In writing this episode I noticed that I wanted to contextualize my assertions with some ideas that, while incredibly relevant, also seemed fairly conceptual in nature, which felt like a slight deviation from my intention to keep each episode grounded in personal story or practical application. I think these ideas- philosophical as they may be- lay a foundation for anyone who wants to delve even deeper into inquiry concerning the nature and meaning of death, and to receive the core content of this episode more deeply, so I’m glad you’re here! The main body of the episode- Death & the Apocalypse: The Gospel According To A Dragonfly- will flesh out these concepts within a more personal and experiential context, as I delve into some of the universally relevant insights on death that I took away from being raised by the maker of a mainstream apocalyptic film series, the role this played in a mental breakdown early in my life, and the light I discovered at the other side of a very dark tunnel.

But before we get into that, I want to take a moment here to offer a critical reframe on our understanding of death that is pivotal in this episode. What I’d like to suggest is that…when we talk about death, what we’re really talking about is life as process. I’d like to suggest that we think about death not as the the end of life, but rather as one critical phase in the cyclical, iterative nature of consciousness and everything experienced within it.