Death Cafe write-ups
This was the first in a series of Death Cafes we plan to hold in SW19, and was held on the same afternoon as the finals of both the World Cup and Wimbledon. The cafe was attended by four people, who met together with myself and a co-host.
Informative, Insightful, Compassionate, Safe, Relief, and Flexible were words shared by participants in their feedback, to describe the experience of attending.
Our conversation touched on several themes around starting to talk about death to those we care about, about what we would ourselves want, and how we might broach the subject.
We explored differing views on whether children should be ...
Thank you to everyone who came to our first Sylvan Road Death Cafe.
It was inspiring that 21 people came to drink tea, eat Day of the Dead biscuits and discuss Death.
We look forward to hosting the next one on 9th September 2018.
Thanks
Victoria x
Death Cafe Iowa - June Write up
Posted by DeathCafeIowa on July 9, 2018, 1 p.m.
We were a small group in June – largely due to the BEAUTIFUL weather we had that day—so there were just 4 of us. We talked about:
· “We Croak” app that send 6 random reminders throughout the day that you are going to die, along with a quote about death/living fully
· That cremating and wearing jewelry in memory of a pet seems to be more acceptable that for the death of a person
· Physician assisted suicide vs. death with dignity: the difference and importance of language
· “Degrees” of suicide causes: mental illness, physical illness, doctor assisted, revenge, self-preservation
· Suicide attempts at the border (separation of families)
· The ...
Kapiti Death Cafe Write up
Posted by Kapitideathcafe on July 7, 2018, 9:55 p.m. 1 comment
What a fantastic turnout! With around 30 curious and courageous chatters about a subject close to all of us, it was a fantastic start to what looks to be an interested and active community of death talkers. Looking forward tothe next gathering. Well done Kapiti!!!
Death Cafe Newtown Write up
Posted by Melissa Halliday on July 7, 2018, 2:47 a.m.
Another day of shared community discussion over chai and Tim Tams- a brave courageous group of souls who spoke and shared stories about the death of parents who have served in the military and find it hard to cope in the 'real' world to the Jewish way of doing death. Feedback comments included; "Interesting hearing other people's stories and perspectives' to " thank you for this sharing and growth" to "better death literacy and confidence to engage with others at end of life" to "go with an open mind and don't feel compelled to take any position or share" and generally participants felt their experience was: "safe ...
Vancouver Death Cafe Write up
Posted by Janet Rivers on July 5, 2018, 1:23 p.m.
Had 9 in attendance with a selection of cakes this time. Active conversation and participation by all. The only comment was a wish to spend more time on the Advance Directive and Representative agreements. These are always mentioned but as facilitator I think it takes us away from open conversation.
Our second Wellingborough Death Cafe was smaller in number than the first one as a number of people couldn't make it at the last minute. There were a few new faces and the conversations around the table were lively. We were over run with cake and donated some to the local Christian Aid Coffee Morning.
We are planning another Death Cafe on Friday 20th July.
Swindon Death Cafe Write up
Posted by Sue Holden on June 28, 2018, 5:56 a.m.
The death cafe was held once more withseveral attendees who discussed various topics, amongst which was about the fear of dying. Who is and why?
Next meeting is on Tuesday July 10th.
Death Cafe Tunbridge Wells Write up
Posted by carmeldunmall on June 27, 2018, 1:14 p.m.
12 of us met in the cafe. We talked about various topics around death and dying. Incuding funerals, bereavements, also end of life care.
It was a warm and pleasent meeting, with a feeling that there was an openness within the group.
We decided to meet again in September, but that we would try and advertise it, so we could reach out to more people.
Thanks to everyone who came.
Carmel
Upminster Death Cafe Write up
Posted by MortuaryGem on June 20, 2018, 12:15 p.m.
What a fabulous evening, I could not have asked for it to go better. Twelve people in total came along to the Sweet Rose Cakery for two hours of death discussions over tea, coffee, milkshakes, wine and cake. There was a lot of cake! Firstly, I would like to say a huge thank you to the staff and especially Caroline at the Sweet Rose Cakery for letting us host our Death Cafe at their venue when they really had no idea what it was they were letting themselves in for! You’ve been so accommodating and I really can’t thank you enough. Secondly, a thank you to ...
Death Cafe Zarautz Write up
Posted by Iñaki Peña Bandrés on June 14, 2018, 10:35 a.m.
Last june 12th Jabi Bereziartua and I hosted the 6th edition of DC in our town, at the Basque coastline.
The previous one was the first one taking place inside our newly created compassionate community, "Zarautz, Herri Zaintzailea".
Besides, in these days we have hold the international congress on Palliative Care in the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz, about 90 km from Zarautz. Precisely, this has been the context for the creation of our compassionate initiative.
Regarding to the 6th edition of DC, 14 people attended it, 9 women and 5 men. 7 people over 60 yeras-old, and 7 below that.
Quite a younger group, taking into account that, for ...
Chambana Death Cafe May 22, 2018 Write up
Posted by Sherry Gilles on June 12, 2018, 12:51 p.m.
There were seven of us who gathered around a table at a new venue, the library in Champaign IL.
We had one new attendee from the University of IL and she is from the archaeolgy department.
Conversation drfited from the finding of skeletons during construction projects to people discussing green burial and how they are not sure that cremation is good for the environment.
This led to discussion of body farms and places where there is no soil to dig in or the water table is high which led to talk of above groun interment and reuse of mausoleums and other concrete structures.
People discussed their views on ...
Wimbourne Death Cafe Colourfest Write up
Posted by Marisa Picardo on June 10, 2018, 6:15 p.m. 1 comment
Death Café has been presented and offered at different festivals before. This was Colourfest's first Death Café and my first time to run one at a festival, so I was so delighted to be hosting this one. This festival is described as “A dynamic, beautiful & constantly evolving gem of a gathering celebrating life through connection, ceremony, yoga, dance, music, art, theatre & playfulness.”
I was scheduled for Friday and Saturday. On Friday twenty people or so arrived; the indoor venue room that we were scheduled to use was not appropriate to use and I was asked to move to the tiny bar which was in fact too small ...
The conversation in our recent Death Cafe touched on subjects we hadn't visited before. For instance, objects: those things we leave behind us, or things we are left by those who have died. What do we do with them? How do we start the process of clearing 'stuff' we don't want to burden our nearest and dearest with? And private things, such as letters - precious to us now, but perhaps distressing to others when we are not there to put them in context. Our digital legacy: what will happen to our Facebook and other social media accounts? All interesting questions, which led to the concept of ...
Date: 30th May
Place: Hotel Alameda. ZARAUTZ (Basque Country)
Organized by: Zarautz, Herri Zaintzailea
It was the fifth time we offered the opportunity to join around a coffee to speak about death. 13 people participated in it, only two of them men.
The different points of view about the death were large and rich:
· Children, and their naturalness and innocence, and the overprotective attitude of adults around the death
· Within the couple
· The coldness of hospitals
· The value of a hug
· The role of Church, the soul, the spirit, the reincarnation, the acceptation
· How long we must support suffering?
· Suffering without sense
· The responsibility to transmit well your ...