Peace of the Planet

07/30/2026

Thursday's Dead Serious Thoughts - Are you a little wild or more conservative?

I've been invited to memorials and celebrations of life that have included themes. The first one I recall was one where everyone was asked to dress up in 70's attire (the year he was born). I thought it was crazy and that it felt disrespectful. But in hindsight, this theme was perfectly him: fun, funny, and he was ALWAYS smiling when I saw him.

Others have had colors requested: wear cheery colors, they represent the flowers in her garden, wear a Hawaiian shirt- they were his signature look.

Others still had live music and singing... come up and sing a favorite song- his or yours- no professional background required.

Some of these celebrations were bold & unexpected. But they were true to the person and left me saying, "Wow, how fun!". And what a great way to be remembered.

If you could picture any unique thing that you could ask people to do at your celebration of life (that either represented the you they knew or the you you kept hidden), what would that be... and what do you envision people would say as they left?

07/23/2026

Thursday's Dead Serious Thoughts: Sometimes a powerful quote captures the essence of what it is all about.

And in the end, I believe that we don't need to do anything to be loved.

We spend our lives trying to seem prettier, smarter.

But I realized two things.

Those who love us see us with their hearts and attribute qualities to us beyond those we really have.

And those who don't want to love us will never be satisfied with all of our efforts.

Yes, I really believe that it is important to leave our imperfections alone. They are precious to understand those who see us with the heart.

-Frida Kahlo

07/16/2026

Thursday's Dead Serious Thoughts: Wading through grief and loss 🌊💔

As some of you may know, I'm fascinated by grief and loss, and I've been consuming content on the topic. Everyone grieves differently, and our culture gives us only a few days to process. 🤕

I lost a friend last year and regret not reaching out to his widow sooner. But grief doesn't just go away with time, we learn to carry it with us. And we can accept help at any point... including almost a year later. It's never too late to reach out and offer support. 💕

If you're thinking of reaching out to someone, please don't hesitate. It's not about having answers, but about showing up and being present. ❤️

07/09/2026

Thursday's Dead Serious Thoughts: The Power of Rituals

Think rituals are just for witches? Think again!

We participate in rituals all the time, from birthday candles to graduations. They bring structure and meaning.

When someone is dying, emotions can be overwhelming or paralyzing. But what if you could contain that energy?

Grief and love share the same energy - opposite sides of a single ribbon.

Rituals create "riverbanks" to channel these feelings safely. No dams, no floods. Just flow.

Try passing a "talking rock" among loved ones:
What do you love about this person?
How have they impacted your life?
Favorite memories?

It provides safety, presence & support.
Slows things down, allowing true connection.

Sadness remains, but contained emotions help everyone heal.

Create your own personal ritual with me!
Reach out for guidance on navigating before, during, or after loss.

07/09/2026

https://www.peaceoftheplanet.net/blog/2026/7/9/the-power-of-deathbed-rituals

The word "ritual" can sound woo-woo for sure but contrary to popular belief, all rituals don't contain a witches caldron and an eye of newt. We participate in rituals all throughout our lives. Placing candles on a cake and blowing them out on our birthday is a ritual. Graduations- movi

07/02/2026

https://www.peaceoftheplanet.net/blog/2026/7/2/thursdays-dead-serious-thoughts-leaning-into-the-differing-perspectives-of-how-much-time-we-have-left

A friend of mine (Amy Lynn) recently shared a post of what kids imagined life would be like at 40. One 8 year old girl wrote: "I am forty. I am turning old. I just left work because I cannot manage going up and down hills. I know I will die soon." 😳 Let's just say that I am grateful tha

07/02/2026

Thursday's Dead Serious Thoughts: Leaning into the differing perspectives of how much time we have left.

A friend of mine (Amy Lynn) recently shared a post of what kids imagined life would be like at 40. One 8 year old girl wrote: "I am forty. I am turning old. I just left work because I cannot manage going up and down hills. I know I will die soon." Let's just say that I am grateful that she has a lot to learn about "old age".

