The Vigil: Explanations and Exercises on Life, Death, and Shadow

What is The Vigil?

The Vigil is 5 days worth of going deep. Gettin' down and dirty with your shadow. Reflecting on the broad and esoteric and the nitty gritty.

It's a roadmap for shining a light on the parts we like to hide away, but desperately are calling for our undivided attention.

The Vigil is a series of explanations and exercises on life, death, and shadow set up on Notion for visual ease and includes audio for neurodivergent learners.

Here's a little taste of what you'll find in the 5-day-long exploration:

Day 1 & 2:

The first two days are all about challenging yourself to reflect more critically and viscerally about death and life. This is all about assessing your mortality shadow.

These first two days prepare you for what follows.

Day 3:

Anti-Goals 101...or how you can get to the bottom of what you do want your end-of-life to look like by naming what you don't want.

Day 4:

Many of you heard about this on social media or some other resource via your phone. Our digital imprint matters, so let's confront it.

Day 5:

Walk the walk, talk the talk. Day 5 is about committing to aligned action now that you've started to investigate your shadow. Take your time and move at your own pace. It's ongoing work, not a race!

The Vigil awaits you. Get ready to regulate your nervous system, investigate your Self, and get curious.

Technical Note:

The Vigil serves as a resource for turning inward and challenging your fears. Lean on your community as much as you need to at any time during these exercises.

As with anything related to unconventional end-of-life discussions and support, this is a tool and not a replacement for therapy, a lawyer (especially given the size of your estate or the nature of your final wishes), and/or a funeral director (what is and is not permitted varies from state-to-state).

May this act as inspiration to stimulate your mind in a deeper, different way. May this act as an accompaniment to assessing your spiritual and secular needs and baggage around mortality. May it inspire conversation and greater connection with your community as you review the exercises and commit to action.

Thank you for your trust and your interest in this work. You’ve already taken an important step in assessing your relationship to life, death, and your final wishes.

Here’s to your next step into the unknown with this resource as your guide.