Death Cafe write-ups
Beim Linzer Death Cafe im Februar kamen rund 15 Menschen zusammen, die sehr bewegende und berührende Geschichten erzählt haben. Ein wichtiges Thema war Tod und Kinder – in allen Variationen, von Erfahrungen als Kinder bis zu Erfahrungen mit Kindern. Mehrere Teilnehmer_innen haben auch erzählt, wie bedruckend sie das “schweigen müssen” erlebt haben. Alle waren sich einig, das es befreiend und inspirierend war, in dieser Atmosphäre so ungezwungen und offen über ihre Erfahrungen reden zu können.
Das Death Cafe war wie immer bis 17 Uhr angesetzt, aber manche Gespräche haben sich noch länger danach fortgesetzt. U.a. stand eine kleine Gruppe über ...
Death Cafe Hoddesdon Write up
Posted by deathcafehoddesdon on March 7, 2016, 4:22 p.m.
Enjoyable, interesting and refreshing were just some of the words used to describe Hoddesdon’s first Death Cafe experience. A total of fourteen people gathered in the Costa Coffee Bar to talk about one of today’s biggest taboo subjects
We started in small groups for the first part of the evening. Once people had introduced themselves to each other and said why they had come, the conversations just flowed in lots of different directions. Then after a break, we came together to share some of the things we’d talked about in the individual groups.
The feedback was very positive and encouraging, with most saying they would ...
Mothers Day is not a prominent feature of my calendar, so when I set the date for 6th March, it didn't occur to me that many potential participants would be otherwise engaged.
Nothwithstanding that, our select little group of six enjoyed cake and coffee in the light and comfortable surroundings of the Warwick Road URC cafe in central Coventry.
We stayed in a single group and mulled over a wide range of subjects from preparing for death to how we would like to be remembered. Food for body and soul.
Montpelier Death Cafe Write up
Posted by MontpelierDeathCafe on March 4, 2016, 2:46 p.m.
February 2016 Death Cafe
Post Meeting Musings
"The stories we tell in death cafe can have tremendous power in our outside lives"
The relationship between grief and death is obvious, but the relationship between grief and life is much more complex. After all, not matter what the source, grief is the burden of the living. Grief, then, becomes a question of identity. The challenge is how we move through grief, accepting the changes that precipitated it, and finding a new way to come into relationship with ourselves.
Our small group this meeting was one quite familiar with grief and everyone had something to share. "Grief is what happens ...
Death Cafe Calgary Write up
Posted by Death Cafe Calgary on Feb. 28, 2016, 6:01 p.m.
There were 21 people at Death Café Calgary sharing conversations about their personal stories and widely varying points of view. The beauty of these cafes is that they provide space for diverse experiences and observations of experiences. If death cannot spark this type of dialogue, what could? Thank you death for your lessons and for your insistence in reaching one another in these deep moments of living. Thank you Calgary community for showing up. And thank you Caffé Artigianno for your beautiful space and delightful service.
Belleville, IL Death Cafe Write up
Posted by maggieboone on Feb. 28, 2016, 1:06 p.m.
We were pleased to welcome 8 new participants into the fold. These new members had read a recently published article about the death cafe in the Belleville News-Democrat. We began the meeting with introductions since there were so many new participants. Each were asked to provide their name and their reasons for joining our Death Cafe discussion.
We discussed green burials using mushroom spores which aid in decomp of bodies. This may be an alternative for the overcrowding of the available cemeteries.
The discussion then went to voluntary sharing of the first encounter with death and how the family embraced (or not) it. It was interesting to note ...
Denise and I are pleased and proud to report that we has 20 participants for our first, and wrexham's first, Death Cafe in Gresford. The BBC heard about it and popped along to take some pictures and interview Denise and I and a couple of the participants. People came from Liverpool, North west Wales, Flintshire and Wrexham. It was a wonderfully generous, warm and insughtful morning with lots of laughter amid the discussions and challenged some our own assumptions and beliefs.
