What is communal grieving?
Grieve and praise what we love.
"Grief has never been private; it has always been communal. Subconsciously, we are awaiting the presence of others, before we can feel safe enough to drop to our knees on the holy ground of sorrow." Francis Weller
Communal grieving is a process in which a group of individuals come together to mourn and process any loss. This can be a loss of a loved one or a shared experience, an ending relationship, change of home or work, transition, ilness, aging or a missed community.
​
"We grieve the loves we’ve lost. We grieve our abilities vanishing through illness or age. We grieve the loss of faith in our religion. We grieve our children leaving home. We grieve the paths we didn’t walk. We grieve the family we never had. We grieve the suffering of the planet. But while grief may look like an expression of pain that serves no purpose, it is actually the soul’s acknowledgment of what we value. Grief is the honour we pay to that which is dear to us. And it is only through the connection to what we cherish that we can know how to move forward. In this way, grief is motion.
Yet in our culture, we are deeply unskilled with grief. We hold it at a distance as best we can, both in ourselves and in each other, treating it as, Joanna Macy says, like “an enemy of cheerfulness.” There is unspoken shame associated with grief. It is sanctioned in very few places, in small doses, for exceptional occasions such as death and tragedy. Beyond that, it can feel dangerous and weak. Perhaps because we fear we’ll drown in our despair, or because it means falling apart in a world which values ‘holding it together’ above all else. But grief plays an essential role in our coming undone from previous attachments. It is the necessary current we need to carry us into our next becoming. Without it, we may remain stuck in that area of our life, which can limit the whole spectrum of our feeling alive." Took-pa Turner
Communal grieving can take many forms, such as funerals, memorials, or other public gatherings. I am offering Spaces for Communal Grieving as Rituals. The purpose of communal grieving is to provide a sense of support and connection for those who are grieving. By coming together, individuals can share their experiences and emotions, and feel less alone in their grief. Communal grieving also serves a cultural function, as it reinforces the importance of shared experiences and community support, as we come together in grieve with the things we love.
Communal grieving can help individuals to process their emotions and move forward in a healthy way.
I am offering Grieving Rituals, Grieving Fire Rituals, Temple Of Sorrows for any kind of loss in Life. In addition I am also Prototyping Rituals for Families, Communities, Companies and Organization's. Most of them are facilitated with a big Team. Songs, Stories, Sharing, Movements are part of these spaces.
​
​
What is a Ritual?
“While we have much to learn from indigenous cultures about forms of rituals and how ritual works, we cannot simply adopt their rituals and settle them neatly onto our psyches. It is important that we listen deeply, once again, to the dreaming earth and craft rituals that are indigenous to us, that reflect our unique patterns of wounding and disconnection from the land. These rituals will have the potency to mend what has been torn, heal what has been neglected. This is one way that we may return to the land and offer our deepest amends to those we have harmed.”
Francis Weller
A ritual is a set of actions, words, or symbols that are performed in a specific way and often have a deep symbolic meaning. Rituals can be religious or secular, and can serve a variety of purposes, such as marking a significant life event, honoring a cultural tradition, or providing a sense of structure and meaning in daily life.
Rituals are often repetitive and involve a set of prescribed steps or actions that are performed in a specific order. They can involve objects, such as candles or incense, and may include specific words or prayers. The repetition and structure of a ritual can create a sense of familiarity and comfort, and can help to reinforce a sense of community and belonging.
Rituals can also serve function, particularly in situations where individuals are dealing with grief. The act of performing a ritual can provide a sense of comfort and help individuals to process their emotions in a healthy way.
What is a grieving Fire Ritual?
Elements of the Grieving Fire Ritual I am offering are referring to The grieving Fire Ritual which was manifested in 2017 by Elke Leopthin-Gerwerth inspired by many traditions and teachers like Sobonfu Some.
​
"Life emerges from the tension between our innermost aspirations and an external reality that always seems a little unfinished.
Besides rejecting the unpopular parts of ourselves, we usually also learn early in life to hide the most tender, sensitive aspects of our being - to protect them.
Sometimes we hide them so well that we can no longer find them ourselves!
