Making Sense of Life & Death
Death is the one thing in life we’re most certain of, yet most people would do anything to avoid talking or even thinking about it. For most of us, it takes death itself—whether recent or impending—to prompt us to bravely consider the reality of our mortality.
People in their dying days often speak of experiencing enormous growth and transformation. Dying can be a time of truth seeking and risk taking. Many have observed that in the face of death, people tend to focus on what gives (or has given) their life meaning.
Perhaps you’ve experienced something similar around a health crisis or the death of someone you knew. The truth is, you don’t need to wait until someone dies or you’re faced with a life-threatening or life-limiting illness to experience these benefits.
Your mortality is an opportunity in disguise.
Many of us know the benefits of preparing for our one-day, some-day death. But sometimes it’s hard to get started. All this planning-ahead business feels overwhelming and fragmented. Or perhaps some basic planning pieces are in place but it feels like who you are isn’t showing up in your planning documents.
Making sense of life and death before making practical arrangements helps ensure that your end-of-life planning reflects your values and priorities. Whether you have days or decades left to live, we believe that thinking about and preparing for your death will inspire you to live your best life now.
Workbook
7 Tools for Making Sense of Life & Death: A workbook to explore the reality of your mortality
This 52-page, print or fillable digital workbook pulls together our favourite and most effective self-reflection exercises from the workshops and coaching we’ve done. It will help you base your planning on your values and priorities and lay the groundwork for you to be as prepared as possible for the inevitable. Whether you have days or decades left to live, thinking about and preparing for your someday, one-day death will inspire you to live your best life now.
Online Program
This self-guided program will help you base your planning on your values and priorities and lay the groundwork for you to be as prepared as is possible for the inevitable. Focused around the digital, fillable workbook, the program, pulls together our favourite and most effective self-reflection exercises from the workshops and coaching we’ve done for the past few years. This program offers additional tools including:
- nine videos with Reena and Michelle walking you through the workbook exercises and accompanying you with examples, stories and additional tips and resources,
- a community forum, and
- seven bonus items that provide additional inspiration and clarity.
Free Admission
Reality of Our Mortality Learning Circles
June 24, Sept 23, Oct 21, Nov 25
6:30pm – 8:30pm
Celebration Hall, Mountain View Cemetery
5455 Fraser St, Vancouver, BC
FREE, compliments of Mountain View Cemetery
To register, please follow the links below.
*Topics are subject to change and all changes will be posted here.
June 24 ~ The Language of Death: exploring how language matters ~ Register
Sept 23 ~ Dreams of the Dead: exploring grief, memory and place ~ Register
Oct 21 ~ Community Deathcaring: How to build, nourish and heal communities ~ Register
These gatherings are a safe, open-hearted place to explore, in community, the reality of our shared mortality with a different focus each time. Thanks to the generous support of the City of Vancouver’s Mountain View Cemetery, these events are free to the public. All are welcome.
Having difficulty with registering? Email us here.
Interested in producing a Making Sense of Life & Death event for your community?
Hire us for custom, experiential learning for your workplace, clients, community outreach, conferences or retreat events. If you can imagine it – an hour, a day, a weekend – we can make it work!
Learn more about our areas of personal discovery and planning
