Grief & Gratitude community ceremony
NOV 15-16
Orcas Island - Coast Salish Land
Gather in community to transform the ache of grief into beauty—through shared song, movement, and deep presence.
When
Where
Facilitated by
Sat, Nov 15 9am - 8pm
Sun, Nov 16 9am - 2pm
Oddfellows Hall, Orcas Island
COAST SALISH LAND
Orcas Grief Tenders Hayley Shannon, Sea Thorpe & Rayel
Space is limited.
It's times like these
when hopelessness can creep up and threaten to close the doors of our hearts.
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It’s times like these when we could shore up our longings and decide it’s safer just to be alone.
It’s times like these when we need community space to honor the full spectrum of being alive more than ever.
There are many reasons
to carry a broken heart today. Whether it’s from losing a loved one, experiencing illness, addiction or separation from ourselves due to the overwhelming life experiences we’ve endured, or from witnessing the destruction of our planet and continued oppression of its people.
If our hearts are hurting, it’s because we care. We are not meant to carry this alone.
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​Studies now prove that when we don’t grieve, we get ill. As Francis Weller says, “grief and love are sisters.” If we love, we can expect that grief will be essential to our staying well.
You are prepared
for these times. Even though most of us have lost our ancestral connection to communal grief work, it lives in our bones. Indigenous peoples from around the world, including the Gaelic people of the Celtic Isles, practiced grieving in community because they understood that it was essential to the wellness of the village.
Our intention for this ceremony is to tend to the grievances we carry, remember that we are not carrying them alone, and restore the natural balance of gratitude for the gift of being alive on this incredible planet.
"Grief and love are sisters, woven together from the beginning. Their kinship reminds us that there is no love that does not contain loss and no loss that is not a reminder of the love we carry for what we once held close."
Francis Weller
The Wild Edge of Sorrow
Who this is for:
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You who longs to reconnect to your aliveness and may be feeling numb or disconnected from your self.
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You who has a heavy heart due to unprocessed grief for any reason that may include: the loss of a loved one, the end of a meaningful relationship, trauma, illness, climate crisis, or collective grief.
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You who wants to lean into the powerful medicine of authenticity in community, even if it's "edgy" or scary.
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You who is curious to experience how ritual, movement and song can support us to process our grief and amplify our gratitude.​
Our practices include...
Council
Movement
Ritual
Song
The shoulders we stand on...
We are grateful to the wisdom keepers and elders who have paved the way for communal grief work including:​​
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Malidoma Patrice Somé & Sobonfu Somé of the Dagara people
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Francis Weller, psychologist and author of The Wild Edge of Sorrow
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Laurence Cole, PNW Grief Tender
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Nala Walla, PNW Grief Tender
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ahlay blakely, PNW Grief Tender​
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And our grieving ancestors such as the Irish & Italian "Keeners" who support us to remember our birthright to grieve together.
What you receive...
Two days of held space, supporting you to let go and drop-in
Healthy, communal meals (lunch and dinner on Saturday, brunch on Sunday)
Guidance to process your grief and gratitude so you can access more aliveness
Integration support during and after the ceremony
Reciprocity:
Please self-select your payment tier based on your personal/family financial access:
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$400 = higher income (5 spots available)
(comfortable meeting basic needs, own or rent higher end housing, have access to expendable income, savings, healthcare)
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$300 = middle income (10 spots available)
(might stress about meeting basic needs but are able to, employed with access to healthcare, have some expendable income, might have access to savings)
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$200 = lower income (10 spots available)
(qualify for government assistance, no access to savings, unstable housing or rent lower end properties)
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Payment plans are available.
We have three partial work-trade position available. Please inquire here.
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You will be invited to add a donation to the Dagara people in Berkino Faso onto your contribution, to support the lineage that sparked the reemergence of communal grief work in these lands.
Meet Us
Ready to join?
Reach out here if you have any questions.