SW London Death Cafe Write up
Posted by Suzanne Michal on Feb. 24, 2016, 11:58 a.m.
We were only four around one table with one candle! By the time our introduction were completed we were already engaged in heart to heart exchanges. We were lucky to have a palliative doctore who shared many beatufiul tales of last days to patients in the hospice where she works. I was touched by the young couple who finished our quatuor dedicated to promote healthy attitudes to death and dying.
Another special death cafe evening!
Death Cafe Linz, Austria - Mit dem Tod bei Kaffee und Kuchen Write up
Posted by Galyoureonmymind on Feb. 22, 2016, 5:37 a.m.
About 12 people showed up. So the three cakes plus fruit and bite-sized bundt cakes were more than enough.
Huge differences in who we were to those we lost: parent, sibling, child, friend, neigbor or even stranger. Yes, the death of someone you don't know very well can have a great effect on you.
It was my first time, but it won't be my last. I didn't expect much too be honest, which is why I worried more about the cake - would people eat it, would people like it? - than the actual event.
I was suprised how much the whole thing moved me. Other people ...
Death Cafe Grants Pass Write up
Posted by grantspass on Feb. 21, 2016, 8:06 p.m. 1 comment
About 12 people attended our most recent Death Café. A few were attending for the first time but, most were returning from previous Death Café events to continue the conversation. The conversations are always lively and full of new discoveries about a wide range of topics. Some of the topics discussed at this last gathering included: near-death experiences, recieving some kind of communication from loved ones who have passed over, what do we want done with our bodies when we die, how the process of dying informs how we choose to live our lives etc. Usually folks find plenty to talk about and the respectful environment created here ...
Death Cafe Istanbul Write up
Posted by Selen Caglayik Eloglu on Feb. 19, 2016, 12:16 p.m. 1 comment
It was the first of its kind in Turkey and I am proud to have organized it!
We were a lovely group of 9, people came, ate cake, laughed and shared wonderful insight.
We had deep philosophical discussions about what awaits us after we die and we also commented on each other's personal thoughts.
Looking forward to organizing another one.
Highcliffe Death Cafe Write up
Posted by Lis Horwich on Feb. 19, 2016, 10:43 a.m.
A lovely afternoon with a small group of women interested in speaking about death. We referred to a very interesting article in Intelligent Life Magazine on death: https://www.intelligentlifemagazine.com/features/how-to-have-a-good-death. We could do well with asking for what we want to happen when you die, we might need to learn how to love ourselves in order to be brave enough? Studying to become a Soul Midwife was eagerly discussed and the many gifts being brought to us from sitting at the bedside with a person dying. Another opportunity is becoming a Death Doula, which in Greek means: Female slave! We used to call women like ...
Beim dritten Linzer Death Cafe im Jänner 2016 kamen 18 Menschen zusammen, insgesamt eine sehr bunte Mischung vom Alter her, von den Lebenserfahrungen wie auch von den Einstellungen und Überzeugungen her. Wohltuend war nicht nur der respektvolle Umgang mit teilweise stark widersprüchlichen Überzeugungen in Bezug auf einem Leben nach dem Tod, sondern auch und ganz besonders die heitere, lockere Atmosphäre. Zum Schluss stellte ein Teilnehmer überrascht fest: “Wir reden hier vom Tod und Sterben, doch alle lachen und vergnügen sich!” Die gesamte Gruppe stimmte recht herzlich zu.
Death Cafe Des Moines Write up
Posted by Carmen Elliott on Feb. 16, 2016, 11:40 a.m.
Last month was yet another great conversation! We started out talking about how David Bowie’s death plans affected his loved ones and fans, and “who is the funeral for, anyway?!” It was a great way to start the evening: questions that led to discussion.
We had a few new people join us, which was a welcome surprise: we had a snow storm that evening, so we only had one of our “regulars”, plus the three facilitators, attending that evening. Our visitors rounded out our small group to 6 people and brought a burst of new energy! They are interested in starting a Death Café in their corner ...