Honest Conversations about Death and Dying

This six month program consists of seven sessions, once a month, on Friday mornings. This dynamic yet gentle program offers the opportunity for authentic and engaging conversations and deep listening on and around the topic of death and dying. You can hear Wendy and Chani offer a brief overview of the program in this video.

Dates

Session dates: 22 March, 26 April, 24 May, 28 June, 26 July, 23 August and 27th September. Session time for March 2024 is 9.00am to 11.30am AEDT. From April onwards the time will be 9:00am-11.30am AEST. (Please note daylight savings time change in April from AEDT to AEST.)

Click here to check your time zone.

Alumni gathering: Friday 22nd November 2024, 9-10.30am AEDT. All past participants of the CTPL program are invited to attend.

This session is suitable for those in the time zones of Australia, New Zealand and USA. If you are wanting another start time for Australia, Europe and Asia, see here

✨ Engaging Conversations: Your experienced guides, Wendy and Chani foster an open and safe space for honest conversations about the profound topics of death and dying. This isn't just a program; it's an opportunity to connect with others and explore the depths of life's mystery... living and dying.

✨ Shared Experiences: Journey with a diverse group of individuals who share a common curiosity. Discover the power of communal exploration as we navigate this sensitive topic together. Whether you are young or old, healthy or with health issues, a carer or in care, this program is for you.

✨ Deep Listening: In our sessions, we prioritize deep listening—a skill that enhances empathy and understanding. Create the space to check in with what's important to you and to others. This program is designed to honour your unique perspective and bring in collective wisdom.

✨ Engaged Practices: Beyond discussions, we incorporate meditations, creative writing practices, and engaging activities to make the exploration of death and dying a holistic and enriching experience. There are extra home practices if you want to go deeper!

✨ 6-Month Program: Delve into a comprehensive 6-month program consisting of 7 sessions. This extended duration allows for a gradual and immersive exploration of the topic.

✨ Extra Resources: Between sessions, you'll have access to additional resources and contemplations to deepen your understanding if you choose to further engage with the material on your own.

Please note that this program is not a death doula or funeral celebrant training. Instead, it's a unique opportunity for individuals to delve into their own experiences of dying, living, and celebrating this one precious life.

To register for the six month program click "Get Tickets" above! Let's embrace life by exploring its inevitable conclusion together

With Love, Wendy and Chani

About your hosts

Wendy Haynes and Chani Grieve will be your hosts. We may also have guest speakers, these will be confirmed during the program.

Wendy has been a family celebrant for 29 years conducting weddings, namings, funerals, pre-death ceremonies, memorials, mourning and celebration circles. Since 2003, she has offered professional development, mentoring and resources to celebrants Australia-wide and internationally. She is the author of many celebrant related books and resources. As part of her life story, Wendy recovered from major surgery in 2022 after being diagnosed with a malignant Granalosa tumour, a rare form of ovarian cancer. Needless to say, this was a life changer. Wendy's commitment has been to encourage mindful presence, compassionate communication, play, connection and care in her own healing, in ceremonies, circles and in our preparation for death and dying. She practices and facilitates programs based upon mindfulness and nonviolent (NVC) communication practices.

Chani Grieve has been a dedicated practitioner of meditation and body-centred modalities for over 17 years. She works as a Feldenkrais Practitioner, embodiment trainer and meditation teacher, and is the creator of The Embodiment Journey online training program. Chani has been involved in several programs on death and dying in Australia and New Zealand, including "A Year to Live" and "Celebrating this Precious Life" with Wendy Haynes, and "Making Friends with Death" and "Every Precious Moment" with Di Johnston. Chani brings a deep interest in and respect for each person's unique relationship to death and dying, and the intimate connection with life and living. She teaches classes, workshops and retreats in Australia and New Zealand.

This program, Celebrating this Precious Life brings together Wendy and Chani's areas of interest and expertise. Come and be inspired!

Cost and more details

Our program is offered on a sliding scale to ensure equity of access. People ask us for guidelines. A suggested sliding scale for the 7 sessions is from $100- $450 however we don't want cost to be a barrier to attending so please offer whatever you can to enable this work to flourish. Working together, we can create a program that is sustainable for all.

We welcome everyone who is interested. Over six months (seven sessions) you will make some great friends from all walks of life and from all over the world.

Wendy would like to pay respect to the original inspiration for this project, Stephen and Ondrea Levine's book, A Year to Live. This is an excellent read and preparation for this program. Also respect to Wendy's Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction teachers, Ongo: Everyday Nonviolence authors, Catherine Cadden and Jesse Wiens, as well as the many individuals and families who Wendy has had the honour to work with.

Once you register for this call you will receive an email with further information about what to bring and also the Zoom link that will be the same for each meeting.

We look forward to meeting you!

With love, Wendy and Chani

Wendy: wendy@wendyhaynes.com + 61 422507517 www.wendyhaynes.com

Chani: chanigrieve@gmail.com +64 204 1537 356 movementfromtheheart..com

FAQ... at the bottom of the page

Testimonials...

"There are not enough words to express how special this programme truly is. It is both gentle and powerful. Wendy is a remarkable person, with a soul that seeks to connect - and who succeeds in creating a safe space for others to delve inside themselves, to explore and enrich what living and dying means to them - and to learn what more they can do to connect with the earth - in life and death. I have benefitted greatly, and appreciate it all." Moira Hill End of Life Conversations End of Life Coach & Educator, England.

