Learn about the beautiful contribution of Dr. Megory Anderson to the field of sacred death and dying and how her legacy lives on 7 years after her death.
My guest Jeremy Damec is a NEDA-certified death doula and a grief counselor who has also completed chaplaincy training and worked at a funeral home. He was a friend and mentee of Megory Anderson and knew her well during the years prior to her untimely and unexpected death in 2019. We discuss her pioneering contributions to end-of-life care and her book Sacred Dying along with our own stories of being inspired by Megory’s wisdom on the 7th anniversary since her death. Learn more about Jeremy’s work:
This episode includes:
- Megory’s book Sacred Dying as a valuable resource for all death workers
- How Jeremy got to know Megory Anderson
- Jeremy’s experience sitting vigil with Megory before she died
- How Jeremy still learns from Megory in his work
- Honoring Megory as a pioneer in the sacred aspect of death and dying
- What Jeremy has been inspired to create through the Death and Grief Worker Collective
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Q&A Session with Megory Anderson
- Tribute to Megory Anderson
- Book recommendation: Born Into Loss
- A Year of Reading Dangerously reading group
- Get Wild and Holy on Amazon or Bookshop
- Latest post on Substack: Start Here – What Really Matters in 2026
- What Really Matters Podcast
- View my Patreon tier for Soul Supporters and receive extra reflections as a special bonus
- NEW Gift Guides for Caregivers, People Receiving Care, and People Who are Grieving
- Get my two newest books!! Stories from the Dark Night and The Tao of Death
- Get EOLU Podcast Merch here
- Conversations on Death with ChatGPT – Audiobook here; Print Book here
- Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram
- Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Souloin the team at Patreon.com/eolu and receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, Behind the Scenes Bonus content, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously!
- Buy me a coffee
- Donate on Paypal
If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my latest patron Leslie Robinson! And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.
On Thursday January 17, 2019 we learned of the deaths of two women who have contributed much to our understanding of the sacred in nature and in death. Mary Oliver is a beloved American poet whose love of nature inspired her beautiful verses. Her poems reveal the heart of humanity through the natural cycle of life and death she observed during her time spent in the out-of-doors. She authored many books of poetry including Blue Iris, Wild Geese, At Blackwater Pond, and Why I Wake Early and was honored with numerous awards throughout her career.
Dr. Megory Anderson trained in comparative religions and theology and founded the Sacred Dying Foundation in 1996. She is the author of the books Sacred Dying: Creating Rituals for Embracing the End of Life and Attending the Dying. Megory trained many end-of-life caregivers and professionals from diverse medical, religious, and cultural backgrounds. Megory’s presence will be deeply missed by everyone who has been touched by her love and compassion.