Death Cafe, Winnipeg
A write up of Death Cafe, Winnipeg
By Amy
This was the first Death Cafe event that we hosted. It was held on a very chilly evening in a private family home. Tea and coffee, cakes and berries were served. We planned for and limited it to twelve participants and eleven came.
We began the evening in a large group to make introductions and share our hopes and fears for the evening. In the large group we explained the history and purpose of the event and oriented everyone to the evening.
We broke into two discussion groups, each facilitated by a host. One group met around a kitchen table and the other stayed in the living room.
After an hour and fifteen minutes, we gathered together again to debrief and close the session. We invited participants to contact us for information on community resources if attending the event provokes troubling emotions, memories or thoughts.
Discussion was rich and feedback was positive. Most participants thought that 6 people made for the perfect discussion group size, though some said they would have enjoyed a larger discussion or at least a chance to discuss with the people in the other group too. Many participants expressed interest in attending another Death Cafe in the future.
Hopes and Fears for the event included:
- “To lightly hug that which makes life poignant.”
- “Define more clearly the meaning of the rest of life.”
- “Hope: Learn new way to think.”
- “Really I have no expectations. Just curious.”
- “Feed my curiosity.”
- “Hope to consistently appreciate remaining time.”
Comments received included:
- “Refreshing to look death in the face while holding hands with others.”
- “Opens all sorts of questions…feelings.”
- “Good occasion to discuss life & death, living & dying.”
- “…served as a good reminder that we are all living on borrowed time.”
- “It was easy as we all knew each other. May have been different/better had we not all known each other.”
- “…it’s very positive and heart-opening.”
- “Very interesting to have a discussion on a taboo subject.”
- “It served as a reminder to appreciate the time we have left.”
- “…the experience was being with people speaking to matters of living and dying with respect & intensity.”
- “I’m not sure if the two hour time limit is the only approach here - but then I’m an intensity junkie!”