Most Americans are afraid of death. We have become so detached from the process that many fear even talking about it. What was once a contemplative and spiritual experience is now often an expensive and isolating medical event.   

 

Hospitals are important places for healing, but are they ideal places to die? In our death-denying culture, people often approach conversations about mortality only in times of acute need, often too late for creating an experience that reflects and honors their wishes. Even more critically, many have no access to resources that would help them prepare for and move through this stage of life. 

 

By demonstrating how dying can be an experience of peace, love and belonging, The Last Ecstatic Days documentary film illustrates the power of conscious choices around the end of life. 

 

The Last Ecstatic Days was filmed to inspire audiences with a vision of what is possible when death is embraced with preparation and intention. It tells the story of one man’s determination to live every moment as fully as possible, and to die surrounded by love.

 

This film’s impact campaign will galvanize a mass movement towards living consciously and dying in community.

 

Changing Minds

The film will organize nationwide community screenings and facilitated discussions where participants will be invited to courageously meet their fear of death in community – and be transformed in the process. And there will be additional forms of media distribution through online platforms and universities to impact younger minds.

 

Changing Behaviors

Our lead impact partner, the Center for Conscious Living & Dying, will design trauma-informed programs for death doula courses that train people to offer end-of-life care in their communities. Several more partnerships will lead to training thousands of death doulas and volunteers.

 

Building Communities

Our flagship workshop, “All Healing is Release,” will foster authentic connection and story sharing, offering participants a chance to embrace death as a life-affirming experience. We will also collaborate with policymakers, doctors and healthcare organizations to promote not simply a call-to-action, but a community-to-action approach to deathcare.

 

Changing Structures

Through our collaboration with the Institute for Psychedelics & Death, “The Last Ecstatic Days” will champion community-supported, end-of-life psychedelic care by advocating for national Right To Try legislation. Programs like “The Grief Happening” will provide a therapeutic space to explore the wisdom of grief while healing through music.