Death Cafe write-ups
Death Cafe Millerton, NY
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Death Cafe - Millerton at Irving Farm Coffee House. A dozen of us made up tonight's community. Many familiar faces and several new friends were welcomed. Each guest had their own reasons for attending.
Suzanne O'Brien, our facilitator, greeted everyone and gave a brief overview/background about the Death Cafe.
Our hope for the Death Cafe Millerton, NY is
- to create a cozy, safe and inviting space that encourages people to get to know each other and share their thoughts and feelings about the end of life.
- to offer small intimate table groups that allow everyone an opportunity to ...
Death Cafe Philadelphia - Main Line Version Write up
Posted by Rachel Zeldin on March 23, 2014, 5:25 p.m.
Three months into the year and Death Café Philadelphia, hosted by Rachel Zeldin of Funerals360 and Simcha Raphael of DA’AT Institute, has already hosted four Death Café Philadelphia Events.
January 14, 2014 – Elderly Activists Death Café
On January 14, the Elderly Activists had Death Café Philadelphia facilitator, Simcha Raphael, come in to facilitate a Death Café for their group. Approximately 20-25 self-selected individuals focused on “Positive Aging” attended and engaged in a productive, open, and warm conversation over lunch.
January 20, 2014 – Death Café Philadelphia at Cosi Rittenhouse
Death Café Philadelphia returned once again to Cosi Rittenhouse to continue the “fun, interesting, surprising, and life affirming” conversations ...
Stockport's Death Cafe Write up
Posted by Liz Thompson on March 21, 2014, 2:39 a.m.
We welcomed a new member at the Death cafe at this meeting and talked about a range of subjects from advanced decision making. Attitudes to death now and in times gone by. The sanitisation of death in today's society. Family pressures, the law on ending life. Services available in other countries that are not avialable in the UK.
It was a lovely meeting and we as a group are getting to know each other. We agreed that we wopuld hold the meetings quarterly and I will post the dates on the site. we hope to see you at the next meeting, bye for now, Liz Thompson.
Invito a partecipare al Death Cafe, conversazione aperta sulla morte e sul morire Write up
Posted by Elisabetta Lucchi on March 19, 2014, 5:30 p.m.
“Then Almitra spoke, saying, "We would ask now of Death."
And he said:
You would know the secret of death.
But how shall you find it unless you seek it in the heart of life?
The owl whose night-bound eyes are blind unto the day cannot unveil the mystery of light.
If you would indeed behold the spirit of death, open your heart wide unto the body of life.
For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one”.
Khalil Gibran (The Prophet)
There were 5 participants at the 9th Death Café here in Verona which took place at Elisabetta ...
Death Cafe Capalaba, Brisbane Write up
Posted by Beth OBrien on March 19, 2014, 2:48 a.m.
Our first meeting for Capalaba was in our local community room at the Council Library. It was lovely to see social workers and palliative care nurses attend from our local hospital and other members of our community. It was very interesting to hear from the hospital team and how families are still quiet on the topic of end of life planning. Their team also discussed the need for a hospice in our area and the need for more palliative care beds for the communtiy. We were grateful for their attendance and interest. A startling piece of data that they shared was the 74% of people surveyed wished to ...
Death Cafe, Brisbane, Queensland Write up
Posted by Beth OBrien on March 19, 2014, 2:41 a.m.
Our first meeting for Victoria Point on a weekend day full of sunshine. The topics were diverse, but there seems to be a common theme in FAQ about "what do I when my loved one dies at home?'. Also a younger friend had just heard the news of his Grandfather's death and asked for guidance about what to expect as he had never attended a funeral. We discussed advanced health directives, vitamins that helped you relax, funeral companies, and amongst the great information we had an opportunity for a laugh. With good coffee supplied by Espresso Bar team and good company, we had an enjoyable afternoon.
