Death Cafe Iowa March
A write up of March Death Cafe
For our March Death Café Iowa we met on Zoom. Buffy Peters and Hannah Moldovan, our intern, from the Bereavement Professionals Group facilitated the group. There were 12 individuals who attended the Death Café and we even had a participant from North Carolina.
The first topic we focused on was deciding the type of disposition one wants when they die. There are those who want a more natural method of being buried so that they can decompose more naturally. Some individuals do not wish to be cremated for many reasons but some may include religious beliefs, cultural associations, or environmental beliefs as well. The question of why cement is poured into the grave came up as well. An individual in the group mentioned there are many uses for it, but mainly is done so that the ground above the casket does not sink.
The idea of a cemetery as a communal home was talked about next. The idea of respect in a cemetery is personal and for some people that might be to not walk on top of graves and for others it might mean bringing the sense and vibe of respect within their being. There are many different ways that people view the meaning of a cemetery. Some individuals use the cemetery as a place to honor their special person because they feel close to their physical location. Cemeteries also can be a place of quiet and meditation where the loved one can be remembered. Others might see the cemetery as “nothing is there” and give meaning to other locations such as the place of death or special rituals that remind them of their person.
The last topic we landed on was being visited by your special person in your dreams. One individual had the idea that if your person is not coming to you in your dreams they are working on their own trauma in the afterlife. They also may be helping someone else and just haven’t gotten to you yet. The conversation of seeing spirits and those who have passed continued further.
This Death Café was full of amazing conversation, connection, and raw emotion. We look forward to the April Death Café and the connections to be made.