Grief in the Wild: Finding Refuge in Nature
About the event
The physical and emotional experience of grief is often intense and overwhelming. Nobody can take the pain away but there are ways to soothe the suffering, and for some people, that sanctuary from suffering is the natural world. Whether it’s walking, wild swimming, climbing mountains… or just sitting quietly on a bench listening to the birds, nature has an incredible ability to comfort and heal. It can help us connect to something bigger, and allows us to see the world and our lives in new ways.
In this session, we will hear from people who found sanctuary in the natural world and how the wisdom they found there has shaped their lives.
Freya Bromley‘s memoir The Tidal Year charts a journey of desires, losses and longing as she swims every tidal pool in mainland Britain after her brother’s death. As Freya travels further from home, she finds herself closer to memories of her brother. With every swim, and every stranger they meet in the water, the challenge becomes more than just a way to explore the coast, but a journey of self-discovery.
Marchelle Farrell is a therapist, writer and amateur gardener whose recently published book Uprooting: From the Caribbean to the Countryside – Finding Home in an English Country Garden explores what it means to be the only black woman in her village and centres around one question – what is home? Full of hope and healing, Uprooting is a book about finding home where we least expect it, and which invites us to reconnect to the land – and ourselves.
Hollie Starling is a writer, folklorist and hobby taxidermist from the north east of England. She became interested in mourning rituals and folklore customs around death and grief after her father took his own life in 2020. This developed into her debut book: The Bleeding Tree. Following her first year without her father, Hollie embraces her lifelong interest in folklore and turns to the healing power of nature, the changing seasons and the rituals of ancient communities.
Please note: A selection of highlights from this event will be released on our social and YouTube channels over the coming year: www.youtube.com/@griefchannel.
