I think the death cafes are a great idea. I kind of see a similarity between death cafes and grieving gatherings or even counseling (or even similar to this class). One of the most important things to do when experiencing a loss is to talk about it and to celebrate the life of the deceased. It is important to talk about death, how it can occur (old age, freak accidents, etc). Learning about death in this course is similar to what I think of a death cafe. It is an organized way to talk about the definition of death, different backgrounds/beliefs of death, etc. To begin a death cafe, I would have each person describe their definition of death or any experience with death just as we did to begin this class. From there we would share our thoughts and beliefs in a deeper way. Any one could ask questions about death or even life which would lead to a discussion. I would hope the people within the death cafe get together more than once a month, maybe once a week. It really does help to talk about experiences with death or illnesses. I personally find comfort in talking with others about experiences, especially if they relate.
I'd personally would find a lot of comfort in a death café. I agree with Emily that it's kind of similar to our class, and a gathering to grieve for a loved one. I've only been to a visitation at a funeral home, and in one room would be the casket, and in the other room the family members and friends gathered to have drinks and talk about the memories of the one who has passed. I think it's a great opportunity to people to vent their questions, fears, and beliefs of death in a setting where they are comfortable and hear the stories of others. I would have it a room at the school or a common area with refreshments, and have table discussions with questions already set on the tables, probably questions similar to the ones we asked in class!
To do a death café I think the participants should really want or need to talk about death experiences in their life. And not just death experiences but people who have apprehensions about death or people who want to discuss the things we do in class (PAS, afterlife, meaning of death etc). I would do the death café with one-on-one interactions. This makes it more personal because there is someone to look at and someone to listen and connect with. When talking to the whole group there are people not paying attention or that don't really care what you have to say and it has a more disconnected feel. A one-on-one environment makes it more personal and I believe it helps to promote a more fluid discussion and is easier to give advice that way. We share experiences and views on death to the class already; the one-on-one interaction makes the death café different from regular class. This also means there can be many different conversations and discussions. One small group can be having a lighter conversation about advance directs while somebody else is sharing an emotional personal story to another that is helping by listening intently and showing sympathy. Everyone wants something different out of the death café, one person may want to learn about others view of death and afterlife, another might want to share their personal stories of death, some may want to help others. To facilitate this I think it's better done in a one-on-one environment If we were taking the grade for the death café I would say there would be a follow-up short paper about what you talked about, something you learned, and thoughts you had during the death café. If we were to do this there such be emphasis on getting something out of the death café instead of it being an assignment.
I think if we were to organize a death cafe, we should have the class meet probably in the student center. From there, we would serve coffee, sodas, cookies, just the usual. Someone would need to be the spokesperson though. The person who gets everyone started. So lets say that I am the spokesperson. I would stand up once everyone was seated and ready to listen and tell everyone that this is a free space. You are able to talk about any fears of death, any deaths within your family and friends, and any questions you may raise about death. Then, I would probably go first just to get the pot rolling. Once that happens, hopefully other people would join in and we would get a long and insightful discussion going.
I agree with Morgan. This would be a great idea. I think that a spokesperson to start everything off would work really well and let people get warmed up to talking about what they came to say or ask the group.
I agree with Morgan and Hilda. Having a spokesperson is a great idea. The spokesperson would have to be someone who is energetic and makes everyone feel confortable. Having the spokesperson would also help the other people in the group warm up to everyone else as well. They would be the one to get the ball rolling and get everyone associated with one another and hopefully allow them to open up to the group.
I also like this idea. I know a death cafe may be more aimed at one-on-one interactions, but I would feel more comfortable with a group experience. I would feel way too nervous in the one-on-one interactions if I were the one who was to be consoling and informing someone who wanted to talk about death. I would not know what the right things to say would be, if I was really helping them, etc. I feel that in a group there would be at least one other person, if not more, that could relate to the situation a person is talking about when they are sharing. The people who can relate can offer their advice and consoling that would be better than some who can't relate as well. In this way each person would receive the best possible help and advice available than they would if it were just one-on-one conversations (because the person they are talking with may not be able to relate to their situation as well).
