Last Chapter - A Quiet Book Club on death, dying & grief

QUIET BOOK CLUB invites you to read books together about death, dying and grief.

No assigned reading
Choose your own book related to death, dying, grief/loss. We needn't all read the same book, the idea is we are all learning and exploring together. So whatever most interests you is welcome.

Choose your level of participation
Choose your own level of engagement. However much or little you wish to participate is up to you.
We begin at the start time but if you need to leave after the first hour, you are welcome to do so.
If you prefer to read solidly for two hours, this is completely ok. Sometimes we need time together-apart. 

Who is this for? 
This Quiet Book Club event is for people who 
- would like to learn or develop more fluency in the languages of death, dying, grief (in all its myriad shapes and forms)
- are grieving and want to be part of life but not feel a need to participate fully
- love reading and learning about new books and writers
- value sharing circles
- have an aversion to sharing circles 
- want to be with others but not necessarily feel obliged to be 'social.
  All welcome.

Arrive & ground (10-15 mins)
Location to be confirmed // Please register so a place can be saved for you at the reserved communal table.
Find a spot to sit or share the communal table. 
Purchase lunch/afternoon tea/something to sip.
A very short grounding is offered, then you will be invited to share your name and the book you have brought with you. 
Then we read quietly for an hour.

Read for 1 hr
We are intentionally analogue, please no audio books or ebooks. Phones are turned to silent/off; no scrolling, messaging or phone calls. 
We practice presence and connection with place and pages. 

Choose to share your read with others (or not) - 40 mins
Those who wish to share are invited to read a short passage or a thought/reflection inspired by the book.

Close circle/quiet reading  - 5 mins
We'll close together.

NOTE: Sometimes we may meet out of doors: Heritage Park, Mullum or in Brunswick Heads.
Please choose a way of keeping in the loop: Social media, subscribe to email newsletters or receive alerts from Humanitix about Before & After Life Events.

This is an alcohol free, by donation, inclusive community event.

Facilitated by Emma Beattie - Before & After Life
Emma has worked and volunteered in caring and deathing since 2020.  She brings an animistic, post humanist, creative and poetic lens to caring, deathing and grieving. Her work, training and studies intersect a long line of lived experienced with personal loss and from this place she offers practical supports, education and facilitation for people, families, and groups; term courses, workshops, community meets and retreats.

Emma works and collaborates with Paperbark Deathcare, is a member of Palliative Care NSW, National Loss & Grief Association (NALAG), the Natural Death Advocacy Network (NDAN), is an advocate for Compassionate Communities Australia and appears on BayFM 99.9 as a regular guest on Byron Beat.