Death Cafe is a co-generational gathering that aims to create
a comfortable and open space for people to gather and discuss topics related to death, dying, and mortality, and all that it is to be human, navigating the most profound transition of our lives. A Death Cafe offers a space and place for people to be supported, comforted, respected, honored, and most importantly, connected. It provides a platform for individuals to share their thoughts, fears, and experiences surrounding death and dying in a supportive, non-judgmental, and safe environment. Adhering to Death Cafe’s mission, participation is free, although contributions to the Collective are accepted.

Marne Lucas Bardo Project: Oregon
Portland Arts Collective, Portland, Oregon

Around the time of my accident I met Marne Lucas. a multidisciplinary artist, end of life doula and as it turns out my kindred spirit. I participated in Marne Lucas's Bardo Project: Oregon, guiding audience members through a 40-minute death meditation.

Called the Maranasati Sutra, or the Nine Contemplations of Death. It originates from Atisha, an 11th-century Tibetan Buddhist scholar. Over the centuries, countless teachers and practitioners have contributed to this practice. My adaptation is primarily inspired by the works of Roshi Joan Halifax and Alua Arthur.

This exercise provides an opportunity to contemplate the inevitability of death and reflect on what it evokes in each of us individually. Exploring what emotions or feelings are most important, and which ones do you need to let go of to have a calm, peaceful transition. This is a practice one can come back to again and again, like yoga, each time sinking into the areas where one hits resistance.