Philotimo Life

Philotimo Life
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”A podcast about death? That‘s kinda morbid.” - You, probably. But it doesn‘t have to be. Come breathe life into the conversation around death, grief, & bereavement.

  1. 1D AGO

    No One Dies Alone ft Tracey Robertson (#047)

    A Conversation with Tracey Robertson of the Home Hospice Association What would it look like if everyone, regardless of income, background, or belief, had access to genuine, compassionate care at the end of life? That's not a hypothetical for Tracey Robertson. It's the work she's been doing since 2014. In this episode, Maria sits down with Tracey, co-founder of the Home Hospice Association -- a Canadian nonprofit leading the way in community-based palliative care, death education, and grief support. Together, they explore what it means to build an organization in a space most people would rather avoid, and why that work has never been more necessary. About the Home Hospice Association Founded in 2014, the Home Hospice Association is a Canadian nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that everyone has access to dignified, compassionate end-of-life care. Through community-based palliative care, grief support, and death education programs, HHA is helping to change the conversation around death and dying -- one person, one family, one community at a time.   Some Important Links Home Hospice Association Donate to HHA today Upcoming Events Get Involved / Volunteer   Stay Connected Sign up for our newsletter at philotimolife.com/subscribe

    37 min

  2. APR 28

    Partly Cloudy With a Chance of Grief ft. Laura Schmidt (#046)

    Grieving the Planet Together: A Conversation with Laura Schmidt of the Good Grief Network What do we do with the weight of watching the world change in ways we can't control? How do we stay present, stay connected, and stay human, when the scale of what we're facing can feel utterly paralyzing? This conversation with Laura Schmidt, co-founder of the Good Grief Network, is one Maria recorded late last year… and it has only grown more relevant since. The Good Grief Network is a nonprofit built on a radical but simple premise: that grief deserves to be witnessed, not bypassed. Through peer support groups and a structured 10-Step Program, they help individuals move through eco-anxiety and climate grief together, building emotional resilience and real community along the way. Understanding Eco-Anxiety & Climate Grief If some of the concepts in this episode are new to you, here are a few places to start: Eco-anxiety Climate grief Death anxiety and Terror Management Theory (TMT)  Bonus Resources & Good Grief Network Updates Get Laura's Book – How to live in a chaotic climate Good Grief Network Programs Good Grief Network Events The Weight Of Climate Change – Written By Maria Subscribe Subscribe to our mailing list at www.philotimolife.com/subscribe

    47 min

  3. APR 21

    Stories We Don't Tell (but we need to...) ft. Kiran Rai and Baljit Sangra (#045)

    Grief, Memory, and the Stories We Don't Tell: A Conversation with Kiran Rai and Baljit Sangra Some stories don't just move you, they quietly rearrange something in you. Time is one of those. Last year, Maria sat down with Kiran Rai and Baljit Sangra, two storytellers whose work has long lived at the edges of what South Asian stories are "supposed" to look like. They explore grief, aging, love, and loss with an honesty and tenderness that is rare and necessary. Their film, Time, is a deeply intimate documentary that follows an elderly woman navigating the loss of her husband to dementia. It's a meditation on memory, devotion, and what remains when so much has slipped away. What makes it especially extraordinary is that the woman at the centre of the film is Baljit's own naniji, Jeet Kaur.   About Kiran Rai & Baljit Sangra Kiran Rai and Baljit Sangra are storytellers, filmmakers, and photographers whose work centres underrepresented voices and challenges cultural taboos around grief, aging, and family. Together, they are the team behind By The Kollective — a creative studio committed to authentic, human-centred storytelling.   🎬 Watch the Time trailer 🌿 By The Kollective 🖼️ Buy Baljit's Prints   Stay Connected Sign up for our newsletter at philotimolife.com/subscribe

    56 min

  4. APR 14

    Rituals Are For Everyone (#044)

