174 - Maureen Cotton - Ceremony for Crossing Thresholds of Grief and Bliss

I've lately found myself having conversations about certainty––or uncertainty if you like. When philosophical words fail me, I express my meaning by sharing life experiences from the mundane to the mystical. Reverend Maureen Cotton is good with words. She also happens to be great with stories. So many profoundly moving stories in this one! A few trippy ones, too, as well as a flip-the-script moment when the guest casually questions your host.  "I'm no psychic, but I definitely embrace that uncertainty," says Maureen, an interspiritual minister serving the spiritual-but-not-religious and non-dogmatic people of faith. She's also a soulful conversationalist who distills "faith" into real life without judgement or authoritarianism.  Ultimately, she defines faith as how we choose to live what we've learned from those traditions (either firsthand or in the abstract), not picking the "right one."  While she began her ministerial career assisting families and their loved ones in death, Maureen's since shifted her focus to wedding/commitment ceremonies. Still, death is never far removed from her ministry. So even on the happiest day of a couples' life (pause for another side-eye directed at the wedding industrial complex), Maureen counsels participants on integrating their deceased loved ones into the ceremony in whatever way feels right.  All religions and spiritual practices can trace their traditions back to when communities experienced a member's death more intimately. What we've since lost is our ability to speak of love and loss in the same breath. Maureen holds space for all the mysteries. Grief, after all, is the price of love. And understanding it is less about uncovering definitive answers than being present in the unknown, honoring each other's experiences and sharing empathy over merely expressing sympathy.  GUEST BIO Reverend Maureen Cotton is an Interspiritual minister, serving the spiritual-but-not-religious and non-dogmatic people of faith. Her true title is "thresholder." She helps prepare people for life's transformative times, in particular weddings and death & dying. For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: http://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast HEY LISTENERS… Tell us about yourself, win prizes! Complete this short survey by November 30, 2021 to be entered - https://tinyurl.com/cwhsurvey2021 HEY THERAPISTS... You're invited to Head/Heart Conversations, our webinar series designed for psychotherapists who want to invite their inner healer to the forefront of both work life and personal life. In this four-part series, we will invite participants to learn about themselves as well as enhance their clinical skills. Details & Registration: http://tinyurl.com/hhconvos Promo Code for $20 off: podcast Friday, November 19, 2021 - Queering our Conversations by Benji Marton, LCSW *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let's be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi