Episode 138: A conversation with a Philosopher on life, middle age and death

In Today’s episode, Saul talks with Joelle Johns on the importance of community education on death, dying and grief. Joelle is a pastoral thanatologist and a clinical chaplain. 

When someone close to us dies at an older age, we often take comfort not only in celebrating their life, but also in knowing that death is part of the natural process of living. This experience is not the same when you are faced with the sudden death of your child. In this episode, Julie Spears talks about the tragic death of her 16 year old son and how she has coped with it.

This is Part Two of Saul’s conversation with Ronald Greer about his new book, “The Quiet House.” Ron Greer is the Director of the Pastoral Counseling Service at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, having been with this ministry for forty years. He is an ordained United Methodist minister, a Fellow of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, and a Clinical Fellow of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. He is the author of four books: The Path of Compassion: Living with Heart, Soul, and Mind; Now That They Are Grown: Successfully Parenting Your Adult Children; Markings on the Windowsill: A Book About Grief That’s Really About Hope; and If You Know Who You Are, You’ll Know What to Do: Living with Integrity.  A native of Louisiana, he has a Bachelor of Science from Louisiana State University, a Masters of Divinity from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University, and a Masters of Theology in pastoral counseling from Columbia Theological Seminary. You can find out more about Ron here; https://ronaldjgreer.com/

In Today’s episode, Saul talks to Ronald Greer about his new book, “The Quiet House.” Ron Greer is the Director of the Pastoral Counseling Service at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, having been with this ministry for forty years. He is an ordained United Methodist minister, a Fellow of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, and a Clinical Fellow of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. He is the author of four books: The Path of Compassion: Living with Heart, Soul, and Mind; Now That They Are Grown: Successfully Parenting Your Adult Children; Markings on the Windowsill: A Book About Grief That’s Really About Hope; and If You Know Who You Are, You’ll Know What to Do: Living with Integrity.  A native of Louisiana, he has a Bachelor of Science from Louisiana State University, a Masters of Divinity from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University, and a Masters of Theology in pastoral counseling from Columbia Theological Seminary. You can find out more about Ron here; https://ronaldjgreer.com/

In Today’s episode, Saul talks to Indira Dyal-Dominguez on her book “You: A spiritual being on a spiritual journey.” This book redefines a new paradigm shift that is shaped by the Self. In this paradigm shift, Connecting becomes a way of knowing that at any moment you can ‘unplug’ or ‘disengage’ the Mind’s vibration and speaking of what is occurring to ‘Connect’ to your Self for the answers that are unique to you. Here is an example of Indira’s guided audio; https://www.indiralife.com/connectIndira is the CEO of INDIRA LIFE and founder of the revolutionary self-help practice of Connecting, getting answers from your intuitive Self for the results in all areas of your life. For more than 15 years, Indira has trained c-suite executives and individuals in getting results from the practice of Connecting, for explosive personal and professional results. She now delivers an online program where anyone, anywhere can learn and the practice of Connecting for results giving them the life they want.You can find out more about Indira, her book and her courses at; https://www.indiralife.com/

In today’s episode, Saul talks to Dr. Joshua Black on Grief Dreams. Dr. Black holds a MA and PhD in Psychology. He is a grief researcher, speaker, consultant, and host of the Grief Dreams Podcast. His work focuses on dreams and continuing bonds after loss, including prenatal and pet loss. As one of the leading academic experts in grief dreams, which can be dreams of the deceased, Joshua has directed his efforts on raising awareness about this fascinating phenomenon through media interviews, including PBS Next Avenue, CBC News, and Toronto Sun, in addition to speaking engagements and workshops. 

In Today’s episode, Saul talks to Dr. Christopher Hamilton on his philosophical thoughts on life, middle age and death. Dr. Hamilton is a professor of Philosophy at Kings College in London. Dr. Hamilton completed his BA in philosophy at King's College London (where he also completed the Associateship of King's College) and went on to do an MPhil and PhD in philosophy at Birkbeck College London. As part of his PhD he also studied philosophy and literature at the University of Bonn, Germany. He later completed a PGCE and worked for four years as a secondary school teacher. He joined King's in 2003. In 2007, he was Scholar in Residence at the University of Salzburg, Austria, and in 2013 he was Visiting Professor at the University of Trent, Italy.

In today’s episode, Saul talks to Dr. Wendy Cadge about her new book, “The Everyday Work of Chaplains”. She is a Professor in the Department of Sociology and the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Brandeis University. She founded and co-directed the Transforming Chaplaincy Project from 2015-19, and in 2018 launched the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab. An award-winning teacher, she has published more than 75 articles and raised more than $6.5 million in support of her own research and teaching and that of colleagues.

She earned her MA in Religion and Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She taught in the Religion and Philosophy Department at The Lawrenceville School in New Jersey for over a decade earning the Dunbar Abston Jr. Chair for Teaching Excellence. 

In Today’s episode, Saul talks to Karen Docherty on the intersection between mediumship and end of life care. Since the discovery of her abilities, Karen has worked tirelessly to bring the word of Spirit to those who need it most. From the UK to the USA, from Asia to Australia, clients from all over the world meet with Karen to receive readings, enroll in mentorships and share a space for discussions on the power of Spirit.A woman with spirit and a breath of fresh air, Karen offers a contemporary approach to psychic work and mediumship based on traditional principles. Filled with love and compassion, she stands as one of the most reputable and skilled mediums in modern times.