"On the Edge – Perspectives on Death, Dying, Loss & Living" is a month-long series of programs, events and workshops led by various people from the local death-care community running through October.
Jennie Beth Banks, the organizer of the series and director of Death Dancer, said “Our aim is to stimulate conversation around these topics as well as raise awareness of some of the local organizations and individuals working in the field. We are aware there are many more topics we could cover, but we hope to offer a good taster of some of the amazing things people are doing already in our community."
All events and workshops will take place in the same space in Downtown Olympia throughout October, "so that we can create a sacred space where death can be talked about and reflected upon, and remembrance can take place and be nurtured,” she added.
The venue is located in the old Olympia Glass building at 111 Cherry St. NE, between State and 4th, in downtown Olympia, which has been transformed into a welcoming space housing some of Banks’ death-themed art with plenty of space for the other events.
Among these are:
Benefits of Meditating on Death, Saturday, Oct. 12, presented by Tushita Kadampa Buddhist Center
What is Perinatal Death?, Sunday, Oct. 13, Developing a New Understanding through the Stories of Others, presented by Dr. Berry
I Remember, Tuesday, Oct. 15, Memorialization and Healing Event for Those who Have Experienced Perinatal Loss, presented by Dr. Berry
Death Stories, Thursday, Oct. 17. Listen to stories rich with life and death under the full moon, presented by Cyndi O'Brien.
Create a Death Journal, Friday, Oct. 18. Explore and document your thoughts on death and dying, facilitated by Aypril Porter.
Ecological Death Care, Saturday, Oct. 19, The art and science of human composting, presented by Laura Cassidy from Recompose, Seattle.
Making Mementos, Sunday, Oct. 20, learn how to embroider onto a photograph of your loved one, facilitated by Jennie Beth Banks.
Buddhist Memorial for Transgender Day of Remembrance, Tuesday, Oct. 22, presented by Assistant Priest Shih Yincheng
Without Borders, Thursday, Oct. 24, cultivating the peacebuilding potential of palliative care practice in Rwanda, presented by Dr. David Slack, MD.
Cafe Mortel, Saturday, Oct. 26, pop-up death cafe conversation with tea and cake, facilitated by Glenn Harper and Jennie Beth Banks.
Eulogy Writing Workshop, Sunday, Oct. 27, write your own or someone else’s! Facilitated by Jennie Beth Banks.
Pet Memorial Event, Sunday, Oct 27, collective sharing and remembering, facilitated by Jennie Beth Banks and friends.
Spiritually Attending to the Ancestors, Wednesday, Oct. 30, delve into historical practices and learn how to honor your ancestors, presented by Karin Olsen.
I first met Jennie Beth Banks at the Virgil Clarkson Lacey Senior Center. It was the fourth of the monthly Death Cafe series we started in early 2023. As we began the session with attendee introductions, she mentioned she was creating a video documentary about death and dying. Although she was quiet and unassuming, her Yorkshire accent, red hair and mention of the video project got my attention. She asked if I would like to sit for an interview.
At our meeting, I learned that she was originally from Sheffield, UK. Her background includes working in various disciplines including archaeology, archives, oral history, media, heritage management, non-profit management, event management, and wedding design and installation. She works now as a grants director for a nonprofit supporting adults and kids with disabilities.
She also spent four years as a Buddhist nun, including helping the dying in their final months and days, assisting friends and family in will preparation, funeral planning and preparing eulogies.
An almost fatal episode involving carbon monoxide poisoning brought the reality of her own mortality into sharp focus and spurred her curiosity to learn about what other people think and feel about the subject.
Over the subsequent year, Jennie has been a regular attendee at the Death Cafes we have in the area. She shared her vision for the On the Edge project. I was happy to be invited to assist!
When asked for a final comment for this article, Banks said, " I hope our events are good starting points for people to share their own stories and experiences around the topic of death and dying. I think people are becoming more comfortable to talk about it as we realize it is something that touches and affects all of us."
Glenn Harper, based in Lacey, is an end-of-life caregiver by profession and hosts numerous Death Cafe discussion groups. He has an abiding interest and curiosity in philosophy, religion and the Great Mystery we all must face. He believes that, since aging and dying are inescapable, we should learn about and lean into these areas of inquiry to be equipped for the path ahead. Contact him on grailquest.com
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