BIPOC Grief Medicine: Tending Our Sorrows in Chaotic Times

Event description

How do we turn toward our individual losses with compassion in the midst of so much collective grief? How do we bear witness to our personal losses with the backdrop of the unravelling of our democracy, the climate crisis, the loss of systems and protections that safeguard our health, the multiple pandemics from COVID-19 to racial violence, and keep our hearts open to engaging with the world and our communities as we’d like to? Join us in journeying through these questions together in a healing group held by knowledgeable facilitators. 

Let's come together and ritualize our grief in a circle of compassion to acknowledge, listen to, and tend to the broken heart. Grief and its accompanying emotions like anger, frustration, loneliness, numbness, and confusion can be overwhelming to process alone. Whether your grief is from surviving the loss of a loved one, a breakup, a life transition, or bearing witness to the calamities of our planet, this gathering is for you. Whatever leads your heart to a place of being broken is enough.

Some of the oldest artifacts known to humankind are from grief rituals, yet in modern times this sacred and necessary space is hard to come by due to our collective discomfort around loss. During our time together you will be guided through movement, meditation, creative practices, sound healing therapies, and group sharing. In our ritual space we will have the opportunity to metabolize our losses and transmute them into a gift for our own hearts and the heart of the collective.

About the Ritual:

The ritual that will be shared in our grief gathering has roots in several lineages and knowledge traditions, from art therapy to eco therapy mindfulness practices, song circles and the work of Malidoma and Sobonfu Somé who brought their teachings to the United States in the 1990's. Although this ritual has been moved and shaped through the body of the facilitator after offering it for many years and has been tailored to the western audience in modern times, to honor the legacy of the its origin story, a portion of the proceeds will go to support their tribe in Burkina Faso, West Africa. https://support.thesonderproje... 

To bring:

Lawnchair or pillow to sit on, beach towel or picnic blanket

Journal, any art supplies (some will also be provided)

Weather protection: hat, sunscreen, layers of clothing

Object of significance that represents the grief you are holding

Snacks and water for yourself or to share

Is this gathering a good fit for me? Here some things to consider before joining:

1. This would be a good fit if you identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous or a Person of Color including Mixed Race). 

2. This would be a good fit if your grief is not overwhelming (i.e. you can still be present in daily life and have some capacity to talk about your grief even if it's just a sentence or two).

3. This would be a good fit if you already have some support and help in your life - relationships and self-care practices - and this offering is a supplement to those.

4. This would be a good fit if you are open to sharing your grief in a welcoming and confidential space, and feel it would be supportive to your experience, and you are open to witnessing and being present with others as they share their grief, even if it's a different kind of grief than yours.

5. This would be a good fit for you if you are okay with being outdoors in a more secluded section of a shared public space where you might have to move your car halfway through, depending on where you park. This may not be the best space for someone who would prefer to be in a more private setting with more shelter from the elements.

COVID-19 protocol:

If you are experiencing a high temperature or any symptoms that may indicate signs of Covid, please do not attend this event. The entire event will be outdoors and masks are optional. If you want to bring any snack item to share, please consider individually wrapped items.

Financial Support:

If the supported rate tickets are sold out and/or you are in need of a reduced fee, please reach out with a sentence or two about why you are seeking a partial scholarship at this time. We have a couple of spots available for this with preference given to BIPOC, trans/nonbiniary folks, those with disabilities, and those who fall in the low/bottom tier of the scale below:

https://www.ridefreefearlessmo...

We have openings for a couple of helpers to offer service in exchange for ticket. Please inquire if you are interested!

About the Facilitators:

Amy Hyun Swart (she/her) is a somatic and expressive arts-based grief and trauma therapist, writer, and educator. She has been offering 1:1 grief support, groups, gatherings and rituals for the grieving community over the past 10 years. She came into the field by way of her own traumatic loss at an early age. She believes in the power of group work to be transformational and deeply healing in these divisive and uncertain times. To learn more please visit griefmedicine.love or amyswart.com or Instagram @griefmedicine

Nyree Young (they/her) has participated in various musical endeavors for the past 12 years around the Bay Area. A Florida native, Nyree has found a home in the Bay Area as a CIIS Certified Therapeutic Sound Practitioner. She is a singer-songwriter that plays acoustic guitar, bass, djembe, and a number of percussive instruments. She is on a path of creating space for all of us to connect with our ancestors, ourselves, and each other using her voice, sound and vibration in hopes of continuing healing in the world. To listen to Nyree's music please visit https://soundcloud.com/ngaire/tracks or follow them on Instagram at @ngaireyy_is_nyree

Testimonials from Past Participants:

"A transformative experience. I didn't know what to expect but I felt safe and cared for throughout. Yes, very emotional and heavy but I left feeling so much lighter. Organized and seamless so that all of us felt supported and a community feeling was built. Perfect location, length of time, everything. One of the most profound experiences I've ever been witness to, and part of. I can't thank you enough."

“My first time attending a grief ritual. I had no idea how powerful it was, in its simplicity and clear focus on giving us permission to really name our losses and grieve in a safe ritually held space. I really felt different afterward. My heart was soothed.”

"I feel gatherings like the one you led could be the path to addressing so many of the problems we face as a global society."

"I appreciated the guidance provided during that time as well with the visualizations. Spending a lot of time in the head space around grief, it really helped me to connect somatically."

"I'd recommend this group. There is a lot packed in a short time. Definitely worthwhile"

“I loved the diversity of people and experiences.”

“This experience was different in a good way. I’m so used to expressing myself through words so it was interesting using sound, movement, and art.”

"I really enjoyed all of it and am thankful that I was able to start my week building in capacity. I liked the free writing, drawing and just being present with myself."