Many people just assume that they will die of old age. But what DOES "old age" look like to you? Is it a really number or is it a state of being? If you are healthy and active, you can see, hear and move without difficulty, is that enough to keep you "young"?

What does your old age look like and what are your non-starters? How do you feel about living life with a walker? Or not being able to see? Or living with chronic pain? Will you learn to adjust and accept your new normal as a phase of aging or just throw in the towel?

What if you are your healthiest today than you will ever be again? Are you doing the things you want to do? What are you waiting for?

Because if you are 8 year old Jennifer Turner, 40 may be approaching quickly... or you're living on borrowed time.

06/25/2026

Thursday's Dead Serious Thoughts: Looking to do a little woo-woo-ish experiment with your sun & your rising sign. :)

In astrology, depending on your time, date, and place of birth, one can calculate your sun sign, moon sign, and rising sign. A sun sign represents your will and purpose: it represents how you see yourself. Our rising sign represents how others see us. (they can be the same)

This last Thursday of this month, I have chosen what I think to be, a fun experiment. Write down three words that describe you as you see yourself without asking someone else - that comes next.

Then, ask others to give you three words that THEY feel describe you.

How are they different? How are they the same? What surprised you the most?

And then, please share what you found.

06/22/2026

We learn from every experience.

Are you in the midst of supporting a dying loved one and feel the overwhelm of caretaking, commitment, what to do after, and all of the anticipatory grief that comes with it? Could you use a greater understanding of what to expect when your loved one nears death? How can you prepare for their death-and how can you prepare for your own?

Death Wishes is a six week course that helps you not only organize the things you might & will need at and after the end-of-life, but it is a space to learn, talk about, and heal from your own experiences. It will prepare you on a different level whilst diving into details that are not often discussed but are so important.

This course is about organizing your end-of-life details so the most important things can be the focus. We will organize:
*Passwords
*Insurances & benefits
*Dependent & Pet Care
*Legal Decisions
*Bank accounts and bills
*Important Contact names, numbers and emails
*What you envision (& set a plan where possible) your end-of-life arrangements
*Eulogy & obituary strategies
*Funeral and after death arrangements
*Letters to loved ones

Discussions and sharing will include (but not limited to):
*Where we develop our views of death
*End-of-Life Options (Voluntary Stopping Eating & Drinking, Medical Aid in Dying)
*End-of-Life Care: Hospice, End of life Doulas, Sacred Death Care Guides
*The aspects of a healing funeral
*Ritual acts for support
*Identifying and understanding the dynamics of a supportive community
*The process of dying
*Legacy Projects..and so much more!

The course begins July 9th through August 13th and is every Thursday for 6 weeks from 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm. Snacks are provided.

Enter "EarlyBird" for a 25% discount if registering before June 29th.

For more information or to register:

Death Wishes is an in person, six-week workshop designed to help you thoughtfully prepare yourself—and your loved ones—for the time leading up to your death, the process of dying, the final breath, and the practical matters that follow.

06/18/2026

Thursday's Dead Serious Thoughts: Thinking about how to give an accurate representation of who you are... or are not when all are listening.

It is very important, in my opinion, that a funeral service accurately represent who someone was, can provide the community with a safe container to grieve, and is an "initiation" for close loved ones to recognize their new role in the world without us.

I know that grieving relatives do the best they can to have a service that represents the person, but sometimes, especially for those who do not have an active religious affiliation, finding someone to officiate a funeral can be challenging.

If a funeral does not accurately represent the person who died, it can feel hollow and leave those grieving feeling empty and disconnected. The easiest way to obtain a meaningful connection to the deceased is to have the person who speaks on their behalf be someone who knew them or at leased focused on who they were, if possible.

Who would you choose to speak about you at your funeral? Would it be clergy/someone from your religious affiliation, a dear friend, or someone specialized in death work?

I know, you'll be dead so it won't matter to you, but having a degree of peaceful closure will matter to those left behind.