Death Cafe Berryville, VA
A write up of Death Cafe in Berryville, Virginia
Death Cafe
Berryville, Virginia
September 7, 2014
It was a beautiful fall day in Berryville, Virginia where nearly twenty people came together for the first Death Cafe. The discussion moved from the practical issues in dealing with death like advanced medical directives and the dnr order to amazing stories of experiences in families related to death and dying.
The intention and conscious choice to cease all nourishment to facilitate death, or the amazing resolve to walk into the woods to die show the deep and abiding awareness there is to dying and courageous action to facilitate and be with death on one’s own terms. There was realization that how we die becomes a legacy to our loved ones on how to die.
The conversation moved into the spiritual aspects of life and death. At one table there was a straight out inquiry about believing in an afterlife, which provided interesting conversation and insight. One man wondered how Dylan Thomas’ “Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light” figured into the conversation. It was met with interest in the group and the desire for further discussion was expressed, providing inquiry for “next time”.
In closing, the divided group came together for a brief review which created an expressed desire for continuing the dialogue, which will happen again in October and November.
Mary Jane Lee
Berryville, VA