Talking about :Death
Are you one of the majority ‘death-avoidant’ people in America? We all die! This topic and our cultural hands-off-ness about it inspired the next Solar Playback theme “Avoidance”—which I hope you’ll join me for in April!
Hi there. Recently I’ve been exploring the topic of death and dying with more and more curiosity. Though I’d have to say this interest is not new for me, it has been renewed lately thanks in large part to a “Death Cafe” I attended at a local library here in Southern Maine.
If you’ve never been to a “death cafe” before, you may have any number of bizarro images of what they might entail. I found the death cafe experience to be relaxed, sobering, insightful, humorous, and extremely informative. Here in Maine, we are lucky to have Leona Oceania.
According to Leona’s website “Die Well Death Education” the difference between a ‘death cafe’ and ‘death education’ is:
A Death Cafe is a group-guided open conversation about death. (with cake!) There is no agenda, objectives, or themes. A facilitator is present to keep the conversation going (rarely necessary), answer questions, and correct misinformation. It is a discussion group rather than grief support or counseling.
Death education is a topic-driven presentation on end-of-life and/or death-related subjects by a trained individual. Topics may include end-of-life preparation, funeral and body disposition options, legacy work and obituary writing, Medical Aid in Dying (MAID), Voluntary Stopping of Eating and Drinking (VSED), home funerals, etc.
You can consult Leona’s website calendar and catch up with her at any number of events around the state of Maine, as I plan to continue to do! I have a long way to go getting myself more comfortable with the process of dying and what rituals surrounding death resonate with me.
Speaking of rituals, From Here to Eternity by Caitlin Doughty is a fast, dare-I-say-fun read about how different cultures interact with the dead around the world. I highly recommend it!
Where all this talk of death is taking me is actually to… life. Funny how that happens. When you think about writing your own obituary, for example, it’s natural to look back and review your life: the major events, choices, crossroads, challenged, joys, accomplishments, relationships, etc., etc. (Leona offers an obituary writing education session, and the next one is April 6th, just sayin’.)
What emerges from such a review? Gratitude? Wonderment? Satisfaction? Regret? Existential despair? Anxiety? The fleeting nature of time? Desire? Determination?
In my work as a life coach, I meet each individual where they are. Perhaps someone is:
needing support but not knowing where to begin, confused
overwhelmed by recent changes and what they mean
wanting to feel a different way about their ___ (insert topic here: work/relationships/etc.) but not sure how or where to begin
having a goal but unclear about next steps towards it
seeking greater balance between the demands on their time but not sure what balance would even feel like
Every person is unique and yet we have patterned, habitual ways of seeing. Coaching opens up a space in which to explore these habitual ways and call forth new ways of seeing, and new ways of being. As your coach, the key for me is maintaining presence. Being present in a way that is increasingly rare in our “normal” human interactions. I pay attention. I am a dedicated listener who holds your stated intention (or the focus you bring to the coaching session) and your personal well-being at the core of all that I say and do. I ask questions to look at how we look. Together. Our coaching conversation takes us on an exploration of co-arising perspective that yields insights and wisdom from within.
Is there something in your life at present that you’d benefit from getting more curious about?
What stands in the way of you getting closer to that long-held dream of yours?
How might a space in which you are supported and listened to open up possibilities for your own self-awareness around a challenging, seemingly impenetrable topic?
I invite you to be in touch with me. You can schedule a time on my calendar here, submit a form through my website here, or simply send me an email here.
I am here to support you in living the life you feel called to live. I look forward to taking the next steps together.
P.S. Did you know that I am transparent with my coaching fees and pricing structure? Unlike many coaches, I share my prices right on my website here. Not only that, I am open to alternative pricing structures, including payment plans, exchanges and bartering. Be in touch with me and let’s discuss how we can make coaching doable for you at this time. Life is too short.