Evolving Joy: Season 3 Finale

Welcome to the Breathing Wind Season 3 Finale.

In this season, we explored joy in context of grief. In other words, how does joy show up for us in the wild? How is joy an act of resilience? What if joy is unexpected? How do we embody joy? This episode is a collection of some of our favorite moments from the season.

If any of these excerpts sound particularly resonate, be sure to check out the entire episode linked below.

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Selected moments and links to episodes:

• [1:33] Bloopers

• [3:37] Our definitions of joy at the beginning of the season

  • Trailer: What is Joy?

  • The Possibility of Pleasure Trailer

• [6:42] Commentary: how Sarah's definition evolved

• [7:32] Excerpt from Episode 52, The Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage, with Diane Wyzga and Sarah Davis

• [11:54] Excerpt from Episode 57, Compassion for Ourselves and Others: A Gateway to Emotional Freedom with Wendy Rolón and Duncan Cheung

• [16:13] Excerpt from Episode 66, The Willingness to be Open, with Dara Kosberg and Vinny Ferraro

• [19:03] Excerpt from Episode 60, Joy and Grief Touch the Same Part of the Heart with Dara Kosberg, Erin Lim and Angela Tabora

• [22:20] Excerpt from Episode 65, Resilience is an Act of Care with Naila Francis and Sarah Davis

• [26:55] Excerpt from Episode 63, The Body is Everything: Making a Home for Grief and Joy, with Naila Francis and Simone Baker

• [29:56] Excerpt from Episode 72, The Possibility of Pleasure Miniseries Finale, with Oceana Sawyer and Sarah Davis, which included commentary on Episodes 70 and 71.

• [30:48] Excerpt from Episode 70, The Portal Between Life and Death and Life, with Oceana Sawyer and Karine Bell

• [33:33] Excerpt from Episode 71, The Sensuality of Place and Grief, with Oceana Sawyer and Roshni Kavate

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The Possibility of Pleasure Miniseries Finale with Oceana Sawyer

“Grabbing those moments and claiming them for yourself so that you have a bit of goodness and nourishment to support you as you go on the sometimes really hard road of grieving…that’s really important.”

—Oceana Sawyer

In this week’s episode, Oceana Sawyer speaks with producer, Sarah Davis, about the themes that surfaced and shared some of our favorite moments from her miniseries.

The Possibility of Pleasure miniseries hosted by Oceana Sawyer, explores grief through the senses, which will consider how utilizing any six senses (taste, touch, sight, smell, hearing, imagination) can enhance the metabolization of grief allowing the process of grieving to cultivate wisdom and a greater appreciation of living.

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Mentioned in this episode:

• Beyond the Ears: Music for the End of Life with Melanie DeMore

• The Portal Between Life and Death and Life with Karine Bell

• The Sensuality of Place and Grief with Roshni Kavate

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The Sensuality of Place and Grief with Roshni Kavate

“There's just something about the air. If you live by the ocean, there's a saltiness in the air. You can smell the fruit every morning as you walk the streets, depending on if it's a market day or what's in season.

So it really grounds you and places you in time, space, memory, where you are, who you're connected with, and what's happening.”

— Roshni Kavate

In this week’s episode, Roshni Kavate speaks with Oceana about how the sensuality of food-ways, family homes and locations can mix and mingle to create soothing balms for grieving. Roshni also does a beautiful job of describing the specific secondary losses that are unique to first and second generation immigrants or expatriates.

The Possibility of Pleasure miniseries hosted by Oceana Sawyer, explores grief through the senses, which will consider how utilizing any six senses (taste, touch, sight, smell, hearing, imagination) can enhance the metabolization of grief allowing the process of grieving to cultivate wisdom and a greater appreciation of living.

