The Quiet Power of Being Present. Reimagining Death, Grief, and Connection with Nancy MacMillan

If you've ever wondered what it would feel like to stay present at a loved one's death, or how to keep them close after they've passed, episode 348 is for you. Nancy MacMillan, psychotherapist, spiritual care provider, and author of The Call to the Far Shore, joins Emily for a tender and profound conversation about how reclaiming traditional practices around dying can bring peace, healing, and lifelong connection. Together, they explore how small rituals, presence, and storytelling can open a doorway to a more soulful grief experience. In This Episode, You Will Learn: (1:10) Why Nancy wrote The Call to the Far Shore despite not planning to write a book (2:30) What we've lost by distancing ourselves from death in modern society (5:10) Nancy's spiritual experience at her father's bedside (7:30) How she kept connection with her father alive through weekly "coffee chats" (9:40) Why death is not an emergency, and how staying present can shift your grief (11:00) The powerful ritual of tending to her mother's body for three days (14:20) How personal and ancestral rituals can ease the fear of death (17:00) The value of writing letters to loved ones who have passed (20:30) Simple ways to invite a felt sense of presence from someone who has died (25:00) How signs and synchronicities can affirm that love continues (29:10) The importance of including ancestors in our family stories and gatherings In today's episode, Emily is joined by Nancy MacMillan, a Canadian psychotherapist, spiritual care provider, and the author of "The Call to the Far Shore: Carrying Our Loved Ones Through Dying, Death, and Beyond." Drawing from decades of professional and personal experience, Nancy invites listeners to reimagine death as something sacred, present, and transformative. Her approach blends emotional insight with spiritual awareness, offering a path to connection and healing. Nancy shares stories of witnessing her father's final breath, caring for her mother's body at home, and finding ways to stay close to loved ones who have passed. She and Emily explore how gentle rituals, creative expression, and quiet presence can help us navigate grief while staying connected to the people we miss most. At its heart, this episode reminds us that love continues, and we can learn to feel its presence in new ways. Connect with Nancy MacMillan: Website Book: The Call to the Far Shore: Carrying Our Loved Ones through Dying, Death, and Beyond Join Nancy's Newsletter Connect with Emily Thiroux Threatt: Website Facebook Pinterest The Grief and Happiness Alliance Book: Emily Thiroux Threatt - Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.