Programme

Death Cafe Amsterdam

Death Cafes first originated in England as a way to openly discuss death in a relaxed setting. These intimate gatherings offer a welcoming space to explore all aspects of death and dying, where we can share our stories, experiences, and ideas over tea and cake. Topics may include grief and loss, fear of death, wishes regarding dying, near-death experiences, or supporting a loved one in their final moments. Whether these themes already play a role in your life, or you are simply curious, you are welcome to join!

Hosts: Lieke van Nood (grief and loss counselor) and Annie Birken (end-of-life coach and trainer)

Every first Thursday of the month: 6 March / 3 April / 1 May / 5 June / 3 July / 7 August / 4 September / 2 October / 6 November / 4 December 2025

6.30 – 8.00pm

Het ArbeidersPaleis,
Oostzaanstraat 28, 1013 WL Amsterdam
(Opposite Museum Het Schip)

Death Cafe is free of charge but donations are welcome to cover the costs.

Dutch and English speakers are welcome.

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Online Meditation Group

Join our meditation community for inner calm and balance.

Guided meditations, (self)-compassion and loving kindness (metta) practices and self-compassion gatherings

In these challenging times, it is especially important to have tools for maintaining a calm and clear mind. That's why CareSpace, in collaboration with The Meditation Cafe, offers guided meditation sessions twice a day, six days a week. The sessions are offered via ZOOM by Steve Cope and Annie Birken.

Everyone is welcome—whether you are a healthcare or support worker, a caregiver, facing illness or other life challenges or simply someone looking for an online meditation group!

This group has been running since March 2020! Will you join our friendly online meditation community?

All sessions are offered free of charge but donations are welcome.

Schedule

Morning meditations

Monday, Wednesday and Friday
• 8.00 - 8.30 am Mindfulness and Awareness with Steve

Tuesday and Thursday
• 8.00 - 8.30 am Goed begin! Meditatie (in Dutch) with Annie

Evening meditations

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday
• 7.00-7.30 pm Mindfulness and Awareness with Steve

Wednesday
• 7.00 - 7.30 pm Loving Kindness meditation with Annie

Friday
• 7.00 - 7.30 pm Loving Kindness meditation with Steve

Sunday
• 7.00 - 7.30 pm Self-Compassion meditation with Annie

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Dying to live!

A workshop for mortals

Have you ever wanted to reflect personally on death but didn't know how to start?

In this interactive workshop with Annie Birken, you will learn in a playful and authentic way how to give death a place in your life. Drawing from her experience as an (end-of-) life coach, she shows what you can do now to feel better prepared later for your last journey through the unknown. So that death becomes less of an enemy and more of an old, familiar friend.

Are you considering taking the course "Learning to Die, Learning to Live"? Then this afternoon is a wonderful way to get a taste of the course content. This workshop is organized a few times a year in Amsterdam.

Maximum number of participants: 12

Cost: €10 or voluntary donation

Agenda

Saturday 14 June 2025, Entrepotdok 94, Amsterdam

Sunday 7 September 2025, Waterspiegelplein 58, Amsterdam

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Learning to Die, Learning to Live

A 3-day course

All of us know that one day we will die, but most of us prefer not to think about it. Why focus on death when you can just live? However, our fear of death can actually prevent us from living our lives fully and without regret.

In this 3-day course, we explore in a reflective and playful way the benefits of befriending death. How is it to live less fearful of death? We reflect on what death means to us personally. Using an authentic spiritual yet universal framework for preparing for death, we learn to take steps in our daily lives to feel more prepared for death.

The course has partly the character of a retreat, with time for quiet reflection, reading, writing, drawing, and guided meditations. We will also have time for sharing and discussing in small groups to learn from and inspire each other.

Themes covered include:

· reflection on our own mortality and the uncertainty of when we will die

· exploring and transforming our own fears around death

· connecting with sources of strength we use in difficult times

· forgiveness and healing

· letting go of attachments

· rehearsing how we want to be at the moment of death

Between sessions, there are reading, writing and reflection assignments to help deepen our awareness of impermanence and root it in daily life.

This course is for you if:

· for any reason, you have become more aware of the vulnerability of life

· you are curious about what happens when we die and how to be ready for it

· You want to embrace your fears about death and dying

· You expect to care for someone in the final phase of life sometime in the future

· You are a care professional or palliative care volunteer and want to become more aware of your own personal fears or resistances toward death and dying

Maximum number of participants: 10

Agenda

12, 26 October, 9 November 2025

10.00 – 4.30pm

De Meditatietuin
Amstelpark 6,
1083 HZ Amsterdam

Cost: €395 or €355 (choose the amount that works for you)

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How does one-to-one coaching work?

During your coaching sessions, you have the space to reflect on the changes you are going through and explore how you want to deal with them. The next step is to focus on the inner resources that can help you navigate. My task is to facilitate your process of reorienting yourself to changes.

I use the Soul-Based Coaching method, a highly effective, holistic approach based on Clean Language. We work together using metaphors, which creates a safe, playful, and creative space for:

• exploring internally what you need
• activating your inner resources
• transforming fears and blockages
• finding a new way of relating to the changes you are experiencing

In addition, if desired, I can share:

• instructions in meditation methods for healing, forgiveness, and self-compassion
• knowledge about the dying process and
• ways of preparing emotionally and spiritually for death

Costs:
Single session: €85
Bundle of 5 sessions: €395

Locations:
• Studio Vliegenbos, Nieuwendammerkade 24F, 1022 AB Amsterdam
• Via Zoom (Timezone is CET +1)

Book a free exploratory call