    Ritual Is for Everyone: Ceremony, Grief, and the Moments We Forget to Mark What if the moments we grieve most quietly are the ones most deserving of ceremony? Maria sits down with Megan Sheldon, founder of BeCeremonial and one of the most thoughtful voices working at the intersection of ritual, grief, and what it means to be human.  Megan is a cultural mythologist, humanist celebrant, and end-of-life doula based in BC. They discuss how Megan found her way to this work from a young age, what it felt like to experience recurrent pregnancy loss without any ritual framework to hold it, and how those invisible moments of change became the heartbeat of everything Be Ceremonial is built on.  They also dig into what it means to approach grief and ceremony outside of religious tradition, and why secular ritual might be one of the most important things we're collectively missing. Upcoming Events & Workshops End-of-Life Planning Process Ceremonial Training: The Elements of Ritual Pregnancy Loss Ritual  Bonus Resources Scottish Paganism Homicide loss and grief Cumulative Grief Jessie Harold – The Becoming Podcast with Megan Sheldon  Grief in North America, a death-denying society   Stay Connected Sign up for our newsletter at philotimolife.com/subscribe

    59 min

  5. APR 7

    Dead Moms and Parentless Club (#043)

    Dead Mom? Same. Maria sits down with Amanda Katz, founder of The Parentless Club, to talk about what it really means to live without a parent, and why community might be one of the most powerful tools we have for navigating grief. After losing her mother at a young age, Maria knows firsthand how isolating this kind of loss can feel, and how rarely we're given real space to process it. In this conversation, Amanda shares her own experience with parental loss, what moved her to create The Parentless Club, and how a Toronto-based community has grown into a gathering place for people who just get it. They explore why belonging matters so much in grief, how creative and communal spaces can hold what words sometimes can't, and what it looks like to build something meaningful out of loss. If you've lost a parent, or love someone who has, this one's for you.     About The Parentless Club The Parentless Club is a Toronto-based community offering connection, shared understanding, and mutual support for people who have lost a parent. Through events, fundraising for mental health initiatives, and online resources, they're making sure no one has to grieve alone.     Upcoming Events 🌸 Toronto — Motherless Day Tickets 🌸 Winnipeg — Motherless Day  🌸 Vancouver — Motherless Day     Bonus Resources When Your Spouse Loses a Parent Helping Children With Grief     Stay Connected Sign up for our newsletter at philotimolife.com/subscribe

    31 min
  6. Tinsel, Tears & Everything In Between (#042)

    2024-12-24

    Tinsel, Tears & Everything In Between (#042)

    The holiday season is often called "the most wonderful time of the year," but for many, it’s anything but. Instead, it can bring a swirl of heavy emotions and bittersweet memories. In this more sombre, heartfelt episode (very off-brand for us – we know!), we dive into how grief and the holidays often collide, shaping everything from traditions to mental health. In this quickie episode, we touch on: How grief manifests during the holidays Strategies for reimagining traditions and creating space for emotions, whether joyful or sorrowful Meaningful ways to support grieving loved ones, both during the holidays and as the new year begins This episode is a gentle reminder that grief and love often coexist. We wish you the holiday season that you need, and we can’t wait to see you in the New Year.   Additional Resources: Supporting your mental health during the holidays – https://www.samhsa.gov/blog/supporting-your-mental-health-during-holiday-season Facing the New Year when you are bereaved – https://www.vitas.com/family-and-caregiver-support/grief-and-bereavement/holidays-and-grief/facing-the-new-year-when-you-are-bereaved Facing the New Year after the death of a loved one – https://boomingencore.com/facing-a-new-year-can-be-difficult-after-the-death-of-a-loved-one-e20939aa-01c6-4a23-adf1-4c200d251346  Setting your intentions for the new year – https://www.hospiceaustin.org/grief-and-healing-setting-your-intentions-for-the-new-year/  Philotimo Life episodes are now recorded in Miraki Life Workspace, a creative co-working space that fosters community and collaboration. Be sure to follow Philotimo Life on Instagram at @philotimolife and sign up for our newsletter at philotimolife.com/subscribe. Background music by Oleksii_Kalyna from Pixabay.

