“Don’t Look Up” but it’s 2024 and we’re still living through a pandemic and a mass disabling event. (Not sure about that? Read more on my Substack, Sex Drugs and Covid.) I have so much grief around spaces that were formerly refuges for me, beacons of hope for a future, better world – that seem to have no issue leaving (due to Covid, ever increasing numbers of) chronically ill and disabled folks behind. It seems to me that ableism might be the most universal axis of oppression, as even the most radical spaces are seldom centering access four years later.
Those of us still Covid-ing have been left to carry the weight of a burden that should be collectively shared. I know I have a lot of grief/rage and I was so grateful to find out I wasn’t the only one in my radical queer sex positive communities who felt that way. My brilliant peers Mel Cassidy of Radical Relating and Jess DeVries of Beloved Coaching and me decided to create some space for that.
Reading about the neurobiology of grief, having these spaces for the grieving process is absolutely essential. The release of cortisol and glutamate in the brain when we’re grieving burn down old hippocampal neurons – and that triggers the growth of new neural connections in their stead – with more neural plasticity than the ones that were replaced! So it’s so important to spend the time to be with our grief and allow it to transform us.
Grief needs ongoing tending, especially when the loss is ongoing (like with Covid) – and it is not meant to be carried alone. If you’re still Covid-ing, come grieve with us!
If you haven’t attended a grief circle before, here’s what to expect:
❥ We’ll introduce ourselves and the practice of circling.
❥ We’ll ground with a short somatic exercise.
❥ We’ll have a round of introductions and check in.
❥ Every person gets a turn to take up space, and can decide to talk, sit in silence, or just pass. Bring a talking piece (sacred or meaningful object, or resourcing object) to hold while it’s your turn to speak.
❥ We’ll feel into what’s breaking our hearts about Covid today.
Come grieve and create space for new life to emerge. We’ll be hosting these every three weeks as long as interest sustains.
RSVP for our next Cozy and Cautious gathering here:
Or if you can’t make that one, stay in the loop by adding your email here.
And if you wanna catch more of the vibe, here’s our IG live where we talk a bit about our grief and what brought us to create Cozy and Cautious: