Grief Composting Circle

The grief composting circles have been a truly wonderful experience for me. Sharing personal grief, being witnessed and seeing how it relates to others and the collective, has opened my heart and allowed healing to happen. I feel a sense of deep connection and community arise from the circles and I am truly grateful for the skillful, courageous and creative way Azul has brought forth this work. I believe that every community would really benefit from having a space like this.

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When I came into the room, I felt an energy that made me very emotional. Going along the 5 tents of grief, I could feel the grief inside me - the grief, but also the longing to transform it into something more than that. In our society we usually do not have the time to reflect on our losses and it was beautiful to see that Azul created a space for all the neglected grief that is part of our life. Standing still in and immersing yourself into the unpleasant sides of life is a powerful source of transformation - I would like to see that society realised the importance of grief and moves away from stigmatising it. Thank you.

When I first heard Sobonfu Some speak of the Dagara people hodling a weekly Grief ritual for the well being and health of her people, therefore all beings, a deep time memory was activated again.  Eventhough I am not african or held by a lineage of awake indigenous people behind and around me I was deeply inspired to bring this Way in Devon where I now live. In Oct 2015 I held the first Circle in our village Hall inside an indoor Black Yurt that holds total darkness ....15 months later we have sat, sobbed and shared our love for our world.  The Black yurt is a strong container for our grief to be released, an incubator for love and what I call a Sacred compost heap transforming our sorrow and pain into fertile soil and revived soul.  We mature a little , we open our heart a little more and we rememeber that we belong to a wide web of connections and relationships with the non human world.  Our shame starves a little while our self compassion grows. 
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2017 is our second year holding monthly Grief Composting Circles.  This year I will offer opportunities to train to become Grief Composting Circle Holders.  A weekend informed by my findings and practicies, Joanna Macy, Sobonfu Some and Francis Weller's work on the sacred work of collective grieving. We will also learn the importance of eARTh and the Way of Council. I have just completed my Masters at Schumacher College called the eARTh of Collective Grief as if Life and Death Mattered.

Below are the next 3 dates to come and experience being held in your grief with others.  Grief was never meant to be felt alone! Our skills can be remembered.

Stay in touch here or on our Facebook group for updates of what is emerging in this important body of work.  In love and grief <3