Yesterday was Spring Equinox – the sun shone, the sky was blue, the wind was chilly and Spring officially began. After what felt like a long winter, the change was welcome. Already the first flowers of the year, snowdrops, have been and gone, and hot on their heels we’re now seeing lesser celandine, winter aconite, daffodils, primroses – yellow beauties to remind us that the sun is coming. Joyous!

Having spent much of the winter resting and reflecting on what the next step on my path might be, more recently I began preparing a presentation for my local community. I’ve been working in the field of death and dying for over 8 years now, and see regularly how small input from me can make big differences to people who are working or living with people who are facing the end of life. I’ve felt for some time now that as the world changes, sometimes at alarming rates, we may come to rely on our local communities more and more – like family. I am lucky to live in a village where there is already a strong sense of community. We have groups of volunteers working in the local Sunday market to support ethical and sustainable local ventures, others offering their skills at bike and electrical repair cafes, while yet more support our young people or work tirelessly in the village orchard. I felt strongly that I wanted to offer my own skills to my community. To that end I prepared a presentation for the Village Hall, which I advertised locally – An Introduction to the Lost Art of Simple Dying.

The evening was a joy – 23 people arrived and we all sat in a circle while I gave my 45 minute presentation – I had three intentions:

1. To introduce myself to the village as a Soul Midwife
2. To present the idea of Simple Dying – which was the main feature of the evening
3. To give information about my TLC workshops for people who might wish to delve further

From the feedback and comments received both on the night and subsequently it seems as if people know intrinsically that many of them are feeling the need to have more discussion and support around death and dying. On a local scale I am offering my skills and experience to anyone who could use a little of my time. This is a voluntary service, and while I can’t be available 24/7 I will always reply to anyone who contacts me to see what they might need. As I said on the night, this could be anything from a listening ear or some research to some supportive tips or simple reassurance. The evening was interspersed with stories which seem to bring the subject to life and enable others to share their vulnerabilities too. There was a huge sense of compassion and authenticity in the room, and I felt both humbled and delighted that my courage and quiet winter preparation had paid off. A huge thank you to all who participated.

So now as we come out of hibernation and venture into Spring I am organising dates for TLC workshops, which you can read more about here.

The first one will be on 7 May. Please contact me here if you would like to attend and I will send you further details.