Grief Support Community - Lighthouse Circle 2024

Grief is hard, really hard. Your grief is also sacred and deserves to be honored and tended to with compassion. Lighthouse Circle is a grief support community that encourages you to tend to your grief in your own way and in your own time. Grief can be isolating, so our mission is hold space for people to grieve openly and honestly within a supportive community. 

Structured to provide practical support that you can access anytime and anywhere, Lighthouse circle also offers you a place to feel heard and seen in your grief.  

The six month program includes monthly 90 minute gatherings on zoom, as well as journal prompts, ritual prompts, guided meditations, videos, resource materials and more.

Is Lighthouse Circle Grief Support Group right for me?

Lighthouse circle is Personalized

Each person's grief is unique and personal. Lighthouse Circle provides support as you tend to your grief in your own way and on your own schedule with easy to access content and resources.

  Lighthouse Circle is  Holistic

Grief affects our mind, body and heart.  We created a holistic approach to honor you as a whole person and to allow space for sorrow and joy to coexist. Everything belongs and nothing is judged.

Lighthouse Circle is Compassionate 

Self compassion skills are encouraged as an essential part of grief care. Grief is hard and can feel isolating, but you are not alone. We hold you in loving kindness. We build community in meaningful and lasting ways.

What is Lighthouse Circle?

Online content will be presented in six main topics discussing various elements of grief. The lighthouse circle program also incorporates live group calls at 2 different times a month.

Witnessing Grief 

Resourcing and Taking Refuge

Dealing with Difficult Emotions

Secondary Losses

Redefining Relationships

Integrating Grief

Within each topic there are six categories: journal prompt, ritual prompt, guided meditation, embodied practice, resources and community space.

Once you sign up you will receive an email soon welcoming you to Lighthouse Circle beginning in October 2024, we will open up the group and you will gain access to content for the first month. At the start of each new month you will get access to the new content and an email from us.

Grief is never linear and this program is a gentle and caring companion


Journal Prompt

Writing about our thoughts, feelings and experiences in an unfiltered way provides a release for emotions, allows for reflection and offers insight.

Ritual Prompt

Often simple, rituals are intentionally performed to honor loved ones, connect to the sacred and tap into a source of inner knowing.

Guided Meditation

Mindfulness meditation helps ground us with kindness and build the capacity to feel our feelings without judgment.

Embodied Practice

Grief is held in our bodies. We offer simple ways to move, breath and self soothe as an offering of compassion and gratitude to ourselves.  

Resources 

A video of Gretchen and Sarah discussing each topic, as well as printouts, links and activities are included in each resource category. 

Private Group area 

You will receive access to a dedicated cohort Facebook page where we will interact, process and share things we have found useful. It’s a place for dialogue and downloading, for connecting and being together between calls. It will be live throughout the 6 month journey.

COST

6 monthly payments of ¥7,700 (approx. $50)

If you prefer to make a one time payment of ¥42000 (approx. $290) you can do so with button above or below or for bank transfer please contact us by email at info@sarahfuruya.com

Cancellation Policy - A full refund minus any service changes will be provided if requested by October 11th.  After that we cannot offer any refunds. Please note that this is a six month commitment and out of respect for others and a desire to build trust in community, we ask that everyone keeps this in mind. 

Financial Assistance is available if needed. Please contact Gretchen at gretchenmiura@gmail.com  for more information.

Schedule and Cost

Two options for group calls - In general they follow this pattern.

A) 3rd week Tuesday of each month @ 8:00pm ~ 9:30 pm  JST / Tokyo 

      OR

B) 3rd week Thursday of each month @ 9:00am ~ 10:30am JST / Tokyo 

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Please note however the first call will be 2nd week for October.

October: Tuesday October 8th 8pm JST or Thursday October 10th at 9am  JST

November: Tuesady November 19th at 8pm JST or  Thursday November 21st at 9am JST

December: Tuesday December 17th at 8pm JST or 19th December at 9am JST

January: Tuesday January 21s at 8pm JST or  or January 23rd at 9am JST

February: Tuesday February 18th at 8pmJST  or 20th February at 9am JST

March: *Thusrday March 13th at 8pm JST or Tuesday March 18th  at 8pm JST 

*A change because of Japanese  public holiday

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For locations outside of Japan, please check your local time and dates here at timezone converter.

If you are based in North America, the Tuesday call will be on your Tuesday mornings. The Thureaday call will be on your Wednesday evenings. 

We will have 6 group calls during a 6 month period.

There will be a private webpage with regularly updated resources, recorded interviews, journal and ritual prompts and group conversations that are accessible to members anytime throughout the program. 

Meet your Guides

Sarah Furuya

Hi, I am Sarah  and I live by the sea South of Tokyo, near the sacred shores of Kamakura, and from there I  run my coaching business and Legends Podcast. The heart of my practice is the many ways to lead a life, and working with and telling people’s stories. I honor the influence of those passed and create space and ritual for them and their presence in my coaching spaces. I am passionate about  looking at the taboos and lost traditions around death, mourning and grief.

Gretchen Miura

Hi, I'm Gretchen. I live in Japan with my family where we run DAIRYUJI Zen temple. Making grief support and mindfulness accessible for everyone to nurture well-being and a sense of belonging is my life's work. I studied with David Kessler to become a grief educator and under Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield to gain my mindfulness meditation teachers certificate. I love leading workshops, classes and retreats. My brother Chris died when I was five years old which deeply influenced my views on death and grief, ultimately guiding me to this calling. Drawing on many years of exploration, learning and unlearning, I am passionate about bringing elements of ritual, spirituality, creativity and mindfulness to create a supportive atmosphere at Lighthouse Circle.

FAQs

“It was the warmest and most enveloping cocoon to be in that sacred space.”


- Lighthouse Circle participant