Hello Friends,
This week we have one in-person regular group, one hybrid (both in-person & zoom ) group, one regular zoom group, two specialty zoom groups and one special event. Login and location information follow at the bottom of this newsletter.
HALLOWEEN & DIA DE LOS MUERTOS
As Halloween approaches, followed closely by Día de los Muertos, you may find this season stirring up different emotions and feelings. I’m always the first to say I can’t stand to see the Halloween skeletons, gore and graves on front lawns around town. It gives me a bit of anxiety. For other people, that may not affect you at all. Halloween can bring a longing for past memories or a heightened awareness of your person missing from the family trick or treating or costume party events. Like grief in general, holiday grief is as unique as each one of us.
A different holiday is Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. This day provides a beautiful opportunity to honor loved ones in a way that feels intentional and sacred. In Mexican tradition, families create ofrendas which are altars with photos, candles, favorite foods, flowers and mementos to welcome the spirits of those who have died. This allows people to remember, honor, and feel close to the people they miss. Even if you don’t celebrate this tradition personally, the spirit of Día de los Muertos can inspire you to create a small space to remember your loved one by maybe lighting a candle, looking through photos, or simply taking a quiet moment to feel their presence in your lives.
If this time of year brings up difficult memories, know that it's okay to feel a mixture of emotions, to celebrate, or to keep things low key. Read more here. It can really help to talk to others about these feelings so if you need support, know we are here to listen.
~ With care
Robyn
Robyn Houston-Bean
Founder, The Sun Will Rise Foundation
SMALL SAMPLING OF PHOTOS FROM GRIEF CONFERENCE
SPREADING THE WORD ABOUT PEER GRIEF SUPPORT
We’d love to have volunteers everywhere! Fill out this form if you can help!
ACTIVITIES & EVENTS
1.Yoga Nidra & Sound Healing Saturday, November 2, 2024 4:00 PM 5:00 PM Auburn MA LAST CALL!!!! No experience needed. Instructors will create a safe space for healing and calming the body for people bereaved due to substance use related causes. Release. Reset. Renew. Relish in a 15 minute all levels gentle stretch Vinyasa yoga session as we then settle into our Yoga Nidra Practice. Grab a scented eye towel and a blanket as we fall into a deep guided meditation. All while bathing in the vibrations & reverberations of beautifully orchestrated sound waves. Registration is required. As with our previous events, we are requiring a deposit to hold your spot. You will receive the deposit back at the event. If you sign up and do not attend the event without giving us 10 days notice, the deposit is not refundable. We do this to be able to continue to offer events at no cost to you. Thanks for your understanding. Questions? Please contact Aileen Lovejoy: 774-239-1905 aileen@peersupportcommunitypartners.com REGISTER HERE!
2. KEYS 365 Virtual Suicide Prevention Workshop by Deb Casello Tuesday, November 5, 2024 6:30-8:00 pm ET This free KEYS 365 class is designed to empower participants with essential tools to recognize risk factors and warning signs of suicide, understand recommended suicide prevention verbiage, engage in open discussions, and foster hope and help-seeking behaviors. Self-care and resilience-building techniques for attendees to practice and share with others are included. This dynamic session focuses on early intervention and is interactive; participants will actively engage with each other as they are introduced to life-saving suicide prevention skills. Please pre-register here.
3. Afternoon Tea Belmont MA Sunday November 10, 2024 12:001:30 pm ET Come join The Sun Will Rise for a relaxing afternoon of tea and community before the hustle and bustle of the upcoming holidays. Enjoy great food and conversation with your peers in this small and quaint tea room. Each guest will receive their own pot of tea in a delicious flavor of their choice. There will also be a variety of scrumptious finger sandwiches, scones, mini desserts, and cookies for all. Vegetarian and GF options are also available. Space is limited to 15 people. As with our previous events, we are requiring a deposit to hold your spot. You will receive the deposit back at the event. If you sign up and do not attend the event without giving us 10 days notice, the deposit is not refundable. We do this to be able to continue to offer events at no cost to you. Thanks for your understanding. Contact Natalie Patricio at jeepgirl474@gmail or (774)955-7752 with any questions and to inform of any food allergies or special accommodations. Registration is required. Sign up here!
