Grief Honoring Ceremony

Many have endured vast devastations and profound loss on a scale that is hard to process. And yet we must begin to digest and integrate it all. This Friday marks exactly 1 month since Hurricane Helene hit Appalachia and the Southeastern US. If we don’t find ways to slow down, be with all that has taken place, and recharge, we delay and possibly compromise our ability to recover. Let us begin by honoring our grief and loss together.

By befriending our grief we begin to walk a trail leading back to our vitality… remembering who we are, where we belong, and what is sacred. As we know, even if we forget, tending to our grief enables us to face what is taking place in our lives, our communities, our ecologies, families, and culture. 

Regardless of how much or little, directly or indirectly, you have been impacted by Helene or other recent catastrophic weather events, we invite you to join us to gather in a sacred way for a ceremony honoring our grief. This ceremonial space is open to anyone who is feeling the weight of the devastation. All faiths and belief systems are welcome; everyone’s heart and experience will be held with love and compassion. Expect guided ritual practice and the space to be held with compassionate presence to all that is. 

By acknowledging the layers of loss collectively — loss of life, livelihood, home, community, loved ones, and the health of Mother Earth — we increase our capacity to respond, to protect, and to restore what has been damaged. This will be a space where you can share what’s on your heart, your griefs, your stories, your prayers, your songs, your blessings, your presence, and/or your love and care. 

May being together in this ceremonial space offer nourishment for our souls, support our commitments to staying connected to the source of life, and foster a greater sense of shared and collective resilience.

Registration is required to maintain the safety of the Zoom container.

This ceremony is offered by donation. Donations are welcome and not required. All donations will go towards those who lost homes in Swannanoa, one of the areas most heavily damaged by the hurricane.