Death Cafe write-ups
Downtown Ypsi Death Cafe Write up
Posted by Bree Crutchfield on March 16, 2024, 10:34 p.m.
Well, I had the first meeting and due to the weather (rainy and overcast), I didn't expect anyone to show up.
One brave soul did arrive by the name of Michelle. Michelle and I talked about death, preparing for death, facing our own mortalities etc.
Michelle shared with me the death of her parents (and others) and how it affected her.
In turn, I shared how deaths in my life affected me.
The meeting ended on a wonderful note and she's looking forward to next month's meeting-as am I.
-Bree
Death Cafe Iowa Write up
Posted by DeathCafeIowa on March 13, 2024, 11:01 a.m.
Our Death Café was held over Zoom this past February and had 3 people in attendance. After brief introductions and some catching up we began a long conversation on all thing’s death related!
We started with the importance of balancing grief alongside celebratory life events, and how tricky it is to go through such happy moments while grieving. From here we transitioned into speaking on how grief is felt/expressed differently by everyone and is not something that can be fixed. Everyone has different needs, so simply showing up and listening to your grieving person is a great way to offer support.
The final broader topic we ...
Death Cafe Warkworth Write up
Posted by Death Cafe Warkworth on March 9, 2024, 10:58 p.m.
There were six of us today at our second Death Cafe in Warkworth. It was enlightening and informative. Everyone had space and privacy to share their stories, ask questions and respond with answers. Links, resources, and experiences were shared. Discussion included end of life care, options for families making arrangements for death care, options around the care of deceased loved ones, including burial and cremation, the necessity for medical and legal information required, and the importance of taking ownership of your own end of life and death care. Thank you to everyone who attended and shared of themselves.
Our Death Cafe this month covered a great span of topics, from the perspective of today's youth on death and suicide among young people, inequities in nursing care, funeral business and preparations, burial shrouds, mushroom suits and forensic studies programs, on to yes, you do need a bunch of death certificates when the time comes, and as always, the topic of who comes out of hte woodwork on someone's passing arose.
Look for a Death Cafe LPCC monthly at the minimum moving forward.
Schuylerville, NY Death Cafe at the Library Write up
Posted by bwrisley@sals.edu on March 6, 2024, 10:24 a.m.
We had seven of us including myself at our first Death Cafe at the Schuylerville Public Library, and I'd call it a success! The conversation flowed, folks seemed to be very open and excited for the conversation. The tea flowed, the sugary snacks did as well. I left the cafe feeling overwhelmingly grateful for the opportunity to connect and have a conversation about death and dying that felt productive. We laughed, some of us cried, and I am very much looking forward to meeting again!
Shepherdstown WV Death Cafe: Tea, Cake and Conversation Write up
Posted by Tracy Seffers on March 5, 2024, 2:50 p.m.
Spring is starting to spring up all around us, peeping green from the decay of last year's leaves - life rising up out of death, death giving birth to new life - the eternal cycle coming round again.
Tea and cake were set out for our guests, and as people gathered.
The first topic brought to the table for discussion (thank you, Christine!) was the idea of "delayed" or "displaced" grief. What is it - why is it? How does it look for different grievers and difference death circumstances? Is it cultural - individual - communal - self-protective?
Conversation then moved to thinking about which cultures (like the Tibetan Buddhists) "do death" well ...
Santa Cruz Death Cafe Write up
Posted by Carol Morgan on March 4, 2024, 10:47 a.m. 3 comments
Our third Death Cafe of 2024 included 20 guests. There were 17 at each of the previous cafes, clearly there is a need! Some were new and some had come before. Introductions were held in the large circle and then conversations continued in 4 smaller circles for 40 minutes. I received positive feedback about the group led discussions as apposed to a meeting with an agenda.
14 people attended. Topics discussed includes assisted dying, mixed heritage practices, availability of family support at the end of life, and the legacy we leave.
All feedback was positive and people enjoyed the event.
Again there was delicious cake.