After reading the article about the death cafe and how they are popping up all over the world, I think it is a good idea. I agree with Emily C. and Emilee B. with their views on the death cafe. I like Emily C.'s perspective because we all need that sort of environment to talk to others about death. We're humans, not emotionless robots. It may take some of us a little bit longer than others to really come out of our shell and talk about death because it may still be too painful. I also like the idea of maybe doing something along the lines of a blog, like we do here. That way those who don't feel comfortable talking in front of people because of being afraid to not be able to talk about whatever their experience may be and staying composed, it may be easier to type it out and read it before they post it. It would be a way of being active or taking the first small steps into learning more about death.
I think that if I were to run a death cafe, I would want it to be in a class kind of like ours and have the opportunity for a group talk and have the ability to meet one on one for the same reasons that Emilee B. mentioned in her post. I think group and individual discussion can really be beneficial. Yeah, the idea is kind of weird, sitting around and talking about death, but it is something that we are all going to encounter eventually. No one can be immortal, as much as we would like to be.
I agree with Morgan on this one. I was thinking about the situation and to make it more comfortable we could have different activities set up like a dog petting station or video games because those are two things I am comfortable with while talking about a serious topic like this one. I don't know..just an idea
I do think the death café idea is very interesting, however, I am not sure if I would be comfortable talking about those topics with other people, especially people I do not know very well. I have not had many experiences with death yet in my life, therefore I would not feel comfortable trying to help people work through things or even giving them some sort of “advice”. I find those situations a little awkward and I would not know the right things to say. Everyone is different and what might not be offensive to some people could be very offensive to others. Thus I would be afraid of saying the wrong thing.
I think that the spokesperson idea would be a must, like Morgan said, "to get the ball rolling." But I think that instead of discussing as a whole group, let it break into smaller groups and maybe each person from our class help lead and guide discussions and bring things that we learned from class into the discussion. We could have vague forums set up in areas of the room that people can go to like, "I had a _____ that died..." where they would talk about experiences with death, or a "what happens when I die?" forum.. Just some ideas.
I think it is vital to have a spokesperson present, preferably a trained professional. I think if it is just a random large group getting together it could be hard to get things going. I think working or breaking off in smaller groups or bringing family is a good idea. Death cafes kind of relate back to acknowledging one's own mortality. I think it is important to recognize death and to be able to discuss it, but I thought it was a little odd that in the article that the women brought a 7 year old son to the talk. I think it might be better to relay the message to him at home instead possibly.
As everyone before said, the most important aspect to this situation would be making sure every participant is comfortable in the environment. This is a sensitive subject. (I think a "dog petting" station could wind up being a little distracting, however.) I think it's important to be aesthetically comfortable. I know that I am personally more inclined and compelled to be inviting when I am physically comfortable. Therefore armchairs, pillows, maybe a rug to sit on the floor?? Candles, soothing music, coffee, tea and cookies. Dim lighting. Overall, we should just create a comforting, soothing atmosphere where everyone can feel more compelled and stimulated to open up to a complete stranger. That's another aspect about this idea that I like a lot--opening up to a stranger. I might feel more comfortable sharing with someone I don't personally know, as opposed to a friend, or someone that I know well. There's something to be said for anonymity these days.
I think death cafes would be very interesting because you would be able to put your opinions out there and have strangers tell you theirs, then you could discuss why each thinks certain ways about it. Death is something everyone is going to experience, and everyone looks at it differently based on religions, traditions, personal beliefs, etc. I think that a death cafe would be beneficial to your own thoughts on death because you could learn about what other people think and build off of that. I would attend one if I had the opportunity.
