Being Mortal Together
“For what is it to die
but to stand naked in the wind
and to melt into the sun?
And when the earth shall claim your limbs,
then shall you truly dance.”
— Kahlil Gibran
There is something profoundly human about facing our mortality—a passage we were never meant to navigate alone.
From the first tremors of diagnosis to the quiet threshold of life’s final weeks, we are meant to be accompanied—held by steady hands and a heart that knows the way.
Life-threatening Illness
“And I, infinitesimal being,
drunk with the great starry void,
likeness, image of mystery,
I felt myself a pure part
of the abyss,
I wheeled with the stars,
my heart broke loose on the wind.”
— Pablo Neruda
Receiving a significant diagnosis is a life-altering moment for individuals and their families. Along with it may come numbness and disbelief and a cascade of ensuing experiences as one faces the raw vulnerability of this human existence – a journey that is at times uncomfortable, at times expansive.
Working with Anat you might explore:
Surfacing feelings
The story of your life along with moments of pride, joy and regret
Tangible and symbolic losses you are experiencing
Unresolved relational issues
Giving and receiving forgiveness for past hurts
Existential and spiritual issues
Fear of death
Sadness, despair and giving up
Inner nourishment and wellbeing
Personal meaning and life purpose
Death Doula Services
“Maybe death isn’t darkness, after all, but so much light wrapping itself around us — as soft as feathers — that we are instantly weary of looking, and looking, and shut our eyes, not without amazement, and let ourselves be carried, as through the translucence of mica, to the river that is without the least dapple or shadow, that is nothing but light scalding, aortal light — in which we are washed and washed out of our bones.”
— Mary Oliver
Approaching death as a sacred passage similar in some ways to birth, a Thanadoula or Death Midwife supports the family of the dying person as well as the individual, holding the sacred space and intention for a deeply meaningful and gently held journey at life's end and beyond.
As death approaches, working with Anat as death doula could include:
Support for facing the end of your life
Family grief support
End-of-life rituals for individual and family
Vigil planning and support
Death with Dignity (MAID) planning and ceremonial support
Live memorials
Family support post-mortem
Story-telling circles
Assistance with disposition choices
Medical Aid in Dying
Medical Aid in Dying (Oregon’s Death with Dignity) is a legal, compassionate option available to terminally ill adults in Oregon who wish to end their lives on their own terms.
This path invites deep reflection and courage, and for those considering it, I offer guidance and support — both in exploring this choice with medical professionals, and in tending to the details of the journey itself.
If you choose this path, I will help co-create with you a ceremonial container for the final day—one that honors the unique tapestry of who you are, supporting you and your dear ones to enter into this powerful experience together.
P.S. Death can be exquisitely beautiful.
Celebrant Services
As a celebrant, I offer personalized, soul-honoring ceremonies for memorials, funerals, and celebrations of life.
These rituals serve as powerful containers—spaces where grief, beauty, and love can weave their tapestry through our cracked open hearts.
Whether intimate or communal, spiritual or secular, I work closely with families and loved ones to craft ceremonies that reflect the essence of the one you are remembering and the unique imprint they left behind.
Palliative Psilocybin
Psilocybin offers a gentle but powerful doorway into the tender terrain of mortality, grief, and the mysteries of life. It can help you feel deeply, meet your fears and open you to a deeply transformational experience.
I’ve partnered with some beautiful people to create the Palliative Psilocybin Project: for individuals and family members of those facing life-impacting, recurrent or life-limiting disease.
