On this episode of Heartland, we take on the topics of death and coping with the grief it often brings.

On this episode we get to know Ari Honarvar, an Iranian-American, artist, activist and more. We also visit with visual artist Amanda Grieve at her Edinburg farmhouse, in rural Sangamon County.

We visit a historic Springfield location, the St. Francis of Assisi Church . It was built after nuns decided to create a sanitarium to treat tuberculosis patients out in the country side - it now includes a healing center of a different sort, The Chiara Center . We learn what that is, plus we talk with Maryam Mostoufi, the new president of the local interfaith organization . She was also the first female Muslim to be inducted into the Association of Professional Chaplains.

The personal is political on this episode. But that's nothing new, religion and politics have a long and vast history of intersection.

In this episode, Rachel & Keil spend a day visiting a "magical penthouse" -- a top-floor apartment in Springfield where Teri Freesmeyer performs various types of healing energy work. They later climbed a steep staircase into Rachel's attic where Keil did a tarot reading for Jenny - who wanted to know how to better address symptoms of anxiety.

On this episode we speak with Will Allen about the film Holy Hell , a documentary released this year. It chronicles the 22 years he spent in a cult headed by one man, it was called Buddhafield.

On today's episode we talk with Sister Simon Campbell, a nun who leads by example when it comes to social justice. She stopped by the statehouse with a bus load of other nuns last week for their ' Mend the Gaps' tour. Also, Kate Bornstein visited Springfield a few years ago and stopped by the NPR Illinois station to discuss her memoir, a Queer & Pleasant Danger . She's on an epic spiritual journey, weaving her way through Judaism, Scientology, Buddhism and Taoism. She talks to us about that,

Welcome to Heartland, the place where we explore the multitude of ways various people practice spirituality or strive to become more grounded in the world around them and connected to others.

Since this spring, four churches and congregations in Springfield have met to hold a series of events titled 'Sacred Conversations on Race + Action.' The events were put on by the Faith Coalition for the Common Good .

Right outside of Springfield, in New Berlin, is a rolling landscape of over 100 acres of farmland. The llamas and alpacas are some of the first things you'll see to know you've arrived at Jubilee Farm .