I think the death cafes are a great idea. I kind of see a similarity between death cafes and grieving gatherings or even counseling (or even similar to this class). One of the most important things to do when experiencing a loss is to talk about it and to celebrate the life of the deceased. It is important to talk about death, how it can occur (old age, freak accidents, etc). Learning about death in this course is similar to what I think of a death cafe. It is an organized way to talk about the definition of death, different backgrounds/beliefs of death, etc. To begin a death cafe, I would have each person describe their definition of death or any experience with death just as we did to begin this class. From there we would share our thoughts and beliefs in a deeper way. Any one could ask questions about death or even life which would lead to a discussion. I would hope the people within the death cafe get together more than once a month, maybe once a week. It really does help to talk about experiences with death or illnesses. I personally find comfort in talking with others about experiences, especially if they relate.
ReplyDeleteI'd personally would find a lot of comfort in a death café. I agree with Emily that it's kind of similar to our class, and a gathering to grieve for a loved one. I've only been to a visitation at a funeral home, and in one room would be the casket, and in the other room the family members and friends gathered to have drinks and talk about the memories of the one who has passed. I think it's a great opportunity to people to vent their questions, fears, and beliefs of death in a setting where they are comfortable and hear the stories of others. I would have it a room at the school or a common area with refreshments, and have table discussions with questions already set on the tables, probably questions similar to the ones we asked in class!
ReplyDeleteTo do a death café I think the participants should really want or need to talk about death experiences in their life. And not just death experiences but people who have apprehensions about death or people who want to discuss the things we do in class (PAS, afterlife, meaning of death etc).
ReplyDeleteI would do the death café with one-on-one interactions. This makes it more personal because there is someone to look at and someone to listen and connect with. When talking to the whole group there are people not paying attention or that don't really care what you have to say and it has a more disconnected feel. A one-on-one environment makes it more personal and I believe it helps to promote a more fluid discussion and is easier to give advice that way. We share experiences and views on death to the class already; the one-on-one interaction makes the death café different from regular class. This also means there can be many different conversations and discussions. One small group can be having a lighter conversation about advance directs while somebody else is sharing an emotional personal story to another that is helping by listening intently and showing sympathy. Everyone wants something different out of the death café, one person may want to learn about others view of death and afterlife, another might want to share their personal stories of death, some may want to help others. To facilitate this I think it's better done in a one-on-one environment
If we were taking the grade for the death café I would say there would be a follow-up short paper about what you talked about, something you learned, and thoughts you had during the death café. If we were to do this there such be emphasis on getting something out of the death café instead of it being an assignment.
I think if we were to organize a death cafe, we should have the class meet probably in the student center. From there, we would serve coffee, sodas, cookies, just the usual. Someone would need to be the spokesperson though. The person who gets everyone started. So lets say that I am the spokesperson. I would stand up once everyone was seated and ready to listen and tell everyone that this is a free space. You are able to talk about any fears of death, any deaths within your family and friends, and any questions you may raise about death. Then, I would probably go first just to get the pot rolling. Once that happens, hopefully other people would join in and we would get a long and insightful discussion going.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Morgan. This would be a great idea. I think that a spokesperson to start everything off would work really well and let people get warmed up to talking about what they came to say or ask the group.
DeleteI agree with Morgan and Hilda. Having a spokesperson is a great idea. The spokesperson would have to be someone who is energetic and makes everyone feel confortable. Having the spokesperson would also help the other people in the group warm up to everyone else as well. They would be the one to get the ball rolling and get everyone associated with one another and hopefully allow them to open up to the group.
DeleteI also like this idea. I know a death cafe may be more aimed at one-on-one interactions, but I would feel more comfortable with a group experience. I would feel way too nervous in the one-on-one interactions if I were the one who was to be consoling and informing someone who wanted to talk about death. I would not know what the right things to say would be, if I was really helping them, etc. I feel that in a group there would be at least one other person, if not more, that could relate to the situation a person is talking about when they are sharing. The people who can relate can offer their advice and consoling that would be better than some who can't relate as well. In this way each person would receive the best possible help and advice available than they would if it were just one-on-one conversations (because the person they are talking with may not be able to relate to their situation as well).
