Tips for Using the Deck for Individuals Set aside time for yourself to go through the prompts Find or make a quiet space for yourself Look closely at the images Let the images guide you to an action or prompt you might not have considered Use a journal to capture your journey Some of the prompts encourage you to make something Dont worry about whatever you create being a great artworkthis is about the process Be open to the feelings that arise Stop when you want to stop Have a plan for what you can do in case pain or sadness arises Consider asking someone else who is grieving to join you as you work with the cards Tips for Using the Deck for Groups or as a Family Choose a single card and prompt to frame your work either together as a group or independently in between meetings Have each person choose a different card and work with that prompt in between meetings Have people organize into pairs or groups of three to support each others work and share more intimately their experiences with the prompts Explain the cards and how you intend to use them with the group (no surprises) If it is a craft or art project or a ritual, make sure you have assembled everything in advance Some of the prompts may bring up strong and unexpected feelings Make sure you have the tools and/or capacity to hold whatever might come up Sample Artwork and Prompts Hold Yourself in Grief Be gentle with your body through this loss Find a safe and comfortable space to sit or lie down Breathe Name your grief out loud Cry for as long as you need to Place your hand on your heart and speak to your lost loved one—whatever you want to say Hold and comfort your body as though it were your beloved dead Ritual of Remembrance I didnt know I thought about my mom every day until I had to wake up and remind myself that she was dead Now, I wake up and remind myself she lived Gather on a tray: pen, paper, candle, lighter, and an item of remembrance of your loved one Write a note to them about how they lived Place the letter on the tray and take the tray outside Light the candle and sit quietly Burn the letter as an offering Breathe deeply in for three counts, and hold for three counts Forcefully breathe all the air out for three, and hold for three Repeat twice Blow out the candle Gently hug yourself Disappearing Place Remember a vanished place of personal importance Describe it by writing or speaking of it Grief and Love In grief we feel the intense loss of a loved one It can help us to remember that love is an infinite resource The love we feel extends not only to those people, animals, or spirits who are with us, but also to those who have gone before us and are still to come Take a moment to write down the names of loved ones who have died and place them in a bowl You can name their specific qualities, or just express gratitude and love for their presence in your life Read each name out loud The dead can be loved ones you know personally or not, individuals or community groups, inspiring leaders, humans or other living beings, from other historical periods Dont limit yourself—love is an infinite resource Letting Go Visit a river or stream and bring a flower Place the flower in the water As you watch the flower drift downstream, keep your eye on it for as long as you can, until it becomes a tiny spot in the distance When it has drifted out of sight, close your eyes for a moment and then open them up to everything that is still around you: the plants, the sun, the wind, the water This can help you remember that everything is in motion and on a course Even once something has drifted out of sight, it is still on a journey to somewhere new Remember Your Ancestors Generously remember and count your ancestors, generously you are not alone find the place that knows this inheritance well—the nook of your elbow, the curve of your hair, let yourself feel some lightthe wind against, your back, the smell of morning rain carries you you are not a spiders web, you are not a gray pillowcase crumbled remember and feel company, the chatter of many voices, the smell of home cooking in the background go there, breathe, ask for what you need