Donna Lancaster: Ageing as a Spiritual Practice

This week Gabriella speaks with artist Freny Pavri. Freny grew up in the Zoroastrian tradition in India; a religion with a very different way of life and approach to death and dying. Gabriella speaks to Freny about Zoroastrian funeral practices, known as sky funerals. She explains the role of sound and mantra in the ceremonies; supporting the soul of the dead person and how bodies are left out to be touched by the sun, and historically eaten by vultures.Freny also tells Gabriella about her own grandmother’s funeral, attended by thousands of people. And what it felt like to experience such a personal loss amongst so many others.Gabriella and Freny are two women who share a curiosity about death, and in this conversation they discuss living alongside it in their own lives and through their work.We hope you enjoy this episode 🦋__Content note: MORTAL contains conversations around death, bereavement and loss 🕊️__Mentions & LinksFreny’s website: https://anahat.uk/teachers/__For signposting to support for any of the topics covered in this episode 🌀 https://linktr.ee/MortalPodcast__Follow us on:👉🏽 Instagram @themortalpodcast 👉🏽TikTok @mortalpod👉🏽 YouTube @mortal-pod—Created by: Gabriella Wilde & Olivia PercivalAudio Producer: Alexandra Quinn Editors: Olivia Percival & Alexandra QuinnMusic composed by Robert Logan Comms: Jordan Maxwell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Philosopher and psychiatrist Iain McGilchrist joins Gabriella this week. Through the lens of his seminal work, The Master and his Emmisary, and the role of the two hemispheres in the brain, Iain talks to Gabriella about how the brain approaches mortality. How does having purpose and meaning change how we feel about our lives being finite? How does the way we pay attention to the world change what we find in it?Iain explains how in his view death is not the opposite of life but is actually part of the fulfilment of life.They also discuss: the role of suffering, finding meaning in things that cannot be put into words, his relationship with faith and why beauty is important.We hope you enjoy this episode 🦋__Content note: MORTAL contains conversations around death, bereavement and loss 🕊️__Mentions & LinksIain’s Website https://channelmcgilchrist.com/home/__For signposting to support for any of the topics covered in this episode 🌀 https://linktr.ee/MortalPodcast__Follow us on:👉🏽 Instagram @themortalpodcast 👉🏽TikTok @mortalpod👉🏽 YouTube @mortal-pod—Created by: Gabriella Wilde & Olivia PercivalEditors: Olivia Percival & Alexandra QuinnMixed by Dan King at AudioAceMusic composed by Robert LoganComms: Jordan Maxwell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week is a very special, tender episode. Gabriella speaks with actor Anna Chancellor about the life and death of her extraordinary daughter, Poppy Chancellor.Poppy was an artist: funny, vibrant, creative and full of life; even after being diagnosed with Leukaemia and throughout treatment, she did a dance a day ~ a joyful act of defiance.In this conversation Anna shares her experience of Poppy dying: the difficulty of being a mother watching her daughter becoming increasingly unwell, but also the beauty of their relationship and the creative, truly inspiring way they approached Poppy’s death.Poppy had begun to work in grief, prior to her diagnosis and so she was able to guide her mother through her own dying process. Anna’s description of the magic they created together through art and ceremony as Poppy was dying as well as after she had died is remarkable.Anna also speaks to Gabriella about being witnessed in her grief, how Poppy’s death has changed her, as well her continuing relationship with Poppy after her death.We want to thank Anna so much for this incredibly intimate conversation about unthinkable loss, fierce love and creating beauty amongst it all. 🦋__Content note: MORTAL contains conversations around death, bereavement and loss 🕊️__Mentions & LinksLadysmith Black Mambazo, This Little Light of MinePoppy’s platform Griefcase: https://www.instagram.com/thegriefcase/?hl=en-gbFor signposting to support for any of the topics covered in this episode 🌀 https://linktr.ee/MortalPodcast__Follow us on:👉🏽 Instagram @themortalpodcast 👉🏽TikTok @mortalpod👉🏽 YouTube @mortal-pod—Created by: Gabriella Wilde & Olivia PercivalEditors: Olivia Percival & Alexandra QuinnMusic composed by Robert LoganComms: Jordan Maxwell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gabriella is joined on MORTAL this week by coach & author Donna Lancaster. Donna has spent more than three decades supporting people through grief and the many losses and changes that shape a life. She is the co-founder of The Bridge Retreat and author of The Bridge and Wise Words for Women.Donna speaks to Gabriella about why she’s always been drawn to what she calls the ‘unsexy stuff’; ‘grief and loss and now death and dying’. Donna talks about grief beyond bereavement; the many heartbreaks we all encounter in a life, and how she believes these can ultimately be gifts.They also discuss ageing consciously, making peace with the impermanence of life, the vulnerability of losing control and the beauty Donna experienced in caring for her mother. We hope you enjoy this episode 🦋—Content note: MORTAL contains conversations around death, bereavement and loss 🕊️__Mentions & LinksDonna Lancaster: www.donnalancaster.comDonna’s books: https://www.donnalancaster.com/booksAndrea Gibson: https://andreagibson.orgRam DassStephen JenkinsonSobonfu SoméFor signposting to support for any of the topics covered in this episode 🌀 https://linktr.ee/MortalPodcast__Follow us on:👉🏽 Instagram @themortalpodcast 👉🏽TikTok @mortalpod👉🏽 YouTube @mortal-pod—Created by: Gabriella Wilde & Olivia PercivalEditors: Olivia Percival & Alexandra