Frequently asked questions…
Q: What is This Mortal Life?
This Mortal Life is, in many ways, a gathering place for all that I’ve been cultivating in my own life over the past several years: community, authentic connection, joy in simple pleasures and practices that help us rise above the noise and despair of the wider world. At its heart, it is about remembering that we do not have to face the fractures of our society alone, by building community and living intentionally we can create pockets of resistance, hope and wholeness.
It’s my hope to connect with others who ‘get it,’ and together shape a space for exploring what it means to live well in light of our mortality. This site offers events, resources, and reflections to support deeper connection with ourselves, each other, and the natural cycles of birth, growth, rest and release.
Q: What events and gatherings does This Mortal Life host?
This Mortal Life creates opportunities to step away from isolation and into genuine connection. We gather eight times a year in rhythm with the Wheel of the Year, honouring the turning seasons through shared ritual, reflection, and conversation. Each gathering is shaped by the season’s themes, but they all centre on one thing we know binds us together: a shared meal, offered “potluck” style, where good food and meaningful dialogue nourish both body and soul. We create these events together, collaboration is the key to community.
In addition to these seasonal events, new gatherings are emerging. Soon we’ll be launching a Silent Book Club, meeting both online and in person, designed to give more ways to connect with like-minded people. Together, these spaces become small acts of resistance to the loneliness and disconnection fostered by the world around us. Check out the Events page to see what’s next.
Q: Who is This Mortal Life for?
This Mortal Life is for those who feel out of step with the pace and priorities of the modern world. Those seeking connection over consumption, meaning over metrics, and belonging over busyness.
It’s for people who sense that gathering in community is a radical act in a culture that profits from our disconnection. For the ones who are crafting gentler ways of living and dying.
Here, we make space for what is real: honest conversation, shared meals, creative expression and practices that root us back into the cycles of life, death, and renewal. Together we remember that we are not alone, that community, care, and connection are not luxuries, but necessities.
Ultimately, This Mortal Life is an open, kind and inclusive space for open, kind and inclusive people, from all walks of life, all skin colours, all religious or faith practices. This Mortal Life is for anyone who wants to be here.
Q: Who can come to events?
Ultimately, This Mortal Life is an open, kind and inclusive space for open, kind and inclusive people.
Everyone is welcome at This Mortal Life gatherings. Our events are hosted in North Somerset and Bristol areas of the UK and we take care to choose venues that are accessible for differently-bodied individuals. All events are ticketed, with a tiered pricing structure designed to ensure that no one is excluded because of financial circumstance.
Our commitment is to create spaces where people of all backgrounds can participate fully, share in community and feel a genuine sense of belonging. We also believe that collaboration is the answer to most problems, so if you have feedback or ideas about how we can collectively improve accessibility and inclusivity, your voice is not only welcome but encouraged.
Q: Why are This Mortal Life gatherings sober events?
To put it simply, because centering alcohol at social gatherings isn’t the flex it once was. More and more people are choosing to drink less, or not at all, for all kinds of reasons. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a drink, but it’s not a priority or a prerequisite for connection.
This Mortal Life’s seasonal gatherings are alcohol-free because, for some, it’s a welcome pause from the pressure to drink, and for others, it’s a relief not to have that pressure at all. Creating spaces where everyone can be fully present, comfortable, and included feels far more meaningful than raising a glass ever could.
Not to worry though, a variety of natural, delicious soft drinks are provided at the gatherings for all to enjoy.
Q: Is there photography and video taken at events? What if I don’t want to be in photographs?
Yes, the seasonal events are always photographed, as I like to be able to provide photos to the attendees after events. I also use them on the website and for social media purposes to promote This Mortal Life and the types of events we do. If you don’t want to be included in photographs, no problem, please make yourself known to me when you arrive. We will be sure to not include you in photos, and not use photos where you may be included.
Q: What is the Resource Library?
The Resource Library contains a growing collection of resources that I have found interesting and useful in my personal growth and through my journey training as a death doula. When we ponder our mortality, it tends to lead us towards living more fully in the present and so the resources found here are often aimed at supporting learning and conversations around mortality, building community, seasonal celebrations and living and dying well. You can find a range of books, podcast episodes, film and tv recommendations, and other groups and networks to help you navigate what life throws at you.
Q: How do I join the This Mortal Life community?
Sign up for the This Mortal Life mailing list to stay informed about upcoming seasonal gatherings, book clubs, workshops and other events. You won’t be spammed, only one or two emails a month will land in your inbox to let you know what’s new and what’s happening in the North Somerset and Bristol areas that you may want to get involved in. Please also follow and engage with @thismortallife.uk on Instagram if you’re there!
Q: What is Good Endings Together?
Good Endings Together is an evolving complementary space sitting alongside This Mortal Life that offers resources and (soon!) access to workshops dealing with death and grief. From finding a death café near you to getting started with advance care planning or finding a death doula, it’s a small offering to help relieve some of the anxiety some people feel around death.
Q: What is the benefit of talking about mortality, death and endings?
The philosophy we uphold in this space is that endings are a natural part of the rhythm of life; they are not two separate events. By engaging with mortality with openness and curiosity, we are able to live more authentically, plan ahead, foster more meaningful relationships and reduce fear and anxiety so we can live more joyfully. Ultimately, I don’t want to sleepwalk through life, I want to engage with it…every single bit that comes my way. And I think having an awareness of my mortality allows me to do this, being more present and enjoying life’s small pleasures all the more for it.
Q: Are you practicing as a death doula currently?
I began my death doula training to further build on my skills and knowledge to support my community as an advance care planning advocate and facilitator of meaningful conversation. I run events such as death cafes, workshops and seasonal gatherings that encourage exploration of life, death and all that comes in between. I am happy to answer questions and signpost people to the support that best suits them, but I am not currently offering professional death doula services to end-of-life clients. My practice is currently centred on community education and facilitation. I am a member of End of Life Doula UK and fully insured.