DeleteAfter reading the article about the death cafe and how they are popping up all over the world, I think it is a good idea. I agree with Emily C. and Emilee B. with their views on the death cafe. I like Emily C.'s perspective because we all need that sort of environment to talk to others about death. We're humans, not emotionless robots. It may take some of us a little bit longer than others to really come out of our shell and talk about death because it may still be too painful. I also like the idea of maybe doing something along the lines of a blog, like we do here. That way those who don't feel comfortable talking in front of people because of being afraid to not be able to talk about whatever their experience may be and staying composed, it may be easier to type it out and read it before they post it. It would be a way of being active or taking the first small steps into learning more about death.
ReplyDeleteI think that if I were to run a death cafe, I would want it to be in a class kind of like ours and have the opportunity for a group talk and have the ability to meet one on one for the same reasons that Emilee B. mentioned in her post. I think group and individual discussion can really be beneficial. Yeah, the idea is kind of weird, sitting around and talking about death, but it is something that we are all going to encounter eventually. No one can be immortal, as much as we would like to be.
I agree with Morgan on this one. I was thinking about the situation and to make it more comfortable we could have different activities set up like a dog petting station or video games because those are two things I am comfortable with while talking about a serious topic like this one. I don't know..just an idea
ReplyDeleteI do think the death café idea is very interesting, however, I am not sure if I would be comfortable talking about those topics with other people, especially people I do not know very well. I have not had many experiences with death yet in my life, therefore I would not feel comfortable trying to help people work through things or even giving them some sort of “advice”. I find those situations a little awkward and I would not know the right things to say. Everyone is different and what might not be offensive to some people could be very offensive to others. Thus I would be afraid of saying the wrong thing.
ReplyDeleteI think that the spokesperson idea would be a must, like Morgan said, "to get the ball rolling." But I think that instead of discussing as a whole group, let it break into smaller groups and maybe each person from our class help lead and guide discussions and bring things that we learned from class into the discussion. We could have vague forums set up in areas of the room that people can go to like, "I had a _____ that died..." where they would talk about experiences with death, or a "what happens when I die?" forum.. Just some ideas.
ReplyDeleteI think it is vital to have a spokesperson present, preferably a trained professional. I think if it is just a random large group getting together it could be hard to get things going. I think working or breaking off in smaller groups or bringing family is a good idea. Death cafes kind of relate back to acknowledging one's own mortality. I think it is important to recognize death and to be able to discuss it, but I thought it was a little odd that in the article that the women brought a 7 year old son to the talk. I think it might be better to relay the message to him at home instead possibly.
ReplyDeleteAs everyone before said, the most important aspect to this situation would be making sure every participant is comfortable in the environment. This is a sensitive subject.
ReplyDelete(I think a "dog petting" station could wind up being a little distracting, however.)
I think it's important to be aesthetically comfortable. I know that I am personally more inclined and compelled to be inviting when I am physically comfortable. Therefore armchairs, pillows, maybe a rug to sit on the floor?? Candles, soothing music, coffee, tea and cookies. Dim lighting. Overall, we should just create a comforting, soothing atmosphere where everyone can feel more compelled and stimulated to open up to a complete stranger.
That's another aspect about this idea that I like a lot--opening up to a stranger. I might feel more comfortable sharing with someone I don't personally know, as opposed to a friend, or someone that I know well. There's something to be said for anonymity these days.
I think death cafes would be very interesting because you would be able to put your opinions out there and have strangers tell you theirs, then you could discuss why each thinks certain ways about it. Death is something everyone is going to experience, and everyone looks at it differently based on religions, traditions, personal beliefs, etc. I think that a death cafe would be beneficial to your own thoughts on death because you could learn about what other people think and build off of that. I would attend one if I had the opportunity.
ReplyDelete