Befriending Grief ~ Session 1

Personal Grief & Accessing our Unique Grief Guidance

 

 

Welcome to the first Befriending Grief online session. I’m really looking forward to being with you for this time of tending to our grief, together.

 

On this page you will find Instructions and guidance for our session. If you have any questions at all, I’m glad to hear from you. 

 

This session will last three hours, with a 15 minute break in the middle. If you are not familiar with Zoom, please contact me at least 24 hours ahead of the session so I can support you in getting up to speed. I will not be available to help with Zoom questions after that point.

 

Please plan to arrive to the Zoom room 5-10 minutes ahead of time to settle in. I ask you to commit to being in the session for the entire time. It is important to the group experience that we start together and end together; it helps to build a strong container for our exploration. 

 

This workshop is designed to be experiential & interactive, so plan to participate with video and audio on.

 

What to bring to the session

• Your journal or pad of paper, and pen

• An unlit candle, and a lighter or matches. Perhaps you have a candle you can dedicate to this process, and make use of between our sessions

• One or two symbols of the losses you are navigating right now. This could be photos, mementos, artwork ~ something tangible that you can have near you during the session

• Water to drink, and a warm beverage if you wish

• Set up in a quiet, private space with as little distraction & interruption as possible

• Comfortable space nearby for a 20 minute guided meditation. You can sit or lie down, as long as you can hear my voice, and feel relaxed and supported during the meditation.

 

Agreements

For our time together, I am asking us all to align with the following:

• I will be fully present when others are sharing themselves in the group

• I will offer myself and others deep compassion, even if I experience difference or disagreement with another’s sharing

• I will hold what is shared in our sessions with confidentiality; what is said in the group stays in the group

• I will refrain from giving feedback or advice, unless it is requested from me specifically

• I allow others their tears, their anger, and their complexity by offering them my respectful attention and witness.

 

 

What I’ve found is that once someone registers for a workshop such as this, the workshop experience starts for them. So if you are feeling anxious about attending, wondering if you are up to it, constructing ways to cancel… know that this is all really common and very natural. If this is happening for you, see it as an opportunity to notice & name what is coming up for you, offer yourself gentleness and compassion, and invite yourself to stay in. Our grieving selves are being asked to reveal themselves, and it is an act of courage & trust to step further into these waters. Reach out to me if you would like support in navigating this part of the workshop experience.

 

Going Deeper

If you are interested in having more resources for your Grief Literacy journey, here are some additional resources. These are not required to attend the workshop, but I have found them to be invaluable in my own grief walk.

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Books

The Wild Edge of Sorrow by Francis Weller

The Smell of Rain on Dust by Martín Prectel

 

Much of the work we are doing in these sessions is based on the work of Francis Weller. There is a great deal of content from Francis online if you wish to know more. This short video gives you a brief introduction to his work. 

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