Death Cafe write-ups
Death Cafe Edmonton Write up
Posted by Gina Vliet on April 25, 2019, 2:04 p.m.
At the April 24th Death Café, our topics for discussion leaned to the cerebral side. The group opened the discussion by referencing an April 17, 2019 National Post article on scientists restoring brain activity in recently slaughtered pigs, and how that related to Near Death Experiences (NDE’s) and whether we feel anything after we die. Traumatic death came up, and some attendees were yesterday days old when they figured out that bells in Victorian coffins were where the expression “saved by the bell” came from! Talk then went further down the rabbit hole into acid trips and the first law of Thermodynamics, where energy can neither be ...
Death Cafe Baltimore Write up
Posted by Death Cafe Baltimore with Valerie & Monica. on April 25, 2019, 12:16 p.m. 1 comment
Death Cafe Baltimore was presented at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) on March 28, 2019, and was scheduled from 5:00-6:30pm. Two facilitators, Valerie and Monica, two university employees who hosted the event, and twenty-five students and members of the community attended the meeting to discuss death & dying. Refreshments were provided, and the attendees were seated at separate tables throughout the room. They used some "ice breaker" questions to simply get the conversation started.
The attendees engaged in conversation for some time, and then a collective discussion took place. The attendees asked questions about advance directives and the status of "death with dignity" laws in some ...
Canberra Death Cafe Write up
Posted by Vickie Hingston-Jones on April 24, 2019, 6:46 p.m.
It began with a few people quietly looking around and ended with noisy chatter and promises to keep in touch. Discusion was sombre one minute, lively the next but everyone had valuable insights to contribute and engaging questions to ask. 12 People attended. Men where sadly under represented, but perhaps as news spreads we will see more. All in all a very successful event and I am now planning the next one.
Death Cafe Iowa Write up
Posted by DeathCafeIowa on April 18, 2019, 2:10 p.m.
April’s death café Iowa was held at Palmers deli & market on Ingersoll. Buffy Peters (member of the Bereavement Professionals Group) facilitated the group. Five members were in attendance this month including two males and three females. All participants ranged in ages and professions.
Members this month brought several interesting topics to discuss including the use of DNA tests to predict at what age you will die. The research has shown to be 76% accurate. Several members also discussed a few books that group members have heard about and/or read. The books were “Being Mortal”, “The Slow Death of Nancy Coran”, and “When Breath Becomes Air”. That ...
Death Cafe - Warren Write up
Posted by gloriamcunningham on April 18, 2019, 9:35 a.m.
We had such a wonderful meeting this month. We had much laughing, many stories and exploring our approach when visiting others that are on the threshold of their death. Much food for thought until next we meet. I look forward to seeing everyone in May!
12 April 2019 It was with a mixture of excitement and a few nerves that I - with some like-minded friends - launched into our first South-East Brisbane Death Cafe last week (12 April 2019)...
With a wonderful eclectic group of people - of all ages - we met over a cuppa and light refreshments and talked about such a rich variety of death and dying topics and experiences.
Topics included :
- facing one's own / questioning one's own mortality
- importance of advance care planning documents and conversations and the positive impact that can be made
- place of death and importance of supporting dying at home
- dying on your own terms; acknowledging ...
Visalia Death Cafe Write up
Posted by l_burkart@yahoo.com on April 13, 2019, 8:02 p.m.
Our small group gathered around one table enjoying the peach tea, 5 layer chocolate brownies, and fresh strawberries. The bakery gave permission to use their card for our picture here, and said in the future, they could make skull cookies or a decadente rich chocolate cake!
Someone brought a book with CDs to share, "Graceful Passages, A Companion for Living and Dying" We will pass it around for the group to enjoy.
Our conversations varied, but I think the sharing our first experiences with death and how it changed our lives was interesting. Our early losses in childhood left lasting effects on all of us and it was ...
Bali Death Cafe 2.0 Write up
Posted by Helen Joanna on April 13, 2019, 4:25 a.m.
We held a very beautiful inquisitive space on a sunny afternoon. The six of us dove into the topic of what it means to die a "good death", and how the medicalization of the dying process often blurs the line between when the care is improving standards of living, and when it is diminishing it.
