Death Cafe Projects are Livelier Than You Would Think (#3/115)

A 'Death Cafe', the place you can go if you are dying to talk about the morbid facts of death. 

The idea came from Swiss sociologist Bernard Crettaz who opened 'Café Mortal' in 2004. This was the first ever pop up cafe where groups met up to talk about death. After being founded over ten years ago, Crettaz has since set up hundreds of cafes across Switzerland.

The trend of talking about death soon caught on with over two thousand lively cafes popping up around the globe since the movement first began. 

There is yet to be a permanent death cafe, however, Jon Underwood UK 'death specialist' has worked throughout his career to develop a series of projects surrounding the idea of the acceptance of death. After being inspired by the work of Crettaz, Jon started his own death cafe in his home in 2010 with the help of his mother, psychotherapist Sue Barksy Reid. 

Jon Underwood explained, "We don't want to shove death down people's throats."

"We just want to create an environment where talking about death is natural and comfortable."

Jon has gone onto inspire others across the world, in countries such as the US, Germany and New Zealand. 

Health Councilor for widowed women Audrey Pellicano, hosts death cafes in New York. Having worked as a grief councilor for several years she recognized the benefits of sharing grievances and how de-stigmatizing death allows for people to become accepting of their own life ending. 

Death cafes are for most still an unknown intriguing concept, however they are increasingly common. Next month Manchester, Darlington, Hampstead and Brighton will all play host to death cafes. 

You can find out where the nearest cafes to you are on their website!