What does it mean to face death—our own, the deaths of those we love, and the shared losses that shape our communities? When there’s no cure or fix, what still holds meaning? What helps us stay connected or begin to heal?
This space invites us to explore what it means to live with dying. To notice how grief moves through our lives and relationships. To wonder what might become possible when we meet death with curiosity instead of certainty.
Human Systems Dynamics (HSD) helps us see patterns—how things repeat, shift, or relate over time. Through this lens, death and loss reveal both what changes and what endures, within us and around us.
The resources gathered here are companions in that exploration. You’ll find reflections, stories, and practices that won’t offer easy answers but may help you ask more meaningful questions. Whether you're grieving, preparing, holding space for others, or simply wondering—this is a place to pause, pay attention, and find your own way forward.
INVITATION AT THE EDGE
Opening Reflections from Wendy Morris
Wendy Morris opens this series by sharing how Human Systems Dynamics supports sense-making in the midst of death and loss inviting you into the stories that follow—from Glenda Eoyang, Michael Bischoff, Sam Grant, and Mary Nations—each exploring a different facet of living with dying.
INDIVIDUAL
Glenda Eoyang: A Personal Pattern of Loss and Transformation
Glenda’s story begins at the level of the self.
- What legacy do you leave after you die?
- How can we influence the patterns we leave behind?
- How does grief reshape the patterns of who we are?
- How do the patterns of loved ones continue and change after death?
FAMILY AND COMMUNITY
Sam Grant: Patterns Across Generations
Sam’s story explores how personal loss connects to lineage and community.
- How do we inherit and shape patterns from generations before and after us?
- What patterns arise in families and society as we relate to the end of life?
HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE
Mary Nations: Relationship, Loss, and Systems of Care
Mary shares a story of love and loss through the experience of her wife's end-of-life care.
- What patterns in health care shape how we die?
- How do systems shift from survival toward release?
NATURE AND TRANSCENDENCE
Michael Bischoff: Living and Dying in Larger Patterns
Michael invites us into a story of connection—within the body, with others, and with nature.
- What larger patterns include and transcend our individual lives?
- How do we contribute to these patterns in the time we have?
- How does nature resource us—and how do we shape it—as we die?
Ongoing Community Spaces
These community-led platforms continue the conversation:
Both are now sustained by individuals and communities who care deeply about this work. We invite you to explore and contribute as part of your own ongoing journey.