"Chani’s teaching style is both relaxed and inspirational. I felt very engaged in the practice she taught, which translated to a deep calm within. Thank you!!" Karen, New Zealand

"I have loved the variety in the programme. The highlight has, however, been focusing my Life Review around the concepts of forgiveness and gratitude ... so powerful on so many levels, both personally and professionally!" Helen Rutledge, Celebrant, New Zealand

"Wendy Haynes is incredible. The challenge of considering ones imminent death is confronting however Wendy encourages openness, compassion, empathy and understanding of an individuals thoughts and beliefs. This program has allowed me to consider death openly, for myself, for my family and for others. Wendy's guidance has allowed me to embrace my passion of assisting others preparing for death. I confidently have the foundations to proceed with End of Life Doula training, thank you Wendy." Heather Hinton, Celebrant, NSW, Australia.

"The presence, intention and wisdom Chani brings to her retreats and classes is inspiring, expansive, and healing. It’s like her ability to see the gold inside each of us allows our vision to align to the golden truth within. I’m deeply grateful that my path brought me into the spaces Chani creates." Christina, New Zealand

"The program and Wendys presence & guidance have benefited my life, relationships & decisions profoundly! I am 22 years old and I have learned so much about myself and my desires, perceptions and deepened the connection with myself and others. I have already shared and recommended the program to everyone around me. Because I started talking about death, suffering and disconnection with my family, friends & colleagues they got really curious and also inspired. I love the gatherings and practices that brought me back to myself and supported me to speak and listen from my heart: being authentic & present. Talking about death during the sessions, I started feeling during the month more & more alive and intensify my relationships. I could write so much more but i would recommend you to just trust and go on the journey, I promise that the programme will be a huge gift for you. Everyone will have their own unique experience and understanding." (Elisa, Student, Germany)

"I have huge appreciation for Chani's teaching and inspiring offerings through the exploration of embodiment. Everything she does breathes the spirit, depth and authenticity of her own understanding and insight. She invites us into the mystery of incarnation, a radical shift in the way we understand our physical and spiritual nature". Eleanor

"Wendy's course is so full and rich. There's so much to learn about the practicals of the life journey, and to uncover the deep learnings that come from within. All in all - a very special uncovering of how it just might feel if you are given an 'end date'. I'm so grateful to be part of this group." Julie Weston - Celebrant, Australia

FAQs for Celebrating This Precious Life

We hope this answers most of your questions. If you don’t see an answer to your question below, feel free to reach out to either Wendy or Chani

There are 2 scheduling options for the course

Friday mornings 9am - 11:30am AEDT / 11am - 1:30pm NZT Register on this site.

With Wendy Haynes and Chani Grieve commencing Friday March 22nd. Best suited to people in Australia, New Zealand, and the US

2. Monday evenings 6:30pm - 9pm AEDT (Click here for registration)

With Wendy Haynes commencing Monday March 25th. Best suited to people in Australia, Europe and Asia

Is there flexibility around attending either the morning session or the evening session each month?

We encourage people to choose and register for one time slot, and try to stick to that as much as you can. This is so that the connections, relationships, trust and intimacy within each unique group can build over the 6 months. That said, we understand that life happens! If circumstances change, or you would like to attend the other group on the odd occasion, there is flexibility and you can get in touch with us to discuss.

What if I have to miss a month?

No problem. All the sessions are recorded (except for the breakout room conversations), so you will have access to all the recordings of any sessions you may miss. We do, of course, encourage as much live attendance as possible so that you can reap the most benefit of the connections and conversations within the group itself.

What kinds of practices do you share in this program? Is it very “spiritual”?

This is a secular program and we welcome people from any background, culture or tradition.

The reflections and practices in the program are grounded in compassionate communication, and self-empathy practice, and informed by Wendy and Chani’s decades of their own personal meditation practice and enquiry. It is for each of us to explore our own relationship to death and dying in a very open way, and to learn from ourselves and each other in the process. We are trained in and committed to fostering a space that is trauma aware and informed, and creates a sense of safety for people to share in the group.

Are the weekly prompts/home practices compulsory?

No. These are offered freely in the spirit of full choice. It is completely up to you whether you engage with these or not. They are offered as additional inspiration and contemplation to support and deepen your experience of the program and the enquiries it may raise. Those who do engage with them have reported finding them incredibly useful, however many others find simply receiving the weekly prompts is enough to keep them connected to the thread of the program from month to month.

What’s the difference between this program and “A Year to Live” (Stephen Levine)? Do you follow that book?

This book is on our recommended reading list. While we do take a great deal of inspiration and share a few of the key practices in this book, we do not follow it as a “curriculum”. The course material and practices that we share bring together the fruits of Wendy’s career as a funeral celebrant, and both Wendy and Chani’s many years of personal and professional exploration and expertise as facilitators.

If I’m wanting to explore grief in a more specific way, is this course the right place for me to do that?

This is not a grief workshop, yet of course we will touch into grief throughout the process. This course offers foundational support practices that help us connect with what we’re each bringing to the course, which may include our own experience of grief. We will share tools and practices that we can apply in our everyday lives to be a genuine support to yourself and others in the experience of grief as it manifests for each person uniquely.

I can’t make the live session times. Is it still worth me participating?

It’s completely up to you. You will still receive all the recordings, the weekly prompts, and have full access to the Facebook Group and WhatsApp group. If you feel that this is sufficient for you then you are welcome to participate and engage with the material in your own way, as your life allows. We would just reiterate that it is the connections and the conversations that take place within each session that are the most rich for people, and will really bring the course to life for you. You just can’t beat being there live!