QuinnMusic composed by Robert Logan Comms: Jordan Maxwell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A mid-season catch up from Gabriella & Olivia 🦋__Content note: MORTAL contains conversations around death, bereavement and loss 🕊️__For signposting to support for any of the topics covered in this series 🌀 https://linktr.ee/MortalPodcast__Follow us on:👉🏽 Instagram @themortalpodcast 👉🏽TikTok @mortalpod👉🏽 YouTube @mortal-pod—Created by: Gabriella Wilde & Olivia PercivalEditors: Olivia Percival & Alexandra QuinnMusic composed by Robert Logan Comms: Jordan Maxwell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Gabriella and MORTAL co-creator Olivia go to meet funeral director and founder of Poppy’s Funerals, Poppy Mardall. In their conversation Poppy talks to Gabriella about the journey of a body after death; demystifying the process and the different options available to a grieving family.Poppy is passionate about bringing humanity and care to the funeral sector. She speaks about normalising what death looks like, why she finds working in funeral care fulfilling, and how ritual can help us in grief. Afterwards they visit the Poppy’s mortuary, and Olivia and Gabriella discuss fear of death and facing the truth of mortality. We hope you enjoy this episode 🦋—Content note: MORTAL contains conversations around death, bereavement and loss 🕊️__Mentions & LinksPoppy’s Funerals : www.poppysfunerals.co.ukFor signposting to support for any of the topics covered in this episode 🌀 https://linktr.ee/MortalPodcast__Follow us on:👉🏽 Instagram @themortalpodcast 👉🏽TikTok @mortalpod👉🏽 YouTube @mortal-pod—Created by: Gabriella Wilde & Olivia PercivalEditors: Olivia Percival & Alexandra QuinnMusic composed by Robert Logan Comms: Jordan Maxwell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Merlin Sheldrake is a biologist, writer and speaker with a background in plant sciences, microbiology, and ecology. His special interest is in studying fungi; extraordinary organisms that support our lives in so many different ways. He is the author of bestselling book, Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds and Shape Our Futures 🍄In this episode Gabriella and Merlin discuss how reconnecting to ancient and natural rhythms of death, decomposition and rebirth might change how we feel about our own mortality.Merlin expresses awe at the way in which our cells are dying and regenerating all the time inside our own bodies, as well as discussing the potential of certain types of mushrooms in palliative care & the impact we might have on the earth and soil when we die.We really hope you enjoy this episode 🦋—Content note: MORTAL contains conversations around death, bereavement and loss 🕊️__Mentions & LinksMerlin’s website: www.merlinsheldrake.comFor signposting to support for any of the topics covered in this episode 🌀 __Follow us on:👉🏽 Instagram @themortalpodcast 👉🏽TikTok @mortalpod👉🏽 YouTube @mortal-pod—Created by: Gabriella Wilde & Olivia PercivalEditors: Olivia Percival & Alexandra QuinnMusic composed by Robert LoganComms: Jordan Maxwell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gabriella is joined by psychotherapist, author and grief expert Julia Samuel MBE. She is the founder / patron of Child Bereavement UK and the author of best selling books: Grief Works, This Too Shall Pass and Every Family Tells a Story. In 2015 Julia received an MBE for her services to bereaved children.Gabriella and Julia discuss growing up with an awareness of loss before they understood it, the role of 'forget and move on’ in our cultural history as well as the non linear process of grief, its role in our lives, and why the love and support of others is so crucial when we are suffering. Julia speaks about the importance of having conversations within families before people are ill, and why we need to be courageous in connecting with people who are dying and grieving.We hope you enjoy the episode🦋—Content note: MORTAL contains conversations around death, bereavement and loss 🕊️__Mentions & LinksJulia’s website which includes details of her books and other resources & support: https://www.juliasamuel.co.ukFor signposting to support for any of the topics covered in this episode 🌀 https://linktr.ee/MortalPodcast__Follow us on:👉🏽 Instagram @themortalpodcast 👉🏽TikTok @mortalpod👉🏽 YouTube @mortal-pod—Producers: Gabriella Wilde & Olivia PercivalEditors: Olivia Percival & Alexandra QuinnMusic composed by Robert Logan Comms: Jordan Maxwell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gabriella speaks with filmmaker and author Bruce Parry who has travelled all over the world to live with indigenous communities. In this episode Bruce shares what he's learned from cultures with a very different relationship to death; specifically a community in Sumba, Indonesia who live amongst the tombs of their dead and who continue to have a strong reciprocal relationship with their ancestors. Gabriella and Bruce explore belonging, fear of death, why living in community is important as we age, as well as Bruce’s admission that as a result of his experiences he has begun to talk directly to his loved ones who have died. We hope you enjoy the first episode 🦋—Mentioned in this episode:Die Wise by Stephen Jenkinson Bruce’s Marapu BBC Tribe Episode—Follow us on:👉🏽 Instagram @themortalpodcast 👉🏽 YouTube @mortal-pod—Producers: Gabriella Wilde & Olivia PercivalEditors: Olivia Percival & Alexandra QuinnMusic composed by Robert Logan Comms: Jordan Maxwell You can contact MORTAL on [email protected] —🌀Signposting to support Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MORTAL is a new podcast hosted by Gabriella Wilde, exploring mortality, grief and our relationship with the dead.Launching Autumn 2026.Follow us at on Instagram @themortalpodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.