Meet Musa

I've been asked time and again, "Why a Death Doula?"

My interest began decades ago, through a quiet sensing of the sacredness in the space between life and death — the subtle energies present during transition. At first, this awareness arose through experiences with family members, friends, and loved ones. Over my seventy years, I've come to understand that the fear surrounding death asks to be examined, and that the call to befriend death had been whispering to me all along. I didn't yet know how to respond — but the whisper kept growing louder.

Thirty years ago, I wasn't aware that Death Doulas existed. Hospice care was available, and while it provides essential medical support — and the act of assisting the dying is an ancient, sacred practice — the presence of an End-of-Life Doula feels like a bridge. A bridge for the person who is dying, and for those who love them. A bridge that creates space for each individual's needs to be seen, heard, and honored — through deep listening.

Over time, questions began to take shape within me. After my divorce in 2007, I turned inward. I began to explore my past so I could consciously shape my future. Looking back, I believe I was preparing for who I was becoming. During those lean years, while selling books from my personal library just to cover gas and food, a moment occurred that would shift my path. Alberto Villoldo's Shaman, Healer, Sage quite literally fell on my head at Half Price Books. That moment led me to study with The Four Winds, where I immersed myself in shamanic teachings. I received the Munay-Ki rites and learned to understand the chakra system from a shamanic perspective, including how to support energetic unwinding during the dying process. Later, Tarron Estes, founder of the Dying Consciously Institute, entered my awareness. I followed her teachings, read deeply, and continued learning. Still, I held myself at a distance — telling myself, "When I finish this… when I have more time… when I reach that next place…" The calling was in my heart, but just out of reach. Following a health event in 2013, I was introduced to Thomas Hübl, and I became a student of his work. My understanding of healing, presence, and collective trauma deepened in profound ways.