THIS WEEK’S MEETING INFORMATION
Monday - GRIEVING GRANDPARENTS - ZOOM 10/28/24 12:00-1:00 pm ET.
Kerry Bickford facilitating.
For grandparents that have experienced death of their child or grandchild or who are dealing with grandchild estrangement due to substance use (theirs or their parents.)
The focus of this Monday group will be on the grandparent.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2334755647
Meeting ID: 233 475 5647 or
One tap mobile 16465588656
________________
Monday - IN-PERSON, WEYMOUTH MA 10/28/24 6:30-8:00 pm ET.
Darlene Mersereau facilitating.
Crossroads Church, 241 Broad Street, Weymouth, MA
For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.
_________________
Monday - ZOOM 10/28/24 7:00-8:30 pm ET.
Don Lipstein facilitating.
For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84716470892
Meeting ID: 847 1647 0892 or
One tap mobile 16469313860
________________
Tuesday - HYBRID - LEARNING TO COPE WITH GRIEF MEETING - IN-PERSON & ZOOM, GLOUCESTER, MA 10/29/24 7:00-8:00 pm ET.
Colleen and Gordon Bullard facilitating.
CORE Peer Recovery and Resource Center 11 - 15 Parker Street, Gloucester, MA
For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83349371338?pwd=RXM5RnRINGJKL21HTFhiSVYyR1NCdz09
Meeting ID: 833 4937 1338
Passcode: 560270
____________________
Tuesday - MEN’S ONLY - ZOOM 10/29/24 7:00-8:30 pm ET.
Dave Swindell and Gary Carter facilitating.
For men 18 and over who have experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/96961980647?pwd=cFVTMHR3VE9COGc3UGdIZHo4TWVaZz09#success
Meeting ID: 969 6198 0647
Password: 300626 or
One tap mobile 16465588656
_______________
Special In-Person Event! Saturday 11/2/24 4:00-5:00 pm ET. Yoga Nidra & Sound Healing Auburn, MA.
For more details and to register (required) for this free event, go to Yoga Nidra & Sound Healing registration.
POEM READ BY LESLIE LAGOS AT THE GRIEF CONFERENCE
When Words Fail by Julia Delaney
In your pain, my words falter, as if tripping over their own inadequacy,
I search, I rummage through the language,
yet, no word feels enough, no phrase sufficient.
I wish I could reach out,
pluck a star from the night sky to light your path,
gather the sun’s warmth to soothe your chilled heart,
but all I have, all I can humbly offer,
just a warm, quiet space in my heart.
It’s not a grand gesture, no fireworks, no grand orchestra,
just a quiet room filled with soft light,
a warm corner, an open chair,
a silent invitation to simply be, be you, here, now…
This space, it’s here for your sorrow, for your unshed tears,
for your sighs, for the words caught in your throat,
for the memories that sting and bite,
for the laughter that’s lost its way,
for the immense love unexpressed,
pulsating with a longing to burst, to release,
trembling at the seams of silence, desperate to be free…
And in this quiet space, you are welcome,
welcome to grieve, to rage, to remember, to laugh,
to weep, to whisper their name, or to sit in silence,
in the echo of what was, knowing it’s heard, it’s held,
it’s honored….
There are no expectations here,
no timetable for your grief, no ‘shoulds’ or ‘musts’,
just the promise of a presence,
the steadiness of a heartbeat echoing your own.
And so, in my silent offering,
I hope you find a gentle comfort, a space where your pain
doesn’t need to shrink or hide,
where it is seen, understood, embraced,
in the safety of this shared silence,
in the depth of the warm heart,
where you know, you’re not alone,
we’re all connected in Love.
Because even when words fail us,
when they crumble under the weight of the pain,
we have this, this shared space,
this quiet understanding,
this resilient bond of shared humanity,
where even in grief,
you are home.
Do you know someone bereaved due to substance use related causes that would appreciate our weekly email?
Have them sign up here for support!
Join our private Facebook page.
To view the newsletter on our website, please enter the password: grief
“Please be happy. The sun will rise” ~Nick Bean
The Sun Will Rise Foundation, 541 Washington St, Braintree MA 02184, USA
Powered by Squarespace