I went on a residential singing weekend run by folk band The Unthanks and found many unexpected opportunities to tend to my grief. I created a Substack post about it, exploring how as an end of life Doula, I need to deal with my own stuff before I can support anyone else, and why creativity is a key to accessing emotions.
News! I am developing a new project to explore how we can tend our grief through dance. Using Border Morris as a starting framework, we will choreograph eight new dances to take us through the Wheel of the Year festivals, exploring how our grief changes. You are invited to get involved.
I have now completed the award winning Shapes of Grief training. This online training curated by Liz Gleeson brings together people from around the world who are leading the way in supporting people in their grief. This learning will be woven into my upcoming seasonal grief sessions.
Why do I call my work Tending Three Magpies? It's all about the tidings the magpies might bring according to an old folk song.
Find out the full story by reading this article I published on Substack
Citizen Network is a global non-profit cooperative movement formed to create a world where everyone matters, where everyone can be an equal citizen. For me this means equality in death as well as in life. As a Citizen Network Fellow I work collaboratively with colleagues around the world to come up with solutions to social inequalities.
On Father's Day I carried out a simple Sorrows and Gifts ritual to honour my dad who died in January. Writing my words of sorrow on a hagstone from my collection, I took it back to the beach it had come from and released it into the sea as I immersed myself in the cold water. A butterfly flew past me heading from the horizon to the shore. An ephemeral being travelling from one place to somewhere else.
A Death Cafe is an opportunity to come together for an open discussion about the end of life, death, bereavement and grief.
The aim is to increase our awareness of death in order to help us make the most of our finite lives. They are life-affirming conversations in a welcoming setting.
After the success of the Summer Solstice Death Cafe I am aiming to make this a monthly event, so I'm busy looking for a permanent home for it in a community space in Newcastle upon Tyne.
August to December dates coming soon.
A Queer Death Cafe is a safe affirming space for LGBTQIA+ folks to come together for an open discussion about the end of life, death, bereavement and grief, facilitated by a member of the community.
The aim is to increase our awareness of death in order to help us make the most of our finite lives. They are life-affirming conversations in a welcoming setting.
September to December dates coming soon.