why this project​

the aloneness that accompanies grief in today's world astounds me.
​it breaks my heart.

​in all the lives i've lived, deep dives, hyperfixations, obsessions, and fascination with death & grief, i have understood that ritual & community are the two major [primal] aspects missing in westerners death processes. 

that is what this project is for me. i want this zine to be a salve for the wounds our collective holds around death. i want to facilitate conversation, connection, community, & containment for this rite of passage practically every human being encounters on planet earth. especially right now, with humanity facing blatant genocides, climate crisis, & daily devastation... there is a lot to grieve about. maybe in connection, there can be catalyst for substantial & meaningful change.

this zine began as a senior project in my undergrad at california institute of integral studies. i spent a lot of time digging into 'death as a rite of passage.' the reality of experiencing death (even if that death is spiritual or symbolic in some way), impacts and changes a sense of self. rites of passage that go unacknowledged or unintegrated amplifies a sense of aloneness & incompletion. i believe that ritual & community are the remedy to this collective wounding.

the creation of art & expression of grief allows something to open in us. there is an inherent interaction with the world around us when we create. sharing our creations along side one another into a compilation feels like a form of ritualizing that can be done asynchronously. there is an arc. a beginning, process, & end. a completion. by offering this every year, i hope it can be a ritual we can tap in and out of as needed. a touchstone, if so desired.

as time goes on, my dream is to create a container of in-person co-creation & process for submissions to together in grief. deepening into the ritual. building a community altar. all that magic to be experienced amongst one another. for now, i offer this project with my year to year capacities. if you are interested in knowing more about what the heck i mean by ritual, rite of passage, magic, etc, feel free to drop me a message, and i'd be happy to connect. 

in the meantime, i am here with you. i am forever grateful to those who engage with this form of care. i see you, thank you.

with love & magic,

​kp 
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