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So, we're mortal.
Yep, we are going to die.
This sounds so sad.
But, if we get our thoughts right about death, it's not sad at all.
The ancient Stoic philosophers practised brief contemplations of death and this had a profound impact on their experience of life.
Join me for 28 days of daily death contemplation and gentle, guided writing inspired by the Stoics.
We start on Thursday, 17 March, on the anniversary of Marcus Aurelius's death. .
It's a free/pay-what-can programme.
Why death writing?
Value each moment
The thought of imminent death … transforms our way of acting in a radical way, forcing us to become aware of the infinite value of each instant.
Hadot – What is Ancient Philosophy?
Intensify life
If I had my life to live over again, I would form the habit of nightly composing myself to thoughts of death. … There is not another practice which so intensifies life.
Muriel Spark – Memento Mori
Death-contemplation is an ancient practice that helps us approach death, and life!, realistically and courageously.
On a day-to-day practical level, contemplating your imminent death can radically alter what you pay attention to, what you choose to do.
It can help you de-clutter your mind, your physical environment, your relationships with people, work, and the environment. This way you can create a life with happy purpose in the present moment.
This death contemplation and writing challenge will guide you through 28 days of gentle, mindful meditation and writing on death.
Along the way, you will experience the liberating and clarifying joy that comes with getting more comfortable with the idea of transcience.
By the end of 28 days, you will be radically transformed.
How will this work?
Daily Email Prompts
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I'll send a daily email prompt with guided journaling and contemplation ideas.
The types of writing activities, include:
- Personal response
- Copywork
- Word analysis and choice
- Bullet, sentence, and word summaries
- Rewriting, reexpressing, reframing
- Poemwork
- Voicework
- Artwork
- Community work
- Creating a personal handbook
Private Stoic Salon
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I'll invite you into my dedicated, private Stoic Salon (on Slack, far from the maddening noise of Facebook) for a safe place to share your thoughts, your writing, and just chat about death, and life!
Three Zoom Meets
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I'll invite you to three live meetings on Zoom where we can all share our thoughts about the texts and talk about the contemplative writing process.
Dates:
TBC
Times:
TBC
Please use WorldTimeBuddy to check your timezone
Conversations about death are important.
It's so important to get our thoughts and stories right about death so that we can live well when death comes to us and to our loved ones but to also live well right now.
There's no time to waste!
28 Days of Joyful Death Writing is a free event.
but if you do find value during the month you can support by sharing with others and on your socials. Or you can write about it on a blog or for the press!
You can also Buy Me A 💙
Or, pay what you think here.
Thank you 🙏🏼
