Following up on the post regarding the podcast on the Voices of Transition (in Portuguese).
Communicating about death is one of the great challenges I feel called to in life.
Several people who listened to the podcast pointed out how important it is the fact that the content I communicate is integrated in me, it is part of who I am, of my story. This favours those who listen to it to be redimensioned into their own references, to their own inner landscapes.
It has been beautiful to revisit these landscapes of yours, through your hand, as if I would be coming to the land of a friend who unveils their corners to me, populated by the intimate stories of those who inhabit and let themselves be inhabited by what they live/experience.
Of the many gems that reflect those deep transformations to which people have opened up or are opening up to, the metaphor of the hands has been fruitful in stories that leave my face dripping with the sea of our eyes.
I share one with you, it is about a couple that I carry in my heart.
You know, while we were with my son, my husband and I always had our hands clasped around his hands, transmitting warmth, our warmth on his little hands, giving him warmth and love.
(I&B)
And also that of (LM), who chose to "reforest their heart".
You have opened deep doors in me that have led me far and near, to long-needed struggles and births. Thank you for your testimony, eloquence and integrity. You shake structures and the heart becomes uncovered. You always have a great ability to articulate ideas and find a structure in communication, integrating much in all you communicate and also bringing poetry, beauty. A very intense interview, with a lot of information, with many dimensions, with a lot to dig out, a lot to point out.
I was very touched by this thing of the spiritual into the material... of materializing; turning into practical, visible what is invisible... bringing into everyday's life the memories of death. As you speak, you are weaving the words, everything is very articulated and sewn by hand... What moved me the most and took me far and near: the image of you touching the hands (of dead people) when you were little. That transported me to my grandmother...I was always disturbed by the body of the dead, but with my grandmother I had that need. It really moved me to go back there and to that emotion. And also the fear that my father will die without me having communicated what I want to communicate. It was a moment of catharsis, you touched on some very precise points. Listening to you was a trigger...After listening, I wrote a poem about my grandmother's hands and finally wrote the letter to my father. And a lot of light was brought upon my questions. Thank you for this impulse that your word, your testimony brought me.
Or Sofia and Gabriel's story, regarding the doubts felt by the parents.
I really enjoyed hearing you talk about the funeral as a ritual and how important it is for people to see the body so they can do their own grief. I remembered that, when my grandfather died, Gabriel was 5 years old. Gabriel loved his grandfather... At the time I had big doubts, I didn't know whether to take him to the funeral or not because he was so small and everyone thought that kids shouldn't attend a funeral. I hadn't attended a funeral when I was a little girl. I ended up taking him to the chapel to see his grandfather's body and I felt that for him it was such a normal thing, he wasn't shocked. All the people looking...”so she brings such a little boy here?”, but the thing is that afterwards Gabriel ended up asking me questions...all was normal. I think it is so important to demystify this idea of death, to see death as something that is natural and a normal process, to talk about it. It's never talked about because it's something painful, but it doesn't have to be so hard to talk about it. I showed Gabriel that I was sad and I cried next to him and it is so important that they understand this, so that in the future they can also express their own emotions. The interview touched me because it confirmed what I had doubts about at the time. (Sofia Cardoso)
I have been particularly struck by how quickly people are integrating these proposals in their lives... Sónia Fialho started to carry a book of poetry as a form of daily contemplation of death; or Filipe Raposo- It was a pleasure listening to you. You brought a lot of wisdom and delightful stories. It is indeed a subject that needs to have more presence in our culture and our lives. I feel motivated to create a practice of contemplation of death.
I share a few more of the testimonies:
What a delicious interview! (Ricardo Rodrigues)
The podcast touched me deeply, it has such an inspiring, revolutionary, awakened dimension. (Célia Fernandes)
I could see myself in a lot of things. Also because, as a family doctor, the listening, being present and accompanying during stages of change are very important. And it's really important to be aware of all the stages of life and to anticipate the phase changes, which are, as you so rightly said, a threat, but at the same time a great opportunity!!! I got the feeling that listening to you yesterday was almost a spa therapy or like reading a good book!!! It was really great! And I really liked the simple and beautiful way you put it all together. (André Pedras)
A fluid, expressive and captivating language. The topic is profound in today's society. It is a "innovative" concept in another clothing and renewed from our ancestors, through the various stages of life (deaths) and physical absence forever; it is all about creating a channel of love. (Clara Carraça)
She speaks about death very lightly, clearly and naturally, using her own experience, humour and deep knowledge. The passage of poetry about time as well as Rita's invitation to reflect on our life helped me a lot. I also really liked the metaphor of the lobster, I thought it was perfect to explain the transitions we all experience throughout life. Rita also explains very well how death doulas came about and why she chose to call herself a "transition doula". (Veronica Lamaison)
I thank you for having given names, words to things that I could not yet name, for the ability to bring and share so many references, for having articulated and integrated so much in a single conversation. (Filipa Gallis)
Thank you for sharing such beautiful thoughts. It is a pleasure to hear the pitch of your beautiful voice rise and fall. I loved the moments when you both laughed like naughty children who have found what they were looking for. (Nacho Goienetxe)
You can see the enthusiasm of Carla who is interviewing; it is beautiful to witness: the person who interviews letting herself be touched by what she hears. (LM)
I enjoyed so much listening to you and I learned so much, it's always wonderful to listen to you because you always speak with immense passion. I loved listening to the metaphors you kept introducing, they made perfect sense in the conversation, I even noted down the bibliographic reference and would like to read. It reinforced a lot of what I had inside, but it also added a lot. (Rita Silva)
I liked it very much, I learned a lot, very impressive, it's really you, you're like an encyclopaedia...the way you speak so clearly, the way you explain, the data... (Ulises Miranda)