Friends, we are happy to invite you to a soulful gathering of grief tenders.
After receiving questions and requests from many people who are holding space for grief or called to do so in the future, we decided to create an opportunity for all of us to gather and learn from one another's questions, insights, and struggles.
We're planning to gather regularly to hold councils for the wonderful global community of grief tenders. Make sure you're on our mailing list if you'd like to be kept informed of future councils.
What is it?
A live online gathering with four experienced grief ritual facilitators where you can ask questions, share struggles, relish the beauty in this work, and receive support and insights to deepen your skills at holding space for grief.
You're invited to join us around the virtual fire for two hours of council and conversation about holding space for grief. Recordings will be provided so if you're unable to attend live, you can feel free to participate asynchronously. You'll have indefinite access to the recordings.
Who is it for?
For any adult:
-
who currently holds space for grief, especially in communal and/or ritual ways
-
who would like to deepen their skills at holding space for grief
-
who would like to begin holding space for grief rituals in their own communities
-
who would like to share struggles, questions, insights, and experiences in holding grief rituals
-
who would like to learn from and with other kindred grief tenders
When is it?
Thursday, Dec. 4th, 2025 from 3-5:30 pm PDT/ 6-8:30 pm EDT.
Where is it?
We will gather live on Zoom.
Recordings and resources will be posted in an easy-to-use online classroom for you to access after the live call. You will have ongoing access to these materials. If you are unable to attend live, you are welcome to submit questions to us before the live call and simply participate via recordings.
Why?
More and more as the world unravels, people are understanding the essential importance of having sacred and skillfully held spaces to grieve.
We have each received many requests from people seeking support to deepen their skills in holding space for grief. We believe that gathering in council to explore these prodigious questions together will benefit all involved far more than having individual conversations. We can learn much from one another.
We don't believe in instructing you on "the right way" to hold space for grief. Rather through potent questions, through powerful perspectives, and through guided inquiry, together we can grow more awareness, presence, curiosity, respect, and ever-deepening skill to approach the sacred ground of communal grief work.
We are four experienced facilitators and ritualists who have held space for grief over many years. We are happy to come together to share our perspectives on this important work in hopes it might benefit you and your communities and the world as a whole.
As Martín Prechtel says, "All war is unmetabolized grief." We believe this courageous work benefits the world now and into the future.
This is the solitary work we cannot do alone. - Ira Progoff
Who are the facilitators?
This event will be co-held by Alexandre Jodun, Carl Rabke, Alyona Kobevka & Erin Geesaman Rabke.
We have each held space for grief rituals over many years and have been individually mentored by Francis Weller, author of The Wild Edge of Sorrow. Several of us were honored to co-facilitate, along with Francis Weller the Entering the Healing Ground Grief Ritual Leadership Training.
Read more about each facilitator: Meet Alexandre Jodun, meet Carl Rabke, meet Alyona Kobevka, meet Erin Geesaman Rabke.
How does the gathering flow?
We begin with dropping in and grounding and we set the context with poetry and simple agreements. We invite people into small groups to meet and converse with a few other people who are doing or aspiring to do grief work. The small groups include 3-4 people per group for 20-25 minutes. Then we return to the large group for an hour plus of conversation. There's a lot of inspiration in listening to various ways people are carrying grief work, in hearing the questions people have, in sharing inspirations, questions, or issues that arise. This offering is less focused on working with one particular form of ritual, but rather is intended as a resource for people who are working with grief and ritual in various ways. This may include those who want to incorporate grief ritual into counseling/therapy/teaching/
We are honored to hold this space where we can support one another in holding space for the sacred territory of grief.
Some people who join us are currently doing some grief ritual work. Some took our online training but have not hosted any grief gatherings yet. Some are grief counselors or death doulas or therapists or ordinary folk who want to grow into offering grief rituals in the future.
You're warmly welcome to attend.
Tuition:
We are offering tuition for this continuing education for grief tenders on a sliding scale. For this two hour gathering with four experienced facilitators, please choose from the following registration prices.
-
The standard price is $95.
-
The pay-it-forward price (for those with more disposable income able to sponsor those with less) is $125. (Less than the price of just one hour with just one of these facilitators.)
-
The discounted price (reserved for those with current financial hardship) is $65.
Register here for the standard tuition rate of $95. 
Register here for the reduced tuition rate of $65. Reserved for those with current financial hardship who cannot attend at the standard rate.
Register here for the pay-it-forward tuition rate of $125. Thank you for helping offset the tuition of those with current financial hardship.
