Charlene Suggs

Charlene Suggs has devoted much of the last twenty-five years envisioning and manifesting ways for people to share land, life, and vision. As founding president of the land-based community Wisteria, she is familiar with the practical considerations necessary for the establishment of a cooperative land-based venture. As former editor of Circle Network News (published by Circle Sanctuary) she has worked on a national level on behalf of Paganism, religious freedom issues, and interfaith public relations. She is currently involved in founding the "Ohio Valley Resilience Nexus", a regional effort to promote resilience and sustainable economics for southeast Ohio. Charlene is particularly fascinated by insects, nature, redesigning dysfunctional cultural and economic systems, words and the general details of life.

Caring for the Dead: Last Rites and Rights

To reflect our Earth-based spirituality, the natural burial movement is creating a holistic body of funeral rites and practices that honor our dead and comfort the living. Join us as we undertake a frank and lively discussion on death, natural processes and current death care practices. We empower ourselves in caring for our dead (and our finances!) by learning about our legal/consumer rights and the workings of the funeral industry. What do we really feel about death, the inevitable topic? How do we observe healthy funeral/memorial in ways that honor our spiritual paths and personal choice? We will learn how our death choices continue to affect the earth and also share some modern memorial concepts. Note: This workshop probably not appropriate for young children, the recently bereaved, and those squeamish about decay and bodily processes - your choice, of course.