Grief Ceremony with Circle of Healing

Through the wisdom of the four natural elements — water, fire, earth and air — this Circle of Healing ceremony offers a supportive space to acknowledge, process and honor grief in all its forms. Together, participants will move through practices of reflection, movement, ritual and rest, creating space for release, renewal and community care. Whether grief is recent or longstanding, personal or collective, all are welcome.

Facilitator: Tessie Castillo is a Durham-based grief ceremony facilitator working under the mentorship of national grief tenders Lawrence Cole and Therese Charvet. Her approach to crafting ceremony and holding grief with tender care draws on the transformative powers of the natural elements, community witnessing and movement for emotional and energetic release.

The Circle of Healing ceremony was co-created by Tessie Castillo and Rachel Cole and inspired by the lineages of Francis Weller, Joanna Macy, Malidoma Somé and Sobonfu Somé.