A Living Funeral Ceremony & Death Salon

At the threshold of the Autumn Equinox, join us for a Living Funeral Ceremony & Death Salon at the WuuM. ​A Living Funeral Ceremony is an immersive meditative experience that encourages participants to face their own mortality. Through engaging in ritual and guidance through a death visualization, participants are invited to "die before you die, to live while you’re alive." ​This ceremonial experience provides a supportive space to confront fears around death and impermanence, while also fostering a deeper connection to life’s fragility and beauty. Often compared to the experience of an ego death, this ritual leaves many with a renewed sense of purpose and an appreciation for the present moment. ​TIMING ​Please arrive on time by 7pm, as the container will close once the ceremony begins to honor the sacred environment we are co-creating. The ritual portion takes up to 90 minutes. Following the ceremony, Kaitlyn will hold space for a Death Salon, where participants are invited to linger, reflect, and process alone or in community. A custom tea blend and baked goods from The Fool Bakery will be available. ​Street parking is available. Please read the signs. ​WHAT TO BRING/WEAR ​A blanket, yoga mat, or something to lay on Comfortable, breathable clothing is recommended ​This ceremony will be facilitated by Kaitlyn Pietras (she/her), a queer Jewish grief worker and visual artist based in Los Angeles. She is the creator of (a)Wake, a ritual container at the intersection of grief, death, and art. Her practice is rooted in tending to both personal and collective grief, connecting with ancestral wisdom, and creating ritual spaces for the LGBTQIA+ community. Kaitlyn's work weaves together plant magic, Jewish mysticism, and somatic storytelling. ​She trained directly with Emily Cross of the Steady Waves Center, who developed this ceremony inspired by living funerals originally held in South Korea. These ceremonies were created to help participants reflect on their lives and reconnect with a se