Yoga, Life & Death: Community Conversations with Dr. Marnie Hartman

Death will inevitably touch us all, yet it's a topic many of us instinctively shrink from. In this episode, host Rachel Land is joined by returning guest Dr. Marnie Hartman to explore this dichotomy.

Dr. Hartman is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, yoga teacher, and now death doula. Today she shares how her personal journey led her into end-of-life care. She unpacks the problem with cultural avoidance of death and highlights the unique role yoga teachers can play in supporting students through grief, uncertainty, and end-of-life reflection. 

This conversation offers practical tools, philosophical insights, and a powerful reminder that awareness of death can profoundly deepen how we live.

"Don't wait. Stop waiting. Like today, today is the day you start having that conversation." — Dr. Marnie Hartman.

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What You'll Learn:

• Introduction: why this topic? [0:53]
  
• We avoid talking about death, and that's a problem [6:07]
  
• Medical professionals & family members aren't talking about end-of-life [10:00]
  
• Holding space without needing to be an expert [16:07]
  
• Discussing loss in group classes vs. private sessions [20:42]
• What end-of-life yoga practice might look like [29:44]
  
• Savasana as a reflection of death [35:32]
  
• How awareness of mortality can shift priorities and deepen meaning [41:33]
  
• The power of community, other final takeaways [44:52]

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Links Mentioned: