Community Talks & Workshops
Exploring life, death, legacy and everything in between
This Mortal Life creates accessible community spaces where people can engage more consciously with life, death and everything in between through conversation, creativity and shared experience.
Founded and facilitated by myself, Esther Hall, This Mortal Life is rooted in lifelong learning, curiosity and the belief that conversations about mortality don't have to be gloomy, frightening or overly serious. Sometimes, looking honestly at the things we tend to avoid can help us live with greater intention, make more meaningful connections and think differently about what we want to leave behind.
I often say, “we don't know what we don't know.” There are so many practical, creative and meaningful ways we can prepare for the future, care for the people we love and preserve the things that matter to us; but most of us simply aren't taught about them in good time. My work helps people discover some of these possibilities before their time is up.
From the practicalities of Advance Planning, to exploring what legacy means to you, to curating and preserving meaningful memories and heirlooms for future generations, these sessions invite participants to consider how the choices we make today can shape the experiences of the people we love tomorrow.
Personal Legacy Curation
Community Education Talk · 1 hour
What does it mean to leave a legacy and what if creating one could be your next creative project?
Legacy isn't only about money, property or possessions. It can be the stories we tell, the photographs we preserve, the recipes we pass down, the objects that carry memories and the small pieces of ourselves that help future generations understand who we were. This session introduces the idea of personal legacy curation and explores practical and creative ways to preserve the things that matter to you or to someone you love.
Suitable for: Adults of all ages who are interested in preserving their own legacy or helping a loved one preserve theirs.
Advance Planning: What Is It and Why Should I Care?
Community Education Talk · 1 hour
Advance Planning isn't only something to think about when you're old, ill or approaching the end of your life. It is a way of making your wishes, values and priorities known before someone else has to make decisions on your behalf.
This accessible and inclusive introduction explores what Advance Planning is, why it matters and some of the practical steps we can take to prepare for the future. There is no one-size-fits-all and I’m here to demystify some of the most common questions and concerns. We'll consider questions around health and care, finances, decision-making, our digital legacies and end-of-life wishes, with plenty of opportunity to challenge some of the assumptions we commonly make about planning for the future.
Suitable for: Adults of all ages. LGBTQ+ friendly, with additional resources available to help participants explore issues that may be particularly relevant to LGBTQ+ people and their chosen families.
Swedish Death Cleaning
Community Education Talk · 1 hour
What is Swedish Death Cleaning, and how might thinking differently about our possessions create more meaningful connections in our relationships?
This accessible and thought-provoking talk explores the idea of intentionally considering what we own, what matters to us and what we might want to leave behind. We'll look at the practicalities of downsizing and decluttering, but also at the emotional stories attached to our possessions and the conversations they can open up with the people we love. A useful session for anyone interested in managing their own “stuff” or supporting a loved one through the process of downsizing, sorting and preserving the things that matter.
Suitable for: Adults of all ages.
Remembering a Loved One Through Collage & Poetry
Creative Workshop · 2–3 hours
How can we turn our memories of someone we love into something tangible we can keep?
In this gentle and creative workshop, participants will create an A4 framed collage honouring the memory of a loved one. You'll bring a poem, song lyrics or another piece of meaningful writing that reminds you of them, and use it alongside photographs, words, colours and imagery to create a unique piece of artwork.
As we work, we'll explore the relationship between memory, remembrance and legacy, considering what we want to hold onto and what we might want to carry forward from the people who have shaped our lives. There is no expectation to share personal stories. Participants can share as much or as little as they feel comfortable with, creating a supportive space where remembrance can happen through conversation, creativity or quiet reflection.
By the end of the workshop, everyone will have created a completed, framed work of art ready to hang at home; a meaningful object that can become part of their everyday lives and offer a way to remember and honour someone each time they see it.
Suitable for: Adults of all ages. All materials are provided. No previous artistic experience is required. This workshop is about expressing memory and meaning, not artistic perfection.
Getting Started with Personal Legacy Curation
Creative Workshop · 2–3 hours
What stories would you want the people you love to remember?
This hands-on workshop introduces participants to the practice of personal legacy curation before inviting them to begin creating their own legacy book; a collection of memories, stories, photographs, recipes, reflections and other meaningful fragments of a life.
Rather than trying to document an entire lifetime, we'll explore ways to identify the moments and memories that tell a meaningful story. Participants will begin creating a beautiful heirloom they can continue developing in their own time and eventually pass on to the people they love.
All resources are provided. No previous creative experience is needed; this workshop is about curiosity, memory and meaning rather than artistic ability.
Suitable for: Adults of all ages and all creative abilities.
Dead Curious Conversations
Guided Discussion Workshop · 2 hours
Most of us have been learning about death since childhood; through family experiences, culture, religion, television, books, conversations and the deaths of people and pets we love. But how have those experiences shaped the way we think about our own mortality?
This guided discussion invites participants to explore their beliefs and experiences around death and consider how those experiences have influenced their attitudes towards mortality, relationships, planning and legacy.
We'll also explore the connection between what we believe matters at the end of life and the choices we make while we're living. Participants will be introduced to Advance Planning and provided with resources to begin their own planning journey in their own time. There is no expectation to share personal experiences. Sharing is always voluntary, and participants are encouraged to bring their questions; whether that's What is a Death Doula? How might I plan an environmentally friendly funeral? Who inherits the secret box under my bed if I’m not married?
The aim isn't to reach agreement or come to any hard decisions in the session. It's to become a little more comfortable being curious about the things we don’t usually think about. And perhaps learn something along the way as well. Attendees often report feeling less anxious and more equipped to have important conversations with their loved ones about their advance planning and wishes for the future.
Suitable for: Adults of all ages.
A different way to talk about death
My approach is practical, curious and creative.
I don't believe we need to have all the answers before we start talking about death. In fact, I think some of the most useful conversations begin with admitting that we don't know, and then becoming curious about what we could learn. These sessions are designed to be accessible rather than intimidating, exploratory rather than prescriptive, and grounded in real life.
Depending on the session, participants might leave with new information, practical resources, a creative project, questions to take home to discuss with loved ones or simply a new perspective on something they hadn't thought about before. And perhaps most importantly, they may leave with a better understanding of how the way we think about death can influence the way we choose to live.
Looking for something more bespoke?
These sessions are starting points rather than fixed packages.
If your group has a particular theme, question or area of curiosity you'd like to explore, I'm happy to develop a bespoke talk or workshop around your interests. Sessions can be adapted for different group sizes, levels of knowledge and lengths of time, and can combine discussion, education, creativity and practical activities.
If you're interested in inviting me (Esther) to work with your group, get in touch for a conversation about what you're looking for. I'll be happy to help you create a meaningful and engaging session for your community.