Thinking differently – Page 8 – CEDAR EDUCATION | Community Education in Death Awareness and Resources CIC

In this section we invite people from diverse cultures and walks of life to write about different ways of thinking about death, whether it is from a religious or philosophical perspective or a new way of thinking about one of life’s greatest mysteries.This is the place to come when you want a different perspective on death. It is a good place to learn about some social and cultural views and perspectives about death that you may be unfamiliar with.Please contact us if you are interested in hearing from a particular social, cultural or ethnic group. Let us know if you get something beneficial from of our Chronicles and please pass-it-on

Life Lessons in Action

01/09/2014

CEDAR CIC recently teamed up with Feather Perfect Falconry CIC to deliver the first pilot programme on death, loss and remembrance to a pioneering group of NHS Shropshire CCG Young Health Champions in July 2014. The programme, which was developed by thanatologist, Dr Judith Wester and falconer, Nicky Kent was a huge success and proved you can teach young people about death in a sensitive and responsible way that is beneficial and rewarding. The idea was developed to teach young…

Life Lessons Takes Off

08/08/2014

CEDAR LIFE LESSONS PILOT PROGRAMME Ten wonderful volunteers, ages 14-21, from the Shropshire Young Health Champion scheme enrolled in the first-ever three-day CEDAR Life Lessons course, which ran from 28th-30th July 2014. This ground-breaking programme was created by the Thanatologist, Dr Judith Wester, founder of CEDAR CIC, to teach young people about death, loss and remembrance in a healthy and stimulating way. The programme was a great success and will be reported on more fully over the coming months. The…

CEDAR has a new face…

08/08/2014

CEDAR on Facebook We hope you will ‘like us’ on our new Facebook page so you can see more of what we do and who we do it with. We are adding images all the time of the variety of people we are teaching about death, loss and remembrance in fun and fascinating ways. Use our website to learn more by registering to get full access (its free!). Our current Facebook Timeline shows the latest group of Young Health Champions…

CEDAR CIC gets a helping hand from Innovation 1st

08/08/2014

Cedar CIC About the company CEDAR helps people, young or old, to learn how to talk about death, dying and loss in compassionate and supporting ways In addition, CEDAR helps professionals to expand their general and specialist knowledge around the topics of death, grief and bereavement in a variety of social and cultural circumstances. Whether speaking to a child, young person or adult we all need to understand, accept and respond to death appropriately in order to minimise distress. Challenge…

Death discussions ‘taboo’ for many in UK, survey finds

14/05/2014

Discussing dying and making end of life plans remain taboo for many people across the UK, a survey suggests. The poll of 2,000 adults for the Dying Matters Coalition of care organisations indicates that only 21% of people have discussed their end of life wishes. Only a third said they had written a will and just 29% had let loved ones know of their funeral wishes.

Bare All with Death

05/05/2014

Our cartoonist, Sam Price, was an art student at the University of Wolverhampton in the School of Art & Design when he drew this image for us in 2014. His humour shows through. Eventually, we will all have to ‘Bare all with Death’.

Thinking Differently about Death through Art: Nāve (Death), 1897, by Janis Rozentāls

05/05/2014

Written by Diana Spoge I am a visiting first-year student from Latvia, attending the University of Wolverhampton. When I was asked to analyse an image pertaining to death using semiotics I chose this image because of the connection with my culture. It is simplified here in order to share it with a wider audience.

Humor as Weapon, Shield and Psychological Salve

05/05/2014

By Nichole Force from PsychCentral.com Humor has long been recognized as more than mere fun and games. It presents an alternative means of expressing criticism about injustices, arrogance, pretentions or hypocrisies that can’t socially (or legally) be expressed otherwise. Court jesters could say things to the royals “in jest” that others would have been beheaded for uttering. When King James I of England had trouble fattening up his horses, court jester Archibald Armstrong reportedly suggested that His Majesty make the…

Get Comfortable with Death

29/04/2014

© Sam Price, University of Wolverhampton, School of Art & Design, UK Gallows humour is often discussed as ‘laughter in the face of pain’. Galgenhumor, which finds its origins around 1848 Germany, is referred to as ‘cynical humor that derives from stressful or traumatic situations’. However, it has been in practice for many centuries. It is used as a way of getting around situations that are otherwise overwhelming or unavoidable in nature such as death, war, disease or horrific crime.

Humour as a Salve

28/04/2014

Force, N (May 3, 2011) Humor’s Hidden Power: Weapon, Shield and Psychological Salve, Braeden Press It is often said that “laughter is the best medicine,” but this aphorism fails to fully express the power inherent in humor. Humour’s Hidden Power reveals how humor has empowered people to overcome overwhelming circumstances throughout history, how laughter changes brain chemistry and functioning, how the genders use humor differently, and the ways in which comedians have used humor to heal themselves and others through…