Death Cafe write-ups
Ashland Death Cafe Write up
Posted by julianspalding on July 8, 2015, 3:10 p.m.
We are a group of six people who work within the end-of-life field and who wish to facilitate community conversations about death and dying. Our work continues the Death Café process begun in 2013 in Ashland, Oregon by hosting a second one at the Havurah Shir Hadash Synagogue on June 23, 2015. It was attended by forty-five people and facillitated in small groups by the organizers. We served fruit, decadent chocolates and cupcakes adorned with skulls. The Café was very well received. We plan to host a follow up in the fall.
SW London Death Cafe Write up
Posted by Suzanne Michal on July 7, 2015, 5:55 a.m.
It was very different experience this time for me. Even after two years of running death cafes.
We were deeply moved by two ladies who work for a children's hospice.
A lady shared about working in refugee camps and how they delivered back to familie the ashes of those who had died in the camp. Very emotional and a sharing about different cultural responses to death and bereavement.
As a man left, he told me "how balanced and serene" he now felt...
A powerful melting pot of such unique stories, personalities, point of views, needs...
Belleville, IL Death Cafe Write up
Posted by maggieboone on July 6, 2015, 9:25 a.m.
Death Café 6/27/2015 6pm – 8pm CST
The 3rd Death Café hosted by Sharon Egler at the Miscellanea House Café was held on June 27th. There were a few more attendees that are new. A Southern Illinois Hospice representative and an actual medium attended along with the regular attendees which made for an interesting discussion centered around closure after the death of a loved one and moved to new ways of memorializing their lives.
Sharon had done some research and found some methods of memorializing such as stained glass pieces bonded with cremains, Human DNA trees (Biopresence apparently claim to transcode human DNA into trees ...
Canterbury Death Cafe Write up
Posted by AdrianAdams on July 2, 2015, 4 a.m.
Our second Death Café had a smaller turn out than our initial meeting. We had a number of apologies, although we also welcomed some new members with an age range of between 20 and 80.
In spite or perhaps because of the smaller number we had a more focused discussion that centred on the topic of how we can prepare ourselves and others for our own death. We shared personal experiences and explored a number of issues including: different and shifting cultural, gendered and generational expectations about familial responsibilities, independence and the willingness to give and accept help towards the end of life.
We talked about the need ...
St. George, Maine Death Cafe II Write up
Posted by Sylvia Sienikehä Elysiana on June 29, 2015, 10:21 p.m.
A beautiful gathering of amazing women (and one amazing man!) Conversation covered bizarre funeral practices, funny death stories, personal sharings. Tea and coffee served with a skull shaped organic chocolate cake.
We had a terrific Lawrence Death Cafe yesterday, Saturday June 27th with 17 people attending our meeting at the Lawrence Public Library. Several people brought snacks and the variety of topics was fascinating. We all look forward to our July Lawrence Death Cafe!
Derby Death Cafe Write up
Posted by timdowdell on June 27, 2015, 5:52 a.m.
Lovely relaxed atmosphere where everyone felt at ease, we even had a lady join us who didnt know about the Cafe but was in the cafe just before it sarted and decided to stay for a chat.
We even had the local paper turn up and do a write-up, which is wonderful news for Cafe's everywhere.
At the cafe we discussed lots of issues from embalming and how people can help with the final stages of dressing the deceased moving on to talk about open coffins. We touched on care in hospitals and how many people are living to extreme old age.
People commented on how they ...
Death Cafe Bishop's Stortford Write up
Posted by Nicola Sheehan, DC Poulton & Sons on June 26, 2015, 5:45 a.m.
"I'm not sure about the name"
"I don't like the skull on the teacup"
"But I'm not bereaved..."
I'll admit it, I was nervous.
In all honesty I had had many positive comments as I tried to spread the word about Death Cafe Bishop's Stortford but it is human (well it is certainly Nicola) to focus on the negative and expect a disaster.
'Plan for the worst, hope for the best' is something of a motto for me and in this instance my hope was well founded.
12 of us gathered in the lovely garden room of Great Hadham Golf Club, the evening ...
As our small group of "regulars" got together today, we decided to watch a couple of TedTalks on YouTube about death and dying in different cultures.
Will post them on our Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/DeathCafeOcala
Getting close to our two years anniversary and still having fun :-)
Teddy
Highcliffe Death Cafe Write up
Posted by Lis Horwich on June 23, 2015, 11:26 a.m.
A beautiful sunny afternoon spent in the garden speaking about many topics related to death.
A visitor from Bristol in the form of a photographer from The Daily Telegraph gave us a new views on some of the conversation as he has Irish background. Our smiling picture will illustrate an upcoming interview with Jon Underwood likely in Monday the 29th Health Section. So do get the paper read the article and see us in sunny Highcliffe.
The Beeston Death Cafe on 23rd May was definitely a life- enhancing experience. Meeting several new people in one go who all talked honestly and openly was a new experience in itself. Jet was an extremely skilful facilitator, bringing clarity, positive energy and sensitivity to the conversation. It took courage to go, but I will definitely attend another one with a little less trepidation.
Death Cafe Calgary Jun 14, 2015 Write up
Posted by Death Cafe Calgary on June 18, 2015, 6:16 p.m.
Death Café Calgary was held at Self Connection Books on June 14, 2015. Fortunately, the cupcakes and twenty-five guests made it into the venue without getting too rain-soaked. For many attendees, it was their first Death Café, and they were eager to talk about the death-related subjects on ...
Providence Death Cafe Write up
Posted by Cassandra Tribe on June 17, 2015, 9:26 p.m.
Ah! We broke the mold and went for the 20lb carrot cake tonight, which was richly satisfying. Our troupe gathered again small in number as the summer sets in and the conversation turned to the death of identity and various stages of burial, origins of potter's fields, the role of death doulas, vigil work - and - why Rue McClanahan keeps coming back to be sent off again with the fondest wishes and memories on the Internet. This ends our season of death as we pause for the summer break. The Providence Death Cafe will return in October. Until then, stay in touch and keep the conversation going!
Yesterday, July 16th 2015 at 6 p.m. I attended a death café at the Stanley Picker Gallery in Kingston and it was the first one hosted by Oreet Ashery & Korina Giaxoglou. There was 10 of us round the table including the 2 facilitators. There was, of course, tea and cake. The facilitators introduced themselves and explained a bit about their own interest in death and then asked us to do the same. By the time we settled in, a good 40 minutes had passed. We talked for a good hour on the subject of death, spirituality, what happens when we die and our expectations from this ...
Belleville, IL Death Cafe Write up
Posted by maggieboone on June 17, 2015, 9:25 a.m.
At the May 30, 2015 Belleville, IL Death Cafe hosted by Sharon Egler, there were 10 participants. A discussion ensued pertaining to a prospective project for the community that we are hoping will bring even more awareness to the purpose and mission of the Death Cafe. A proposal from Sharon Egler involved doing a public bucket list on the side of the Miscellanea House Cafe. She had visited a website (http://beforeidie.cc/site/), purchased a couple of books - one for the Miscellanea House Cafe and one for Maggie Tribout. Both are in the process of working out the details to put a public bucket list (A Before ...