As part of my journey I have sought opportunities to sit in Grief Tending circles and to experience the healing power that occurs when grief and emotions are openly shared and witnessed. And now I seek out opportunities to offer this process in service to others so they too can experience it for themselves.

With this in mind as part of the Scottish annual To Absent Friends Festival 2020 , the Mankind Project Men of Edinburgh and I would like to extend an invitation to you to join us for a free online Grief Tending and Remembrance Circle on 4 th November, from 7:00 - 9:30pm. - Diarmaid Fitzpatrick

facilitators - diarmaid fitzpatrick, douglas guest and thomas munro

Diarmaid Fitzpatrick is an Elder of the Mankind Project and has many years of experience in facilitating open circles. He has participated in Grief Tending events facilitated by Francis Weller and Azule Thome and he has hosted 16 on-line Grief Tending Gatherings for over 100 members of the Mankind Project during the Covid-19 Lockdown.

Douglas Guest has nearly 30 years of work in public & third sector, he has written national training programmes and led action learning sets, seminars, workshop, conferences & co-created Year of the Dad in 2016 for Scottish Government.

Thomas Munro is a former Policeman and teacher, he is currently a freelance facilitator of foster care dads for Barnardo’s.

Booking a place

This event will be open up to 60 people from the public, with 6 – 8 trained facilitators from the MKP community in Edinburgh.

You can book a place here: Virtual grief tending and remembrance event

Together participants will give their attention to the many layers of grief in their lives and in particular the ‘Five Gates of Grief’ described by the author Francis Weller in his book the ‘Wild Edge of Sorrow'. Reading of this is encouraged but not essential. You may also wish to watch this short film in which Francis Weller talks about the Five Gates of Grief: Francis Weller.