My dear friend Stephen Jenkinson (check out his books!) returns for a deep talk around the pandemic, his musical tour, living and dying, the mystery of the muse, the grief of being, and a whole lot more. This man embodies so much wisdom and has a poetic elegance that truly touches the heart and soul.
Stephen teaches internationally and is the creator and principal instructor of the Orphan Wisdom School, founded in 2010. With Master’s degrees from Harvard University (Theology) and the University of Toronto (Social Work), he is revolutionizing grief and dying in North America.
Stephen is redefining what it means to live, and die well. Apprenticed to a master storyteller, he has worked extensively with dying people and their families, is former program director in a major Canadian hospital, former assistant professor in a prominent Canadian medical school, consultant to palliative care and hospice organizations and educator and advocate in the helping professions. He is also a sculptor and traditional canoe builder whose house won a Governor General’s Award for architecture.
He is the author of Come of Age: The Case for Elderhood in a Time of Trouble (2018), Die Wise: A Manifesto for Sanity and Soul (2015), Homecoming: The Haiku Sessions – a live recorded teaching (2013), How it All Could Be: A Work Book for Dying People and Those who Love Them (2009), Angel and Executioner: Grief and the Love of Life – a live recorded teaching (2009), and Money and The Soul’s Desires: A Meditation (2002), and contributing author to Palliative Care – Core Skills and Clinical Competencies (2007).
Stephen Jenkinson is also the subject of the feature length documentary film Griefwalker (National Film Board of Canada, 2008), a lyrical, poetic portrait of his work with dying people.
On the day I die, don’t say she’s gone/he’s gone.
On the day I die, don’t say she’s gone/he’s gone.
Death has nothing to do with going away.
The sun sets, and the moon sets, but they are not gone.
Death is a coming together.
The human seed goes down into the ground like a bucket,
and comes up with some unimagined beauty.
Your mouth closes here
and immediately opens
with a shout of joy there.
~ Rumi
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