On a blazing summer afternoon, cars vie for the few shaded parking spots outside Radiance of Sarasota, a storefront in a small strip mall billed as a "wellness and inspiration center."

Visitors, mostly aged 50-plus, enter the center's cool, dimly lit quarters, where they're invited to help themselves to tea, pastel-colored pastries, gluten-free brownies and a seat within a large circle of chairs.

They are not necessarily seeking radiance, wellness or inspiration. They are here to participate in a frank, open-ended discussion about life's grand finale at the monthly Sarasota Death Cafe.

The idea? To provide a casual, comfortable space for people to discuss everything from the practical (legal documents and right to die legislation) to the ethereal (near-death experiences and the great "What's next?"). The free gathering is based on the writings of a Swiss sociologist who believed talking openly about death could lead to a fuller...