Sacred Seasons

Session Times: Wednesdays, April 29 – June 2; 10:30 am -12pm

The journey to and beyond death is one we all make.

In this group, we’ll create space for honest and practical conversations about death and end-of-life planning.  Our companions will be each other, and resources from Aging with Dignity’s “Five Wishes” program and Rev. Karen Johnstone’s “Date with Death Club.”

Registration is not required, but it’s very helpful for our planning! 

Aging: Better than the Alternative

In this life, there’s no escaping aging or declining health. It is part of the mortaldance. In our youth-oriented society, one must be intentional to feel good about aging or about health challenges. We’ll use this session to explore what it means to come face to face with the two realities of aging and getting sick, lessening fear by facing it.

Dying, Death, & Poetry

Reflecting upon dying and death can sound morbid, but really it can connect us with what is truly meaningful in our lives, as well as with beauty in the world and gratitude in our hearts. This session will use easy-to-understand poetry to help us find our own way of understanding our mortality.

Getting Comfortable with Death Talk

Death has become hidden, making it harder for us to come to terms with the reality of it. It hasn’t always been this way. The modern death-positive movement creates ways for those who want the chance to talk openly about mortality. We’ll explore how the Date with Death Club provides a chance to grow our comfort and knowledge about this topic.

Hospice, Palliative Care, & End-of-Life Documents, Oh My!

More and more people are using hospice at the end of life and doing so sooner, which can be helpful to them and their loved ones. Yet, most people who want to die at home end up dying in a facility. In this session, we’ll hear from an expert on hospice and explore end-of-life documents like advance directives.

Owning Your Dying

Death as a general concept is one thing; our own death is a whole other thing. In this session, we’ll talk about possible ways to face our own death with intention, exploring the process of holding deathbed vigils, as well as home funerals. We’ll talk about the role of End-of-Life support people and other community supports for reclaiming this aspect of our lives.

Planning Your Own Memorial Service

You can leave it for those who survive you. Or you can spend some time now planning your memorial service, leaving helpful information for your loved ones when the time comes. We’ll also use a specially developed worksheet that you can take home.