Death Cafe write-ups
Death Cafe North Canterbury NZ Write up
Posted by Death Cafe North Canterbury, Aotearoa New Zealand on June 10, 2023, 11:41 p.m.
We held our second Death Café North Canterbury recently at Kaiapoi library – it was a smaller affair with just two people, a lovely elderly couple, which meant we could really drill down into some very practical and personal issues – and it meant a ¼ of the delicious chocolate each! (no - we didn’t!)
It was a great discussion about the practicalities of life and death – and certainly sent me home with plenty of homework and research to do.
Stay well and warm; and keep talking, Liz :)
Death Cafe - Ellershouse Write up
Posted by Kathryn Murphy on June 9, 2023, 6:58 a.m.
We had a great turn out! 20 people. The discussion was a good one - talking about the possibility of experiencing a good death.
The group requested another meeting. We will meet again - same place and time on 21 June.
The group requested we speak about MAiD (medical assistance in dying) in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Melbourne Death Cafe Write up
Posted by Carmel OBeirne on June 7, 2023, 1:48 a.m.
Thankyou to the group of women this time who gathered on a cold and wet Melbourne Sunday morning and opened their hearts to share all things death and dying.
Most agreed that these gatherings are so valuable and that in our day to day lives and communities it isnt always easy to find people to talk with about death and dying and end of life generally . They really are taboo subjects for many and we are happy to be breaking this barrier and talking more openly about what is true to us in living and dying .
Thanks to Paula for supporting me again with the facilitating and to ...
Tucson Online MDT Friendly & Fearless Death Cafe Write up
Posted by TucsonFFDeathCafe on June 1, 2023, 11:25 a.m.
“IF LOVE COULD HAVE SAVED YOU, YOU WOULD HAVE LIVED FOREVER,” & “NO ONE SITS AROUND TALKING ABOUT DEATH, THIS JUST DOESN’T HAPPEN”
“No one sits around talking about death, this just doesn’t happen!” Surprise, we do! A soon to be Death Café host passionately shared this statement last Café. I’m imagining that hosts around the globe and attendees alike share this motivation. That is why Cafes were born, to have an open, safe place to speak about big things, what matters to us, in this wild adventure of living and dying. Blessings and best to the birth of a new Café!
“If love could have ...
City of Roses Death Cafe Write up
Posted by nomenoyou1 on May 30, 2023, 8:59 p.m.
Ten people attendied our second Death Cafe on Saturday May 27, including three who were also at our first Cafe in April. It was great to have both continuity and new voices in the room. Two hours went by quickly, first checking in with why each of us was there, and then digging a bit deeper into some of the topics that came up.
Looking forward to monthly Cafe's at the Leaven Community, the next one on Saturday June 24.
Virtual Death Cafe Albany, CA USA Write up
Posted by JimKirkpatrick on May 29, 2023, 11:41 a.m. 1 comment
May 28th 2023 ten of us gathered in open hearted listening to our words and feelings about Death, Dying and beyond. We welcomed new attendees. We live on West and East of US and Canada. We plan to meet again June 25th. Grateful for our Death Cafe as I am lifted by our humanity in the space we created.
Death Cafe in Bellows Falls VT Write up
Posted by Denise Glover on May 18, 2023, 8:55 a.m.
Nine people joined us for a lively and far-ranging conversation around death, grief, and other topics. Some laughter and some tears. It was wonderful!
Charlton Public Library Death Cafe Write up
Posted by Kathleen Walker on May 18, 2023, 7:45 a.m.
Our first meeting was really great! We had eleven people in attendance and enjoyed an enightening conversation and yummy cake. We plan to meet again in a month and will rotate who brings the cake. We now have an email list and will stay in touch.
Online Death Cafe ADT Write up
Posted by Death Cafe Halifax Nova Scotia on May 14, 2023, 6:28 p.m.
As usual, we had multiple countries and multiple provinces represented on our Death Café this month – with long time participants and some first timers in our Zoom Room. The diversity of views is wonderful.
As always, reasons for participating and topics for discussion cover a lot of territory.
· A comment was made about death being sanitized and denied – many people are not exposed to death and may not have ever been to a funeral – how can we normalize the conversations and be more open to death?
o That is a common question for Death Cafes, and one of the reasons we exist – to normalize such discussions.
· An interesting ...
Moray Coast Death Cafe Write up
Posted by Katie Sharrock on May 12, 2023, 5:23 a.m.
This was first Death Cafe led by Katie & Juanna. A wonderful group of 22 people gathered, shared their stories, ate cake and drank tea in the warm surroundings of Elgin Library. Some of the closing words from participants included connection, love, peace, gratitude, heart-warm. We look forward to our next Cafe! Thank you everyone for your contributions, your donations to cover the room hire, and for your presence.
Death Cafe Dunedin (NZ) Write up
Posted by AnkesDeathCafe on May 11, 2023, 3:24 p.m.
This meeting saw 13 enthusiastic people rejoining. Most were repeat visitors and a few newcomers. We welcomed in particular a medical student who felt inspired by listening to those who might be looking on the other side of the fence of his services. He also shared new perspectives which kept the conversations very alive and interesting. Repeatedly I can see that one of the biggest issues in the conversations is the fear about legality around wishes at end of life being ignored or impossible to be reinforced. We feel we are seeing the beginning of a revolution around the choices for end of life. Death Cafe offers such ...
Death Cafe North Canterbury NZ Write up
Posted by Death Cafe North Canterbury, Aotearoa New Zealand on May 7, 2023, 9:30 p.m.
Death Café North Canterbury took place for the first time in Amberley last month (23.04.2023) with myself and Mark as your facilitators. We had a record number of bookings (ok, so we didn’t make double figures but hey, it’s early days!) We did set a small record though – we had more men than women this time.
The cake, chocolates, conversation, kōrero and sense of community was special, our themes traversed accepting ‘bad and sad’ news, palliative care options and end of life choice law and decision-making; looking back in time and how death was talked about (or not) in the past.
It was a ...
City of Roses Death Cafe Write up
Posted by nomenoyou1 on April 29, 2023, 11:41 p.m. 2 comments
City of Roses Death Café had a great first meeting at the Leaven Community center on a beautiful sunny day in NE Portland. There were 9 total community members in attendance -- all but one had never been to a Death Café before. Conversation flowed easily, connections were made, and there was plenty of tea and homemade desserts to go around. Discussion topics ranged from personal stories about impactful/meaningful deaths, how keeping death closeby informs how we want to live our lives, transmuting and alchemizing grief in the body, and much more.
We look forward to our next meeting on May 27th from 2pm-4pm at the community center.
Death Cafe Capitol Hill Write up
Posted by Laura Lyster-Mensh - HCC on April 17, 2023, 4:55 p.m.
The second Death Cafe of 2023 at Congressional Cemetery drew two dozen people on a gorgeous spring evening. We split the group as the numbers rose and half met in the chapel and half outdoors. Participants enjoyed sweet treats offered by Congressional Cemetery staff and baked goods from participants.
Both groups had lively conversation touching on: letting go of expectations of reconciliation and ways to find conciliation before and after death of a loved one with whom the relationship was challenging, having conversation about dying and death with family and friends who are reluctant to speak on the topic, suicide as an option for the terminally ill, the ...
We had a great first meeting with 7 people in attendance. Everyone participated in a lively, open discussion, and we are eager to continue talking together and supporting one another at our next meeting. Stay tuned.