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Mentioned in this episode:

• Life, Death, Grief, and the Possibility of Pleasure

• Death Cafe

• Roshni on Instagram

  • @cardamomandkavate

  • @mangoandokra

  • @wearemarigolde

• Roshni’s websites

  • www.cardamomandkavate.com

  • www.wearemarigolde.com

• Mending a Broken Heart: Comfort Foods, Recipes and Rituals to Nourish Grief

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The Portal Between Life and Death and Life with Karine Bell

“I was with him for the last week of his life. And there was the sacredness of that space — the timelessness of that space… This kind of portal.

I felt my grandmother in the room at one point close to the day he actually died and this beautiful sense of accompaniment… I think there's nothing — almost nothing — more beautiful to me about accompanying someone out of this world.”

— Karine Bell

This week’s episode features a conversation between Oceana Sawyer and Karine Bell, creative director and co-dreamer of the communal un/learning and re/imagination space called the Rooted Global Village. Karine Bell speaks of several significant life transformations for her — birth of her daughter, death of her mother and father. In each, she emphasizes the conditions she had to feel safe in her grief and the layers she experienced.

The Possibility of Pleasure miniseries hosted by Oceana Sawyer, explores grief through the senses, which will consider how utilizing any six senses (taste, touch, sight, smell, hearing, imagination) can enhance the metabolization of grief allowing the process of grieving to cultivate wisdom and a greater appreciation of living.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Android Devices | RSS

Mentioned in this episode:

• The Rooted Global Village

• Meeting Grief with Mindfulness: How Embracing Pain Opens the Door to Joy by Karine Bell

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Beyond the Ears: Music for the End of Life

“We have to be very awake in a really deep, rooted way…And listening with not just our ears, but all of our senses really.”

—Melanie DeMore, on singing for people at the end of their lives.

This week’s episode features a conversation between Oceana Sawyer and Melanie DeMore, three-time Grammy nominated singer/composer, choral conductor, music director and vocal activist. Oceana and Melanie talk about her experience as a threshold singer, as well as how she was called to do this work with her unique gifts, and some of her thoughts on music at the end of life.

The Possibility of Pleasure miniseries hosted by Oceana Sawyer, explores grief through the senses, which will consider how utilizing any six senses (taste, touch, sight, smell, hearing, imagination) can enhance the metabolization of grief allowing the process of grieving to cultivate wisdom and a greater appreciation of living.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Android Devices | RSS

Mentioned in this episode:

• Sending You Light - Melanie DeMore

• Melanie DeMore’s Facebook Page

• UBC Research Shows Hearing Persists at End of Life

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The Possibility of Pleasure

“Joy allows you to open up a little bit — expand just a little bit — and reach for something maybe that you couldn't see before.”

—Oceana Sawyer

In this week’s episode, Oceana Sawyer and Sarah Davis talk about Oceana’s background, her guests for this miniseries, as well as some of her thoughts on joy and grieving.

Oceana Sawyer is an End of Life Doula focused on the liminal space of active dying and grief. She is currently researching and holding space in the realm of embodied grieving in a context of somatic abolitionism. Drawing upon her meditation practices, experience as a sensuality educator, earth-based spirituality, and an intensive study in the expressive arts and integral counseling psychology, she brings a grounded, compassionate presence to her work with individuals and groups.

This episode is part of a Breathing Wind miniseries titled The Possibility of Pleasure, hosted by Oceana Sawyer. The Possibility of Pleasure miniseries explores grief through the senses, which will consider how utilizing any six senses (taste, touch, sight, smell, hearing, imagination) can enhance the metabolization of grief allowing the process of grieving to cultivate wisdom and a greater appreciation of living.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Android Devices | RSS

Mentioned in this episode:

• Oceana’s website

• Life, Death, Grief and the Possibility of Pleasure

• Oceana’s upcoming guests:

  • Melanie DeMore

  • Karine Bell

  • Roshni Kavate

• Bridgerton

Like this episode? Show it some love.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. Leave a rating or review. The more ratings, the more likely others who have lost parents will hear these stories.

Follow us on Instagram.