    6 min

  7. 2024-10-27

    History of Halloween, from Ancient Celts to Modern Day Traditions (#041)

    Have you ever wondered why we carve pumpkins, dress up, and celebrate all things spooky on Halloween? In this episode, Maria dives deep into the fascinating history of Halloween, exploring how this beloved holiday evolved from ancient traditions to the playful celebration we know today. What You’ll Learn: The origins of Halloween in ancient Celtic and Roman festivals How Samhain traditions influenced today’s Halloween customs The history behind trick-or-treating, costumes, and jack-o'-lanterns How Halloween transitioned to a community-focused celebration in the 20th century Discovering medieval traditions like “souling” and “guising” and their connection to modern Halloween activities Important Links: Historical information on Samhain and Celtic traditions – https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/samhain The origins of jack-o’-lanterns and traditional turnip carvings – https://www.history.com/news/history-of-the-jack-o-lantern-irish-origins IMAGES: Absolutely terrifying turnip carvings that would ward off any evil spirit: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-people-carved-turnips-instead-of-pumpkins-for-halloween-180978922/ Philotimo Life episodes are now recorded in Miraki Life Workspace, a creative co-working space that fosters community and collaboration. Be sure to follow Philotimo Life on Instagram at @philotimolife and sign up for our newsletter at philotimolife.com/subscribe. Background music by SOULFULJAMTRACKS from Pixabay.

    7 min

  8. 2024-10-25

    Consumer rights and death care ft. David Brazeau (#040)

    What does it take to navigate the evolving bereavement sector and make informed decisions about death care services? In this episode, Maria sits down with David Brazeau, communications manager at the Bereavement Authority of Ontario (BAO), to explore the changing landscape of funeral homes, crematoriums, and consumer protection in the death care industry. David shares his journey from journalism to his current role at the BAO, where he focuses on education, communication, and public awareness. They discuss topics like alternative death care practices, including alkaline hydrolysis, and the importance of the preservation of historical cemeteries. David also emphasizes the importance of consumer rights, accessibility through social media, and how the BAO’s digital magazine, Beyond, aims to demystify the bereavement sector for the public. What you'll learn: What the Bereavement Authority of Ontario (BAO) does to protect consumer rights in the death care industry An introduction to alternative death care options like alkaline hydrolysis (aquamation) and green burials The importance of preserving historical cemeteries and what that process looks like Insights into the regulation and oversight of funeral homes, crematoriums, and cemeteries How storytelling and education through platforms like Beyond magazine help inform the public ----more---- Links: Bereavement Authority of Ontario (BAO): thebao.ca Beyond Magazine: https://thebao.ca/beyond-bao-magazine/ Funeral, Burial, and Cremation Services Act – https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/02f33 Radical Death Studies – https://www.radicaldeathstudies.com/ Hidden cemeteries of Essex County hold Underground Railroad history via CBC – https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/hidden-cemeteries-essex-county-1.4513193 Why these historians are restoring the graves of former slaves via TVO – https://www.tvo.org/article/why-these-historians-are-restoring-the-graves-of-former-slaves Respecting and remembering those buried in Canada’s first Black Cemeteries via BAO – https://thebao.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Beyond_June2021.pdf   Philotimo Life episodes are now recorded in Miraki Life Workspace, a creative co-working space that fosters community and collaboration. Be sure to follow Philotimo Life on Instagram at @philotimolife and sign up for our newsletter at philotimolife.com/subscribe.

    45 min
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5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

”A podcast about death? That‘s kinda morbid.” - You, probably. But it doesn‘t have to be. Come breathe life into the conversation around death, grief, & bereavement.

Information

  • Creator
    Philotimo Life
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    17
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Philotimo Life