Death and Dying Dinners
About
A Death and Dying Dinner is a place for people to openly share their ideas, concerns, and questions in a safe, supportive, and creative environment. Becoming more familiar with our own ideas around death and acknowledging it as a natural part of life, allows us to live more fully and empowered in the present moment. These conversations create connection, trust, intimacy, and growth which are all qualities that help create a peaceful dying experience and a more joy-filled life.
The intention for the dinners is to participate in organic, rich, meaningful, and inspirational conversation related in any way around death and dying. You are welcome to share, but are not required to do so. The dinners are not meant to be a support group, but many people find them therapeutic.
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Dinners are held quarterly at The Heart Touch Project in Santa Monica, California and have a capacity of 12 to keep the conversation intimate and allow everyone time and space to share if they choose.
The dinners are potluck style, non-alcoholic, and last about 2.5 hours. Each dinner is unique; as the group drives the conversation which tends to be filled with laughter, tears, inspiration, love, connection, vulnerability, empathy, et cetera. A suggested donation of $30 per person is encouraged when attending a dinner to cover the cost of location and materials.
“Finally In LA there is a place where one can talk openly about their experience with death: death of a loved one, the suffering of grief, your own fear of death. Discussing what is possibly the most important subject of our lives – its end! – the biggest taboo of our times is broken, in a friendly, warm and welcoming setting. Gathering around familiar or unknown faces for a one-of-a-kind potluck dinner, one can listen, share and connect. It’s enriching, restoring and no matter what your personal beliefs or experiences are, it will expand your view and understanding of death.” ~Thierry
"Having a deep meaningful conversation about death and dying with others while sharing a meal made with love by each of us is literally a heart opening experience. Speaking honestly about a subject that so many of us avoid including myself is freeing and liberating, and from this space I live more fully. This is truly a gift. So, I thank you Ashley for the amazing work you do and for making these dinners available again. I am a fan! With Much Love and Many Blessings." ~ Judith (Lehua)
"I attended my first death and dying dinner hosted by Ashley Schmitz and was very moved by the experience. The setting was lovely, the food everyone brought was wonderful; a safe place was created to share thoughts and fears around death and dying and to offer support just by listening to those going through current or recent experiences with loved ones. Ashley is a skillful facilitator who kept us on track and yet allowed everyone to just have space to talk and explore this topic. It helped to normalize something most of us didn’t grow up talking about in our families or in the larger society. I highly recommend checking out one of these dinners if you feel so inclined or curious."
~Georgea Muschel
Upcoming Dinners
All dinners are held at The Heart Touch Project located in Santa Monica, CA
Sunday 4/28/24
7-930pm
Saturday 7/27/24
7-930pm
Saturday 9/28/24
7-930pm
Join a Dinner
For questions about upcoming dinners or to RSVP, please complete the following form and specify which dinner you're interested in joining.
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