Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to John Christian Phifer. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

John Christian, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Larkspur was founded on a mission of conserving land through a revival of natural burial practices that heal the earth and offer sanctuary.

Most of today’s society is disconnected from nature and the cycles of life. A bookend of life is death and most people do not have a good perpsective or understanding of how to approach death let alone do it well. Larkspur gives people an opportunity to confront societal constructs that limit our opportunity for creating rituals and meaning making around end-of-life. Larkspur helps people explore what is important during loss and encourages what feels natural. Our organization educates the public as to how their end-of-life choices help or hurt the natural world and gives people the opportunity to reduce their impact on the environment. By choosing Larkspur’s conservation burial method, land is conserved, wildlife habitat is protected, open greenspace is created, and people can reconnect to the natural world in a life affirming way.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I have led the creation of Tennessee’s first conservation burial ground, a nature preserve for natural burial. I currently serve as the Founding Director of Larkspur Conservation, a nonprofit organization based in Nashville, Tennessee. Beyond Larkspur I support the national community in a broader capacity as the Founding President of the Conservation Burial Alliance. My background as a funeral director, embalmer, end-of-life doula, funeral celebrant, and a home funeral guide is a a helpful tool as I work to demystify death. My life has been profiled on PBS in a documentary film called Bury Me At Taylor Hollow which is now available everywhere. After 25 years working in funeral care I holds a deep respect for mother nature and work to educate and empower the public by bridging environmental advocacy and end-of-life care.

I was raised in a working-class family in West Tennessee. My parents, avid naturalists, immersed me in the wonders of nature from infancy. Thriving on the small family farm provided invaluable life lessons and a deep connection to nature that my public school education couldn’t match. Drawing inspiration from nature’s beauty, including beetle and butterfly collections, rocks, sticks, and plants, I developed a unique perspective on life. These formative years instilled in me the drive, creativity, and compassion that I try to share with the world today.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Before creating Larkspur, I imerssed myself in teh culture of end-of-life care. I learned the ins and outs of the funeral industry by becoming a aprt of it. Had it not been for the years I spent in the conventional settign I would not have been able to envision a more mindful path. I also would have been seen as a disrupter or outsider by the industry, rather than someone trying to create an evolution within the indutry’s practices. Becasue of the time I dedicated, my experience grew and upon creating Larkspur I was seen by my peers, community leaders, naysayers and allies as an expert in my field with knowledge to facilitate the creation of Tennessee’s nature preserve for natural burial.

Have you ever had to pivot?

After spending 15 years within the conventional funeral industry I made a leap of faith. In my role as funeral director and embalmer, I had searched for opportunities to grow and learn with little inspiration or encouragement from my employers. It was at this point I realized I could continue working my life away for someone else doing something that I felt had stagnated in its purpose and didnt have a psoitive impact on the planet or my community or I could be a part of creating something that would focus on people and planet over profit. I knew if I could offer a service that helped people and cared for the environment the rest would fall into place. By making space for something new my world changed forever.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://larkspurconservation.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naturalburial/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LarkspurConservation/

Image Credits
Larkspur Conservation