Rochester Death Cafe
Details
Arrival: Park in front of the building. Upon entering, use elevator in reception area to reach the second floor media room.
Time: Room reserved for period from 5:30-7:45, with 6:00 start time. If this poses a problem for anyone coming from work, feel free to arrive whenever you can get there.
Registration: Please sign up if planning to attend.
Refreshments: A dessert and bottled water will be provided.
Suggestion: Make a mental note of issues that surface during the course of everyday life that might interest group participants. Introduce them to spark discussions.
DESCRIPTION:
A concept implemented in England in 2011 that has become popular in the U.S. and around the world. As a non-profit initiative, its international presence is perpetually being augmented through increasing numbers of new groups. Jon Underwood is the originator who inaugurated the first session, based on the writings of Bernard Crettaz, a sociologist in Switzerland who recognized the importance of talking about death.
Though the name implies a place, it is primarily an experience – an opportunity for individuals to gather as a group for a relaxed discussion about various aspects of death. There is no agenda or instructional menu. Conversations evolve spontaneously according to thoughts and expressions. There are no objectives. This is not a support group for grief counseling or a class for funeral pre-planning. It is simply a chance for a generally closeted topic to be brought out into the open.
WEBSITE:
ARTICLES:
Multiple news media have published stories about this movement, including:
Democrat & Chronicle (http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2014/07/20/death-caf-takes-inevitable/12868393/)
Huffington Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/04/death-cafe-dying-end-of-life_n_2618226.html)
USA Today (http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/04/07/health-spirituality-dying-death/2046805/)
npr News (http://www.npr.org/2013/03/08/173808940/death-cafes-breathe-life-into-conversations-about-dying)
QUESTIONS:
Mary Ellen: ponderingleaves@gmail.com
Rochester Death Cafe