Grieving lifts the veils and masks from our eyes and behind them we are revealed, often in a burning way, what our soul longs for. This doesn't mean any fleeting pleasures - we tend to crave those in order to distract ourselves from the real longing.
Longing is rather one of the greatest sources of strength for our existence! If I manage to give space to my longing, despite all the vulnerability that this entails, then I can hear my inner voice loud and clear, let myself be guided by my intuition. "
Elke Loepthien-Gerwert
Fire has played a crucial role in the development of human civilization and has been used by humans for thousands of years. The earliest evidence of controlled fire dates back to around 1.5 million years ago, when early humans likely used it for cooking food and as a source of light and warmth.
Over time, humans learned to use fire for a variety of purposes, including heating metals for tools and weapons, creating pottery and ceramics, and producing charcoal for fuel. The discovery of fire also allowed for the development of agriculture, as early farmers used fire to clear land and improve soil quality.
The use of fire continued to evolve with the development of human societies. In ancient Greece and Rome, for example, fires were used to heat public baths and as a source of light for street lamps. In medieval Europe, fires were used for cooking, heating, and as a source of light and protection.
In more recent times, the discovery of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas led to the development of modern industries and transportation systems. However, the widespread use of these fuels has also had significant environmental and social impacts, leading to concerns about climate change and air pollution.
Today, scientists and researchers continue to study the role of fire in human societies and the natural world. They are exploring new ways to harness its power in sustainable and environmentally friendly ways, such as through the use of renewable energy sources like solar and wind power.
Overall, the history of fire reflects the complex relationship between humans and the natural world, and the ways in which our use of fire has both shaped and been shaped by our social, cultural, and technological development over time.
Notfeuer, also known as "emergency fires" or "signal fires", are traditional ceremonial fires that have been used in various cultures and regions for centuries. The purpose of these fires is to serve as a means of communication in times of crisis or emergency.
In many cultures, Notfeuer were traditionally used to signal for help or to communicate important news. For example, in medieval Europe, signal fires were used to warn of invading armies, while in Native American cultures, ceremonial fires were used to communicate with the spirits or to mark important events such as the changing of the seasons.
Today, Notfeuer continue to be used in some parts of the world, often as part of cultural or religious traditions. For example, in Germany, Notfeuer are lit on the night of April 30th to celebrate Walpurgisnacht, a pagan festival marking the transition from winter to spring. In some regions of Africa, Notfeuer are used as part of initiation ceremonies for young men or as a way of communicating with ancestors.
Notfeuer can also serve as a symbol of unity and community, bringing people together in times of crisis or celebration. They can be a powerful reminder of our connection to the natural world and to each other, and a way of honoring the traditions and cultural heritage of our ancestors.
Overall, Notfeuer represent an important cultural tradition that has been passed down through generations, serving as a symbol of communication, community, and spirituality. While they may not be as widely used today as in the past, they continue to play an important role in connecting people to their cultural heritage and to the natural world. A grieving Fire Ritual, known as Trauerfeuer was developed in 2017 by Elke Leopthin-Gerwerth. Throughout a Grieving Fire Ritual a temporary community is created to grieve and witness one another. Songs, stories and content are part of this coming together. A fire will be lit and be tended a certain amount of time until the tending transforms into hospicing the fire throughout the last night, so that the last amber expires shortly before the sunrise.
What are Temples Of Sorrow?
The Temple of Sorrow is a symbolic space created to honor and process grief, loss, and other difficult emotions.
The Temple of Sorrow is an example of how art and ritual can be used to create a space for healing and connection. By providing a space to honor and process difficult emotions, the temple serves as a reminder of the importance of community, connection, and support in times of grief and loss.
A modern temple is a space designed to facilitate spiritual and emotional growth, reflection, and connection. While traditional temples are often associated with religious or spiritual practices, modern temples can take many different forms and can serve a variety of purposes. Overall the temples represent a shift away from traditional religious or spiritual practices, and toward a more individualized and diverse approach to personal and spiritual growth. They provide a space for individuals to explore their spirituality and emotions in a way that feels authentic and meaningful to them, and can offer a sense of community and connection in a world that can often feel disconnected and fragmented.
Furthermore Tempel Of Sorrow is an Organisation what supports Spaces for communal Grieving.