Embracing Grief: An Ongoing Exploration

~ Why Grief? ~

We all carry grief, whether we’re aware of it or not, whether we’re in relationship with it or not.

Grief is natural. It’s an essential mirror to the mystery of existence, which reliably delivers a rich selection of troubles from cradle to grave. Grief has many roots - knowing we will lose all that we love, our unloved selves, the sorrows of the world, what we expected and did not receive, the wounds of our ancestors; and many faces - anguish, despair, rage, shame, hopelessness, numbness.

So what are we to do with this grief? The modern paradigm is one of quiet domination - keep calm and carry on as we bury our grief under the psychic weight of taboo and judgement. 

Yet there are consequences to being disconnected from our grief…

Our habit of causing harm to ourselves and others, intentionally and unintentionally, emotionally and physically, relates to our tendency to suppress, avoid and deny our grief. In contrast, a natural flow of grief, when expressed and witnessed, can instead support us in opening up to life, and deepening our connection with both the human and non-human world.

For this reason, cultures across the globe see the work of regularly tending to one’s own grief as a social responsibility, an expression of community as well as the personal.

~ OK, so what is this offering? ~

Embracing Grief: An Ongoing Exploration, is a series of monthly online grief-tending workshops, limited to 12 attendees.  Each workshop is a standalone session and there is no obligation to come to more than one. However, there is also an opportunity, through attending regularly, to cultivate and nurture an ongoing relationship with your grief, as a journey in both personal and interpersonal healing. 

In these sessions, we provide a space to be witnessed in our grief and bear witness to the grief of others and feel the depth of the support and union that often accompanies this shared expression. We do not set out to ‘fix’ our grief or its roots. Instead, we use recognised approaches to tend to and honour our grief exactly as it is, drawing on the practices, rituals and teachings of elders including Sophy Banks, Jeremy Thres, Sobonfu Some, Malidoma Some, Joanna Macy, Francis Weller, Martin Prechtel, and others.

The sessions are held on Zoom, however, how much you visually engage with the screen is somewhat optional. It is essential to prepare a quiet and private space where you won’t be interrupted.

~ Is this for me? ~

All sources of grief are welcome, none prioritised and none excluded. Some of you might find your grief right there on the surface, ready to be expressed, while others may take the time to connect with grief that feels stuck and difficult to access.

The workshop may not be suitable for those with severe depression or mental health problems, or those feeling particularly fragile, alone or unsupported. We're available to discuss this with you if you are unsure whether this workshop is right for you at the moment, so please don’t hesitate to contact either Sarah (welcome@loveandloss.co.uk) or Bilal (bilal@tough-cookie.co.uk).

 ABOUT YOUR FACILITATORS

Bilal Nasim (www.bilalnasim.com) is a facilitator, trainer and artist exploring what it means to be alive and our relationship with death. Having apprenticed to grief under the tutelage of Sophy Banks and Jeremy Thres, he has been holding grief-spaces since 2018. Bilal hosts workshops on confronting death, Death Cafe's, is training as a death doula with Reg Tend End Of Life Doulas, and is a personal resilience trainer with Tough Cookie (www.tough-cookie.co.uk).

Sarah Pletts is an artist with a deep curiosity about mortality. Inspired by the uncertainty of our times, she is drawn to ‘Apprentice to Grief’, following in the work of Francis Weller, Joanna Macy, Sophy Banks, Jeremy Thres and others. She brings creativity and her exploration of the body to the practice of grief tending. She lives in London with partners and chosen family. She loves to walk the dog, dance wildly and eat virtuous chocolate (www.loveandloss.co.uk).

Tony Pletts founded his art direction and construction company Einstein’s Octopus in 1987, a flexible business that's allowed him to pursue other creative paths. Tony’s made radio programmes for BBC Radio 4 (his North Korean mini series was nominated for a SONY) and has just finished his first book, Love To The Power Of Three. A rich and varied life has frequently exposed Tony to the teachings of grief and he started facilitating workshops with Sarah in 2019.

FEEDBACK 

"It was such a heart soothing and soul-enriching experience to participate in the space you created. I felt so utterly welcomed, free to bring whatever was alive in me, and never pressured to be anywhere I wasn't. I had moments of feeling a huge resistance in myself, and was allowed to dance with that and invite what was hiding underneath. The threads that you wove to create our container felt so gently, lovingly and intentionally woven, held with both sincerity and lightness." - Anon

“Thanks so much for creating a space of support and love. I felt safe at all times and the suggestions to move off screen or turn off the camera meant that I felt I wasn’t stuck to a box on screen. All the facilitators held space for each person and guided it when needed.” - Liselott

EVENT DETAILS
 
This event requires a free zoom account which you can set up here: https://zoom.us 
Instructions on how to join will be included in your confirmation email.  

TICKET PRICES: 

£10 Low Income (3 spaces available)
£40 Regular
£60 Abundant/Supporter

Once you have purchased a ticket, you will receive a booking form which must be completed - NOTE: without a completed booking form you will not receive joining instructions for the session, including the Zoom link, and will therefore not be able to attend. 

There will be a maximum of 12 available places per session, including the facilitators. 3 of these places will be available at the Low Income rate, for those who are either unemployed, have insufficient/unstable income or are clearly unable to afford the Regular price. The Abundance/Supporter price part-subsidises those paying the Low Income price. 

We also welcome those willing and able to pay for someone else’s place at the Regular price. Please let us know if this is something you’d like to offer.

EVENT TIMES: 6pm-10pm London, UK (GMT) 
ZOOM ROOM OPENS: 5:45pm   
NO ENTRY AFTER:  6.15pm  

ENQUIRIES: Bilal - bilal@tough-cookie.co.uk

Attendance requires a working internet connection, and a Zoom account (you can download for free). If you have any access requirements please get in touch.  If you haven’t used Zoom before, please join 15 minutes early to download the free software and check your connection.

This workshop is fully inclusive to everyone regardless of age (18+), ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religious beliefs and otherwise.

REFUNDS POLICY: Please note, we do not arrange refunds or exchanges. When possible we encourage reselling on Ticketswap.

ACCESS:  We do our best to include everyone in our events, regardless of health circumstances. If you have access requirements please email the event organiser directly to discuss. Many facilitators are able to offer reduced ticket prices for those truly unable to afford the ticket price. If this applies to you, do please get in touch with the event organiser.

For PSYCHEDELIC KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES please check out the Psychedelic Society website. 

Our facilitators have agreed to our code of conduct. Learn about our procedure for raising concerns

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