Most of us don’t think about our death very often, but more and more people are recognizing the need to plan for their after-death care — and they’re wondering how to go about it.
Enter local death care advocates Ingrid Ng and Christine Lafazanos, who will walk you through your after-death care options, and help you document your decisions to share with your loved ones.
They have created an informative and relaxed workshop called “Plan Your After-Death Care”. The workshop will be held Sukha Yoga Centre in Guelph (42 Wyndham Street North, Unit 103) on April 23 from 1 to 4pm. The cost is $125 and pre-registration is required.
The workshop will provide you with information about your choices for your end-of-life ceremony, and for the care and disposing of your human remains.
Want to donate your body to science? Sure, the University of Guelph anatomy department might be an option. Yet you’ll need to arrange that before you die.
Are you interested in learning about what your green burial options are locally? You might be surprised to know that cremation is not that eco-friendly, and embalming isn’t so rosy either.
And did you know it’s entirely safe and legal to have a home funeral? Or that you could have an end of life celebration that is a campfire sing-along or a laughter-filled story sharing circle at your favourite cafe?
These are some of the topics and tips that workshop participants will be learning about. As well, making space to reflect on your values, to ask questions, and to document your preferences is another important element of this workshop.
The workshop will not include some of the health, legal and financial aspects of planning for death such as outlining advance care directives, planning wills and appointing power of attorney, or estate planning.
There is a shift happening in the way funerals, memorials, and end-of-life celebrations are done.
We are rewriting the rules, and creating new traditions and rituals that speak to us, serve our needs, bring our community together, and are an appropriate fit for the person who has died.
It’s possible to create ceremonies that are filled with stories, that have room for celebration and laughter, which accurately reflect the beliefs, values and personality of the person who died.
Similarly, our options for what happens with our bodies when we die are diversifying and new methods of returning the body to the earth are emerging.
Many of us are seeking greener options, and seeking options that involve our families and loved ones. We no longer want to shy away from death and instead can see that healing and celebration are possible when loved ones are directly involved in the care of the body.
How your death is handled is your choice. Relieve the burden of decision making from your loved ones, save them the worries of “Is this what mom would have wanted?”
Give them more space to focus on their grief and the other arrangements that need to be taken care of at death.
In this workshop you’ll be able to learn from the experience of two local women trained in deathcare. Facilitated by Death Doula Ingrid Ng and Celebrant Christine Lafazanos.
Ng is a death doula and a graduate of the Beyond Yonder Virtual School for Community Deathcaring.
She believes that death can be a life-affirming and community-building event, and aims to provide gentle, empowering support to individuals and families in the transition from life to death.
Lafazanos is a celebrant with Woven Threads – Handcrafted Ceremonies where she creates custom, story-filled funeral, wedding and life-cycle ceremonies.
Lafazanos is passionate about supporting community members to mark life’s milestones and transitions through meaningful and healing ritual and ceremony.
The workshop location is the beautiful Sukha Yoga Centre conveniently located downtown Guelph at 42 Wyndham Street North, Unit 103, beside IF footwear in St George’s Square.
An open studio space filled with natural light is the calming container for our exploration.
Sukha is a physically accessible space with physically accessible, gender neutral washrooms. This is a scent-free facility so please refrain from wearing perfumes, colognes, or other scented products. Tea and light snacks will be available.
Closest bus stops are in St George’s square. Free street parking is available downtown (Cork St and Quebec St are the closest options).
The fee for the workshop is $125. A limited number of sliding scale spaces are available; please contact organizers if you’re interested.
Space is limited, we suggest you register early. To pre-register via Eventbrite head to Facebook and search the event title “Plan Your After-Death Care” or head to www.woven-threads.ca. Contact organizers if you need other payment options (i.e. payment by cheque).
This workshop is well suited to adults of any age and any stage of life.
Open to all spiritual or religious beliefs or non-beliefs. This space is welcoming to LGBTQ+ folks. This is a death positive space—come prepared for open and direct conversations about death and dying.
We do not intend to cover other important aspects of death, such as the following: advanced directives, wills and executor duties; estate planning and financial decisions; and physician-assisted death.
These important topics may come up in our discussions, but they are not central to the purpose of this workshop.
submitted by Christine Lafazanos, certified life-cycle celebrant, Woven Threads
