY Times article, and (as always) give my commentary. br Please join me, feel free to call during the show PLEASE PUT IN THE PHONE NUMBER, THANKS! to share your own comments and experiences. br Come by, and invite your friends.
Most of us are afraid of death: we don't want to talk about it or hear about it. And especially, we do not ever want to touch a dead body and prepare it for burial. Death scares us and makes it more difficult to prepare for own death, as well as the deaths of our loved ones. br My guest is an up-and-coming funeral director, Caitlin Doughty. She is blazing new trails in the area of dealing compassionately with death and burial. She is at the beginning of change and transformation, and she and I will discuss these issues. Read about her and you will be as impressed as I am. br I look forward to Thursday night. Please listen to us speak about not feeling so afraid to deal with death. br You will feel better after Caitlin and I chat.
As you may remember, my Daddy died two days before my 12th birthday. I remember him, sort of.... And then, as I have shared with you, the real shock begins...not only did he die (and who knew what that meant), but he's not ever coming back. So I had to re-mourn him all the time, even till now. When you're 12, you mourn in a different way than when you're 20 or 40, or like me, 69. So I will share and comment on some lessons that hopefully will help you as your life moves forward. br And then, more comments about what death teaches us about life. Which is, of course, the whole point. br Tune in, invite your friends. I have listeners from all over the world, and that honors me a lot. See you Thursday! br Rabbi Mel
I am Rabbi Mel Glazer, and this is my first show. I am delighted to be your host. I will introduce myself and you will get to know me a bit better. Then I will begin to teach what I know about grief and healing. I will ask and answer the questions: what is grief all about? What is the goal of mourning? My answer may surprise you, because it has little to do with the one who died. It has to do only with you! I will tell a Zen story and you will immediately understand how I hope you might begin to think about grief. Lots of different losses in our lives. Death, divorce, pet loss, loss of a relationship, weddings (yes, I mean that!) and many more. We have lots of work to do, I look forward to speaking and teaching and learning together. Finally, I am a Rabbi, but that has nothing to do with grief. Grief has no religion, it is an orphan that affects believers and non-believers alike. Tell your friends that The Grief Rabbi is coming, invite them to join you.
Your doctor tells you that your bloodwork has shown massive to your body, and you won't last long. So how are you feeling today? ask your friends. What do you say, how honest are you with them? Do you tell them the truth, and will they really care? Do you say fine, and feel like you're lying? And what can others do for you? Do you want to talk about it or not?
I look forward to being with you.
This week, I want you to call me so we can talk. Here are some questions for you to ask, or ask me anything else that I have talked about. br CALL ME AT: 888-346-9141. Don't be afraid, no one can see you, and I will take good care of you... br ASK ME THESE QUESTIONS OR ANY OTHERS: br 1. What has helped you heal the most? br 2. If you don't feel you have healed, what do you think should be your next step? br 3.What do you miss about your loved one? br 4. Does the death of your loved one cause you to think about your own death? br 5. Where do you think the soul goes after the body dies? 6. What is one thing on your bucket list before you die? br 7. Do you want extraordinary measures at the end of your life, meaning more drugs and painful blood-draws, or will you tell your loved ones to let you go when the time is right? br 8. What if you never had to die, would that be better or worse? br 9. Do you need to forgive someone before you die? br 10. Ever had a near-death experience? br CALL ME AT 888 346-9141.
Because death is so scary for most people, superstitions are created. These superstitions try to protect us, so that death will leave us alone. Come and hear some famous superstitions, and I'll try to explain them in a rational way. No need to be scared, just trust me...
People like to be kind and compassionate, so when you lose a loved-one, they want to comfort you with words that will somehow make you feel better. Unfortunately, they were never taught how to do this properly, so they end up saying the wrong thing. Our friends never learned what they should say, so they say what they shouldn't say, and that makes us feel even worse. br Please e-mail me with the worst comforting words you have heard, and w will discuss them. br Also, e-mail me with suggested topics. I can talk forever, but I'd rather talk about what you want me to talk about. The first five comments and suggestions will receive my book GPS FOR GRIEF AND HEALING as my gift. br rabbimel@griefok.com br Blessings, my friends!
You already know I love to talk! What you don't know is that I love to tell stories. This week I will tell you some of my favorite healing stories. Some are from my books, some were sent to me by you and other friends. Some will make you laugh, others will make you cry. But these stories are moving and real and filled with passion, and so I want you to hear them.
For several weeks, I have been teaching you what I know about grief and healing. br This week is your show. I want to know what you are thinking about what you are learning... br Consider the following questions: Have I been helpful to you? How so? Is there anything about how I teach that makes things easier or harder for you? What have I said that speaks to you personally? br Was anything I said hurtful? What have you disagreed with? Are there specific topics that you'd like me to address? br Have you shared this program with others? brbr YOUR HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: please send me an e-mail to GRIEFOK@AOL.COM., SUBJECT LINE: RABBI MEL, with some of your questions, answers and comments. I. I will respond to some of those e-mails on the show, and depending on the volume, will later hopefully be able to respond to them all. I really want to know how I can improve what I say and how I say it. br Have you read my books yet? Go to Amazon, look for me and you'll find them there.
We have lots of feelings when our loved ones leave us. I believe the first, and perhaps most important, is shock. Even if yesterday we saw them in hospice or in the hospital, we are still in shock when the dreaded phone call comes. We will discuss shock, and its' partner, fear. Shock is not all bad (we all know people who react well right after an emergency, then fall apart later). Shock can free us or freeze us, and that is true of every single loss. And what are we really afraid of? How do we deal with the shock and fear, how do we move forward to healing? Tune in, you may be surprised.
Last week we began to compare the mourning process with the wandering of the Israelites through the desert. There is no official GPS for wandering. No map and no direct route. You try things out, you meander, you experiment, and see what works for you and what doesn't. Nobody wanders like anybody else-we each find our own path. br But I have some helpful suggestions for wandering. They worked for me and I am hoping they will work for you too. br We will complete our list (there are 14 steps, this week we will begin at step #7, and complete the list. Steps 1-6 are in last week's episode. br The most important lesson of wandering: whatever you do is normal. Do not ever judge yourself. If it brings you comfort, it's right for you. br See you Thursday.
I am Rabbi Mel Glazer, and this is my first show. I am delighted to be your host. I will introduce myself and you will get to know me a bit better. Then I will begin to teach what I know about grief and healing. I will ask and answer the questions: what is grief all about? What is the goal of mourning? My answer may surprise you, because it has little to do with the one who died. It has to do only with you! I will tell a Zen story and you will immediately understand how I hope you might begin to think about grief. Lots of different losses in our lives. Death, divorce, pet loss, loss of a relationship, weddings (yes, I mean that!) and many more. We have lots of work to do, I look forward to speaking and teaching and learning together. Finally, I am a Rabbi, but that has nothing to do with grief. Grief has no religion, it is an orphan that affects believers and non-believers alike. Tell your friends that The Grief Rabbi is coming, invite them to join you.