I held the first ever Mansfield Death Cafe last week and it was a total success. I invited students who were taking my course on the psychology of Death & Dying. Word got out to other professors, who promoted the event in their psychology courses. In all, I had 19 students and faculty show up, which is 3x more than I was expecting! Luckily, I had purchased a second cake.
The conversation was a bit awkward at first, but the ice was broken with a few jokes about death. The book "All My Friends are Dead" was passed around, which helped to loosen people up. After that, people were ...
Death Cafe Auburn CA Write up
Posted by Cindie Wilding on March 18, 2014, 5:04 p.m.
We held our very first Death Cafe in Auburn on March 11, 2014.
Eleven of us gathered in the evening in the warm environment of AHmbiance, upstairs in the Gold Country Mall in Downtown Auburn, CA. We all shared our reasons for coming, for wanting to participate. Only a couple people had ever been to a Death Café before and reasons for coming ranged from curiosity to the desire to be more present in the now in order to prepare for our eventual passing. Words used by participants to describe the experience were “safe, encouraging, open, enlightening, accepting”.
Sipping on tea and enjoying delights such as a gluten-free ...
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 ...
Death Cafe Memphis Write up
Posted by Death Cafe Memphis on March 16, 2014, 11:20 p.m.
We discussed how animals in the wild instinctively & actively grieve (elephants, gorillas, dolphins, magpies & others)& how it has been documented that loss of a pet can be as traumatic sometimes as losing a family member or close friend. Fascinating how each person attending our gatherings always has unique prospectives to bring out. And always such wonderful, open-hearted stories which is a part of why Death Cafe is so unique and has become so popular - its not a training or a lecture, its A CONVERSATION and a very organic way of allowing people to come together.
Death Cafe Teleconference Write up
Posted by Merilynne Rush on March 10, 2014, 3:38 p.m.
The Teleconference went really well. We managed to have a great, polite and meaningful conversation even though we couldn't see each other! I'm really glad we did it.
- The importance of planning ahead
- How can we make burial green(er): Education, Advocacy and Advance Planning (conference flier attached)
- How to start a Death Cafe (Practice your elevator speech, garner support, approach the media)
- How to run a death cafe (Small groups, discussion starter questions, etc.)
- How to sell a pre-purchased niche at a cemetery (Call the cemetery and good luck!)
- Discomfort dealing with illness and loss and death (see about NPR spot ...
Death Cafe at Cafe Rouge in Hampstead, London Write up
Posted by Josefine Speyer on March 10, 2014, 2:37 a.m.
To be deleted! Thank you.
We had another lively and interesting gathering, 10 of us altogether. Our discussion ranged from the philosphical, beliefs about the afterlife: did we meet our loved ones, or is there nothing? Other areas were sudden death, early loss of parents, losing a younger partner and organ donation. Feedback forms showed an interest in discussing dignity in death and making plans for what you want in your own funeral.
Looking forward to March 9th's meeting.
SW London Death Cafe Write up
Posted by Suzanne Michal on March 5, 2014, 7:09 a.m. 1 comment
Well, I now have the absolute proof that it does not matter how many people attend a Death Cafe to make it a super special event.
We were 2 and looking back on it, it is as if it was went to be that way because what we shared in our intimate Death Cafe was so rich, powerful, reflective of our respective experiences of life and death that we are both still integrating our exchange a few days later !
I am so looking forward to the April SW London Death Cafe I can assure you!
" I went to a cafe in Putney to talk about death. I've ...
Death Cafe at Cafe Rouge in Hampstead, London Write up
Posted by Josefine Speyer on March 4, 2014, 8:56 a.m.
Report on the Death Cafe at Cafe Rouge Hampstead, London, on 10 February 2014 with Josefine Speyer
This month the attendance was even lower than last month. So we decided that instead of two small tables we would have one double table for everyone to sit around, three facilitators and six guests, to make it just one group from the start. That way everyone was sharing in one conversation. But for two new comers this proofed to be somewhat inhibiting. They would have preferred the intimacy of small tables first before coming together in one group. But not everyone had arrived when we had made this decision. For ...