Hogfish arts company will present, “Between the Sea & ME: A Grief Ritual for Modern Humans,” at Wells Reserve at Laudholm. The event is scheduled for noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, April 6.

The session, according to a news release, is geared toward those who are experiencing feelings of grief, fear, disconnect, and concern for the current state of the world. The ritual is designed to help participants process and navigate the emotions in community and reconnect to what is important and life-giving. Facilitators, artists, and shamans specializing in grief work, reiki, art therapy, somatic work, and social work will guide participants through a progression of planned practices to create a nurturing space for grief, gratitude, and community.

The day will include journaling, movement, poetry, and song, and will culminate in a walk to the beach and a communal ritual by the ocean. Tickets are available on a sliding scale basis from $10 to $50 via hogfish.org or wellsreserve.org/calendar. The event is made possible through a grant from the Onion Foundation.

Hogfish led the first iteration of this event at SPACE Gallery in Portland, following the January 2024 storms. According to organizers, “they look forward to bringing this event to the southern Maine community, this time around designed for the natural setting of the Wells Reserve at Laudholm.”

“After the 2024 grief ritual,” Matt Cahill, organizer and Hogfish co-founder, said, “we received several testimonies of deep gratitude, hope found, and connection regained. Several people also expressed hope that we would do this again – like planting seeds in the garden, they wanted these new seeds of grief tended and gratitude found to be tended in community over time.”

The event, according to the news release, ties in with an expanding series of grief programs at Wells Reserve, inspired by the solace and healing community members find there. Offerings include guided grief walks, meditations, and the recent installation of a Wind Phone, a special place where visitors can connect with nature and communicate with loved ones who have passed away. In the words of Robin Wall Kimmerer, “If grief can be a doorway to love, then let us all weep for the world we are breaking apart so we can love it back to wholeness again.”

Hogfish is an arts production company and artist residency at the historic Beckett Castle, surrounded by an internationally recognized rose garden on the coast of Maine. It is building an artistic sanctuary and body of work dedicated to restoring creative and physical health to individuals, communities, and earth. Hogfish believes that applying the principles of regenerative agriculture to the arts provides a unique opportunity to holistically restore every layer of the human experience.

For more information, visit hogfish.org.

Wells Reserve at Laudholm is Maine’s only National Estuarine Research Reserve, and is open every day for science, education, and public enjoyment. About 50,000 people visit the Wells Reserve each year to explore seven miles of trails and the importance of coastal ecosystems. Wells Reserve is funded by Laudholm Trust (a member-supported Maine nonprofit) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The reserve is located just off Route 1, near the Wells-Kennebunk line.

For more information, visit wellsreserve.org.