Weaving Death Into Life: Coffin Weaving and Mortal Reflections

An immersive and hands-on, sensory exploration of death and dying. 

This one day workshop is truly immersive. Participate in coffin weaving with cats claw fibre, group work, death and dying reflections, poetry and journalling, and readings. Deeply rooted in nature’s wisdom, we invite a ​re/imagining of generative end of life practices. 

Explore your mortality through embodied processes. The day is ideal for those seeking personal inquiry and professional development. Those trained in end of life processes or those moving into the industry.

• Therapists, clinicians,
• Hospice, palliative, and aged care
• Carers, social workers 
• Celebrants and doulas 
• Those living with/caring for loved ones with a life-limiting diagnosis/ageing
• Allied health workers
• Complimentary therapy practitioners
• Anyone interested in exploring the art of weaving, regenerative materials or simply seeking new language and possibilities for end-of-life.

A certificate of attendance can be issued on completion for those seeking professional development hours.

Participants may find they explore some held fears surrounding death. And for those wishing for a deeper embodied experience, there will be opportunities to experience lying in the coffin.

Re/member. Re/claim. Re/imagine. Dying and death as a relational and mystery filled process beyond the physiological event.

We will reflect on the value of death contemplation and practices, our place amongst the entangled kingdom of wild things, and filaments with the wider world. We will explore roles within ecologies of care, and reflect and share death and dying reflections. The day may include but not be limited to: readings and poetry, ritual, shared collective wisdom, journalling, dyad work and group process.

Contribute to a re/generative culture of community death care.

Working collectively we will make a life-size woven coffin and lid from cats claw. This tactile, ancient experience invites participants to contemplate weaving death into life. Ancestral weaving merges with a deep reflection on life cycles and liminal spaces. The process of coffin making allows participants to consider one’s relationship with nature with each other, and how we hold, and are held in death. In removing invasive cats claw from our forests, we save and protect precious native tree species.  

Join us to deepen your practice if you have some experience, you also do not need to have weaving experience to participate.

Expect to cover ground such as:

- weaving ethics
- weaving as death ritual
- weaving as regenerative practice
- weaving as grief catharsis
- how to work with cats claw fibre
- weaving to recall ‘unforgotten wisdom’ (ancestral lineage)

NB: Cat’s claw creeper is listed as a Key Threatening Process in NSW because of its potential to impact on endangered and vulnerable plants as well as Lowland Subtropical Rainforest, which is an Endangered Ecological Community.

We very much look forward to your company. Your Facilitators:

Zimmi Forest [she/her] - Weaving Nature 
Zimmi has been teaching and creating for the last 42 years. Her careers with plants fibres began in the late 1980’s. She has been teaching basketry since 1996. As a fibreartist Zimmi’s work has been exhibited in many nationally curated exhibitions such as Sculpture by the Sea Conrad Jupiters, The Blake Prize and Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award. Zimmi has had 10 solo shows at both commercial and regional galleries and commissioned to create over 100 artworks for public galleries, private clients, hospitals and resorts. Her ephemeral art events and gatherings are often held around the beaches and forests of Byron Bay.

Emma Beattie [she/her] - Before & After Life
Emma has consistently worked, trained, studied and volunteered in end-of-life since 2020, this experience intersects a long line of personal loss.  She brings a post humanist, creative and poetic lens to caring, deathing and grieving. Her professional origins reside in creative strategy, storytelling and social impact. She offers practical supports, education and facilitation for people, families, groups and communities through programs, workshops, community meets and retreats. Emma is a member of Palliative Care NSW, the Natural Death Advocacy Network (NDAN), National Assoc. for Loss and Grief (NLAG) and is an advocate for Compassionate Communities Australia.

Testimonials 
Such a powerful day of learning. J.H

The passion and wisdom with which both these women offer their experience and skills was clear in their creation of such a richly rewarding day. It was a lovely activation of the senses. J.I.

...how powerful it is for women to be re-learning their ancient crafts and gathering in support of one another. A.H.