Speaking of Death

Description: In these meetings we talk openly about our concerns, questions, experiences and resources related to death and dying. When we address this time of completion it can provide a compass for our living, bring comfort to our final stage, and leave a positive dying legacy for those we care about.

Death Café was started in 2010 in London by John Underwood and his mother, Sue Barsky Ried, based on the ideas of Bernard Crettaz.  The objective was to create a respectful environment for people to talk about death over tea and snacks.  In an informal setting we share our experiences and our questions.  It’s not a venue for converting others in our beliefs about death and dying but a place to hear many perspectives and to honor our stories.  Since it’s origination, Death Café’s have spread to over 51 countries and 5400 cafes.  Death Café is considered a social franchise.

Death Café/Speaking of Death will be facilitated by Tess Lorraine, who has been facilitating Death Café Sonoma in Santa Rosa monthly since 2014.  Tess is committed to bringing the topic of death to our communities, as she lives her life by a Buddhist proverb that says, “Keep life as a consultant on one shoulder and death on the other.”   Tess goes on to say, "Increasingly as we age, conversations will happen regarding degenerative and life-threatening diagnoses.  The choices we make will have implications about our own quality of life as well as for those who are close to us.  The cost of denial is that we lose the opportunities for the wisdom, growth, and healing that can occur when we share authentically.  Our death is ultimately our final frontier and our lasting legacy."

 Written by: Tess Lorraine