Virtual Death Cafe Albany, CA USA PST Write up
Posted by JimKirkpatrick on Feb. 26, 2024, 10:20 a.m.
Our Cafe meets the 4th Sunday monthly. Genevieve and Jim have been cohostiing here and earlier in another Death Cafe. Participants from Canada, Midwest, Nor Californnia, NE and SE USA participated. Deep listening punctuated by moments of silence, empathic reactions and open sharing. Genevieve and Jim give thanks for the special space all participants created this day. We give thanks to Death Cafe founders and acknowledge the important contribution of Bernard Cretaz's meeting with John Underwood in the creation of Death Cafe. Please follow this link to a posting by Jon Undeerwood https://deathcafe.com/blog/114/
Shepherdstown WV Death Cafe: Tea, Cake and Conversation Write up
Posted by Tracy Seffers on Feb. 23, 2024, 2:43 p.m. 1 comment
It was another lively gathering in February, fresh off the snowstorms that surprised us!
Discussion centered around how those who are dying - or caring for those who are dying - may find spirituality/religious traditions comforting or distressing, or anywhere along that spectrum.
The Cafe closed with a reading of Lisel Mueller's lovely poem, "Hope":
"It is the singular gift we cannot destroy in ourselves,
the argument that refutes death . . .
all we know of God. . . .
it is in this poem, trying to speak."
Over tea and homemade cake, it was a lovely gathering, with the promise of more good conversation to come.
First Tuesdays at Noon - Shepherdstown Public ...
Death Cafe Write up
Posted by elizabeth ellen on Feb. 15, 2024, 8:48 p.m.
DEATH CAFE
DEGRANIS CAFE
16TH NOVEMBER, 2024
WRITE UP
We were a small group of three in a noisy cafe, meeting each other amongst the life of a shopping centre. Thank you for the other two participants and one for travelling hours to attend our cafe.
It was a rich conversation as we transversed a wide variety of themes in death and dying. What is death denial and how is it for me and others? Death as a mystery and how very personal and individual the experience is with our and others expectations. Caring for those close to us and how to navigate those needs. As well as ...
Our second Death Cafe was held on January 29, 2024 and we titled it "The Conversation Continues". We had 11 individuals attend, some individuals from our prior group as well as new attendees. Spirited discussion ensued about "What is a Good Death?", and burial options in our local area, including some newer innovative approaches such as human composting. Participants also shared emotional experinces related to caring for a dying loved one. The group was engaged and supportive to each other and requested that another death cafe be held in the near future.
San Francisco Peninsula Death Cafe Write up
Posted by jimvanbuskirk on Feb. 12, 2024, 9:20 p.m.
This Death Cafe, an exploratory project, was a success. None of the dozen attendees had ever previously attended a Death Cafe. The conversation was wide-ranging, respectful and rewarding. Everyone seemed enthusiastic about continuing the conversation at subsequent cafes.
1. Wiener Death Cafe Write up
Posted by JELLA JOST on Feb. 3, 2024, 12:52 p.m.
Eine sehr spannende große Gruppe und dazu auch noch jung. Viel Input von der Expertin und der Filmemacherin. Jede und jeder hatte ausreichend Zeit zum Erzählen oder auch nur Zuhören. Die unterschiedlichen Betrachtungen, Erlebnisse und Schilderungen ergreifen mich jedesmal aufs Neue.
Die NY Cheesecake war sensationell! Thanx Walter!
Tucson Friendly & Fearless Death Cafe Write up
Posted by TucsonFFDeathCafe on Feb. 1, 2024, 4:39 p.m.
A wonderful start to 2024 Tucson Death Cafés!
At our virtual meeting we talked a lot about the big goodbye to our beloved animal companions. I was led to use a tapestry of what I think of as the puppy homegoing that day, and one of our attendees had recently lost her beloved dog. In trying to write about this, I had to give up after a dozen tissues and tears blurred my vision. It’s very common to experience the loss of our animal companions as far harder than that of our human friends. The more we can talk about all of our losses with great ...