Issue # 90 - June 2022

The Conference is Less Than Two Months Away!  

Portland, OR - July 15-17

This year's roster features experts from all over the world,

offering a variety of perspectives on death, grief and belief

across the spiritual, social and psychological spectrum.

The live conference ticket includes two cocktail parties

plus lunch and dinner on Saturday.

If you can't attend in person,

you can purchse the conference recordings for only $99

All the details can be found HERE



Use the discount code GEN50 on our registration page

to save $50 on the general admission ticket!



How Doctors Die

by Ken Murray - Novemer 30, 2011 

Editor's note: Yes, this is an old article. It's been circulating for about ten years, but it's imporatnt enough to re-publish on a regular basis, especially for those of us who are facing a terminal diagnosis for ourselves or for our loved ones.

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"It’s not a frequent topic of discussion, but doctors die too. And they don’t die like the rest of us. What’s unusual about them is not how much treatment they get compared to most Americans, but how little. For all the time they spend fending off the deaths of others, they tend to be fairly serene when faced with death themselves. They know exactly what is going to happen, they know the choices, and they generally have access to any sort of medical care they could want. But they go gently."  READ MORE...

Why Religious Trauma is Actually Trauma

Photo by Eric Ward - Story by Christine Greenwald 

"I’d like to clear up two misconceptions that I perceive people have about religious trauma: that it is either A) a horrible event that occurred in a religious context [think abuse scandals] or B) a fluffy excuse for why embittered people (e.g., exvangelicals) are exiting the church and in no way an actual “trauma.”

Both are incorrect when I talk about religious trauma. Well, A isn’t incorrect, but it’s a particular kind of trauma that doesn’t fully explain many people’s stories. I will explain a more expansive understanding of trauma."  READ MORE...

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGIOUS TRAUMA...

  . Listen to this interview with psychologist and religious recovery consultant

  Dr. Marlene Winnell, author of Leaving the Fold.

 . You will also find some helpful information on our website.

Yoga Barbie: Babaji or Beelzebub?

It's hard to tell what's more disturbing about this... the fact that Barbie now teaches meditation (yes, this is an actual product), or that Christian groups are against it because, their words, "Yoga leads to demonic posession." 

Actually, it's not a difficult choice at all. It's cool to have Barbie introducing spiritual self-care to kids. What's horrifying is that Christian influencers who think yoga and meditation come from Satan have public platforms that reach millions through networks like the 700 Club and TBN. 

Here's what one such influencer says about yoga Barbie:

 "Each pose is designed to invoke a hindu deity in the spirit realm. I have seen children get possessed by demons... Satan is after the children. He wants to use them and indoctrinate them for his glory. Then, when he is done, he will destroy them. As your kids grow, they will get rebellious, depressed and many will be suicidal. You won’t understand what’s happening as a parent. God forbids all practices of eastern religion as a Christian. You must remove all toys and clean your children’s room of all demonic attachments."  READ MORE...

Related story: 

Do Buddhist podcasts or meditation apps lead to ‘authentic’ Buddhist practice?

How Memorial Tattoos Help the Bereaved

 Photo by Peter Marlow/Magnum

Story by Jennifer L. Buckle and Sonya Corbin Dwyer

"Grief is a complex response to loss that has many dimensions. Contemporary theories of grief acknowledge this complexity and variation, such as in the ongoing relationships or continuing bonds that bereaved people have with deceased loved ones. There is also growing evidence that meaning-making – defined as a process of considering what an event, such as the death of a loved one, could signify or how to interpret it – is an important factor in the experience of grief."  READ MORE...

About the Afterlife

Even though we're now The Conference on Death, Grief and Belief instead of The Afterlife Conference, we still believe in an afterlife and after-death commnicaton (but without the religious narrative). That said, these videos impart some excellent information that might even make sense to the skeptics in our audience. 

Buddhism and Psychotherapy

 "Buddhist-oriented mental health practitioners are an assorted bunch. Some are hardcore meditators fully devoted to their dharma path. Others rarely formally meditate and do not identify as Buddhists but find themselves aligned with Buddhist concepts that they introduce using non-Buddhist language. READ MORE... 

CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS

Visit the Out-of-Body Spectrum

Explore the non-physical state of being and consciousness related to out-of-body experiences (OBEs) through a spectrum of experiential techniques that include bi-location, lucid dreaming, near-death experience, and remote sensing. DETAILS HERE

Exploring the Equation Between Love and Death

This program, led by two pioneers in the end-of-life care field and long time Buddhist practitioners, is an exploration of how we bring depth and dedication into our whole life and the life of the world. Through teachings, exchanges, and unique practices and processes, we explore the profound relationship between love and death, engaged practice and the role of love and compassion in how we serve others. DETAILS HERE

Trauma: A Path the Self-Realization

 with Dr. Gabor Mate'

Both traditional teaching and up-to-date research show that trauma and states of challenge can be seen not only as sufferings to overcome, but as pathways to unlock more illuminating states of consciousness and a deeper understanding of the self. In turn, these can lead to long term emotional and behavioural change and resilience that offer greater access to peace and contentment and healing. 

Dr. Maté is a physician and bestselling author of four books published in over 30 languages. He is an internationally-renowned speaker highly sought after for his expertise on addiction, trauma, childhood development, and the relationship of stress and illness.  DETAILS HERE

CONFERENCE UPDATES

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Exhbit at the Conference!

Post-Conference Excursion to the Beautiful

Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls 

When the conference ends on Sunday, the fun will continue!

We'll begin with a luxury bus tour through the beautiful Columbia River Gorge, and after taking in the spectacular scenery, we'll arrive at the legendary Multnomah Falls Lodge, where we can take a short walk up to the falls before feasting on a fabulous dinner. DETAILS HERE

The Atheist After-Party

Apostates, idolators, fornicators and infidels welcome!

Even if you can't attend the conference, if you're a fan of Atheist podcasts, you'll want to drop in for this FREE event after conference events conclude on Saturday July16 to meet some of your podcast heroes. Our guests of honor will be conference keynote speakers Seth Andrews from The Thinking Atheist, and Frank & Dan from Thank God I'm Atheist. We've set up a special web page where you can RSVP, and it also offers options to attend their individual keynotes or the full conference. DETAILS HERE.

Six CE Credit Hours Available

A Full-Day, Pre-Conference Workshop Facilitated by

Two of the Leading Voices in Contemporary Grief Research

THIS JOB IS STILL OPEN! 

Zoom Genius Wanted - Paid Position!

We still have openings for a few good volunteers!

There are several different tasks that volunteers can help with, from advance conference planning to administration and tech support at the live conference. If you're interested, please fill out THIS ONLINE APPLICATION.