Alua Arthur on Mortality, Grief, and Reimagining the End of Life

Lifted

In this intimate and illuminating episode of Lifted, Tembi Locke welcomes death doula, attorney, and bestselling author Alua Arthur (Briefly Perfectly Human) for a transformative conversation on embracing the end of life—not as a tragedy, but as a portal to deeper connection, clarity, and purpose. Alua shares her unexpected journey to becoming a death doula, and together, she and Tembi explore what it means to truly live in the presence of death. They discuss the shame that often surrounds grief, the fear of death that permeates Western culture, and the courageous practice of preparing for the end with honesty, dignity, and love. With humor, reverence, and radical compassion, Alua reframes death as not something to resist, but something to welcome as a vital part of being fully human. If you're navigating grief, caregiving, or seeking more intention in how you live and love, this conversation is a sacred invitation to rethink your relationship with death -- and find deeper meaning in the present.

Key themes: death and dying, end-of-life planning, grief, legacy, caregiving, mental health, cultural attitudes toward mortality, community, living fully

Mentioned: Briefly Perfectly Human, Going with Grace

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