Once in our distant cultural past grief was the glue that held together our sense of community and was a cornerstone of our love of life. In recent times the vital role that grief plays in keeping the living bound together has frayed and as a result we have become a people untethered – untethered from the world that gives us life, untethered from the people around us and untethered from the things that need us to be human so that life can go on.
The Aching Heart Day was an idea started by Harry Kloser-Pitcher in Vienna in 2015 as the end of the year was approaching he perceived a need to gather in a different way that honored and celebrated all that was lost during the year that was passing away.
I (Jason) found this idea so powerful and so needed in our times that we began suggested duplicating his idea all over so that we could honor The Aching Heart all around the world. At our first Aching Heart day held at our home in Pumsaint, Wales, it was clear that this could be the answer to a community call for support in times of loss and indeed the next day was held at the home of our friend Linda Joy who couldn’t attend the first day as she was dying from cancer and was too weak to attend. In all we held two Aching Heart Days at her house with her together with her and her friends before she died.
We are committed to continue to offer and host these days whenever it is requested by the community to support loss.