Grief Medicine

community Meditation & grief ritual

october 21 - 22, 2023

“The work of the mature person is to carry grief in one hand and gratitude in the other and to be stretched large by them. How much sorrow can I hold? That’s how much gratitude I can give…Grief keeps the heart fluid and soft, which helps make compassion possible. ” -Francis Weller

In traditional cultures or in older times, tending to the collective grief and joy were woven into the fabric of society and life, so individuals could be held and supported by the community or the "village", as they sang their songs of sorrow and celebration. In modern times we must be more intentional, more purposeful in coming together as a community to engage in the ritual practice of grieving, letting go, celebrating and weaving our communities back to wholeness. Whether you are grieving personal, social, cultural or environmental losses, or are feeling the tender ache of being human in these unprecedented times, this is a place for your to bring your sorrow and to be collectively held in your grieving. In this 1.5 day meditation and community ritual we will explore our grief and celebration through poetry, meditation, song, music, dance, somatic practices, nature connection, group sharing and other traditional practices that support the expression of grief, anger, disconnection, sadness, rage, uncertainty, confusion, despair, or frustration so that we can open to magic, wonder, joy, gratitude, gladness and love.

“Grief keeps the heart fluid and soft, which helps makes compassion possible.” ~

Francis Weller

Themes we will explore in this community grief ritual:

  • Personal losses

  • Community or social losses

  • Loss of loved ones

  • Upheaval in our times

  • The loss of health issues and illness

  • Environmental losses

  • Being present for our own and others sorrows

  • The holiness of grief and loss

  • The difference between grieving ad dwelling

  • Francis Weller’s Five Gates of Grief

  • How to keep our hearts open in the face of sorrow

  • Celebration and gratitude for what we have loved

Event Explorations & Practices

  • Dance and movement

  • Music, drumming, song

  • Prayer and meditation

  • Nature connection

  • Sharing and connection with others

  • Writing and poetry

  • Somatic Practices

  • Wailing Ritual

  • Community Potluck

Event Logistics

  • June 24-25

  • Saturday at 10am to 8pm, Sunday at 10am to 1pm

  • Heart Song Transformative Arts Center, Bellingham WA

  • Potluck lunch & dinner

  • Sliding Scale $150-275

  • Volunteer/exchange opportunities, please inquire for more info.

ITEMS TO BRING WITH YOU:

  • Drums and other musical instruments
  • potluck Lunch and dinner to share
  • Altar items
  • Blankets, mats, cushions, backjacks for comfort sitting on the floor
  • A journal
  • A picture of yourself and/or your ancestors
  • Art supplies if you wish
  • Comfortable clothes for indoor and outdoor time
  • A stufFED ANIMAL or comfort item.

“When we do not allow ourselves to release our emotions we allow ourselves to harbor negative emotions…When we cry we are actually inviting life back into our bodies and into our spirits.” ~

Sobonfu some

Meet your facilitators…

Nichole Proffitt

NICHOLE is a SOMATIC EXPERIENCING PRACTITIONER, CERTIFIED MINDFULNESS FACILITATOR, DANCE/MOVEMENT TEACHER and WORKS WITH WOMEN OFFERING MINDFULNESS BASED AND TRAUMA INFORMED SOMATIC COUNSELING AND COACHING, and HAS BEEN FACILITATING WOMEN’S GROUPS FOR OVER 20 YEARS. NICHOLE HAS BEEN STUDYING MEDITATION SINCE HER EARLY 20’S (OVER 20 YEARS) AND TEACHING MINDFULNESS FOR over A DECADE. SHE HAS TRAVELED THE WORLD STUDYING MEDITATION IN VARIOUS TRADITIONS, AND HAS BEEN A STUDENT OF DIFFERENT EARTH BASED WISDOM TRADITIONS THROUGHOUT HER ADULTHOOD. SHE IS AN AVID CAMPER, BACKPACKER, DANCER, AND LOVER OF ALL THINGS WILD AND FREE. 
Having navigated her own experiences of grief and loss, injury and illness, and the general joys and sorrows of being human, ultimately leading her to a more rich and engaged experience of life, Nichole is inspired to support others on their paths toward healing and awakening, and draws from the wisdom of many teachers and mentors who have supported her on her own journey.  
In her practice as a student and teacher, she is inspired to ask deeper questions and always, at all costs, be open to deeper answers.

Cat Enright

For over 30 Years CAT has explored yoga as a path to healing and wholeness. She was inspired to become a Yoga Therapist because of Her own experience in psychotherapy and physical therapy, SHe could see there were connections not being addressed by either separately, and that SHE could achieve in a one-on-one setting. To that end, Cat became a Certified Yoga Therapist with over 800 hours of training through the International Association of Yoga Therapy, and she continue to enrich her practice with ongoing trainings. As a Yoga Therapist, She really listens and reflect back to her clients. her intention is to teach her clients to view themselves authentically, with compassion, patience, more open-heartedness and less judgment. her calling is to guide clients to hear their own inner wisdom and feel true confidence, empowerment, and ultimately find “their place in the family of things.”