Death Cafe' of Central Arkansas Write up
Posted by Jamie Boshears & Simone Brock on April 9, 2019, 10:52 a.m.
Descriptions of the night: interesting, fascinatingly morbid, thought provoking, affirming, enriching, intriguing, informative, fun, convivial, open, inspirational, comforting, diverse, curious, and welcoming. Where else do you get this and cake (we had donuts) with a group of people coming together for the first time? What a fabulous night!
The inaugural Death Café of Central Arkansas was, in the words of a journalist that attended, “The conversation was stimulating, fascinating, and the donuts were delish. I’d call it a success.”
Our conversation flowed to topics about deficits in culture, writing your own obituary, pet death, parental and family influence on views of death, how we live in layers ...
Whitstable Death Cafe Write up
Posted by suejgoodrum on April 9, 2019, 6:16 a.m.
A lively afternoon with different perspectives on what we can do to make life easier for those who are left after we've died - Talk more and clear out the loft!
How different cultures include death as part of life.
Facing our own mortality.
All contributions thoughtful, accompanied by laughing at times.
Lovely cakes and good coffee and tea from the Umbrella cafe. Thanks to the Umbrella centre for letting us host our cafe in your Lounge. Sue and Julie
Fairfax Death Cafe An Open Conversation Write up
Posted by johnbyrnebarry on April 8, 2019, 11:27 p.m.
You might think that talking about death would be somber, and yes, sometimes it was.
But there was plenty of laughter. One man introduced himself by saying, “Today is a banner day. Today I’ve lived longer than I’ve ever lived before.”
One woman told the story of a friend, who, when she learned she had inoperable cancer, said, “Oh, I don’t have to go to work anymore.”
One man said he was comfortable with the idea of dying, but he couldn’t get himself to move on the paperwork like his will and advanced directive.
We heard about a woman with a terminal disease who ...
Death Cafe Wien Write up
Posted by Alexandra Masetti on April 6, 2019, 10:45 a.m.
Endlich! Der Frühling ist da -wieder einmal ein Frühling. Was für ein Glück. Zum ersten Mal durften wir den weitläufigen Gastgarten unseres Gastgebers, des Cafe der Spanischen Hofreitschule, bestaunen. Dort steppte der Bär. Herr Fritz hatte wieder unseren Stammplatz reserviert – die ruhige Ecke ganz hinten. Es fanden sich vier TeilnehmerInnen ein. Nach langem wieder einmal ein Death Cafe im kleineren Rahmen. Die Gespräche führten diesmal zur Angst vor dem eigenen Tod, zu den unterschiedlichen Vorstellungen vor „dem Danach“. Es ging um den Einfluss, den die Todesangst auf die Gegenwart und unsere Weise zu Leben hat. Oder die Nichtangst vor dem ...
Carondelet Death Cafe Write up
Posted by Steve Dukenski on April 4, 2019, 10:47 a.m.
We held the first Death Cafe on the College of St. Rose campus, open to the entire campus community. We expected a modest turnout of 7 or so, and got between 25 and 30. We had to move from a small conference room to the multiuse "sanctuary space" and split the group into 2. This unfortunately meant people could not enjoy food or drink during the discussion, but gave people an excuse to gather after for more informal discussion and food afterwards.
(One attendee was exciting to provide a cake in the shape of a 3D human skull, which was by all accounts delicious!)
Some attendees were there ...
"Что если кто-то из нас сейчас умрет?" - Задала одна из участниц.
Действительно: куда нужно позвонить? КОГО Вызвать? И какая юридические формальности за этим последует?
Вопрос, который меня беспокоит: не повредит ли смерть участника или ведущий сам проект . Может быть я становлюсь циничной, но именно в такой ситуации очень важная, мне кажется продолжать встречаться и говорить о Смерти
Death Cafe Tunbridge Wells Write up
Posted by carmeldunmall on April 2, 2019, 7:56 a.m.
9 people met at the Trinity for the Death cafe.
I was unable to attend, but I heard that eveyone contributed to the discussion, taking about what makes a good death. The venue was very noisy so I am in the process of finding a new location. May's Death cafe will be at the Trinity but after that we will relocate. This may mean a change in dates!