The Bardo

10/20/2025

Let’s take a moment to honor the softer side of Samhain — not the one steeped in darkness and myth, but the one glowing quietly in the last light of autumn.

Beneath the familiar stories of ghosts and veils thinning lies a deeper rhythm: Samhain as the season of surrender. Of listening. Of allowing what has ripened to return to the soil.

The earth loosens its hold, accepting what falls, transforming it into the promise of what’s next. We can do the same — letting stillness soften us, making space for insight, renewal, and gentle beginnings to take root.

This time of year is a threshold — a pause between what’s seen and unseen, between the selves we’ve been and the ones we’re becoming. It invites remembrance, not only of our ancestors, but of all the ways we’ve changed, healed, and grown with the turning of the year.

Samhain calls for a tender quiet. For lighting a candle. For speaking softly to the mystery. For deep listening.

It reminds us that darkness is not an absence of light, but a different kind of beauty — one of stillness, of quiet, of reverence.

So as the days grow shorter, let this season be slow and tender. Step into the hush and listen — the Earth is whispering.

10/13/2025

We gratefully acknowledge the Dakota Peoples on whose ancestral lands we gather, as well as the diverse and vibrant multicultural communities who make this their home today. With humility and a gensuine intention to be od service, we lead with our hearts and strive to honor and value wisdom ways outsdie of our own. We are forever listening and learning- as we serve as stewards of this land and the many beings who inhabit it.

Mni Sota (Minnesota) is centered as the birthplace for the Dakota, with Bdote (where the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers meet).

The 1851 Treaty of Traverse des Sioux led to the cession of Dakota lands, which allowed European settlers to move into the area.

The US-Dakota War of 1862 and the subsequent Dakota War of 1862-1863 were followed by the 1863 Minnesota law that voided treaties and expelled the Dakota people from the state.

A bounty was put on Dakota scalps, and many Dakota were executed or forcibly removed to reservations outside of Minnesota.

And while we can’t erase the past,
we can remember it. And honor all those who came before us. And continue to ask the permission of the land of thee people who once lived in symbiosis with this land, for permission to carry out our mission.

On this day, and always, we remember...

We honor the Indigenous People
-from before, and in all of us.

09/04/2025

Join .mn and in the first joint ! As per usual, we will have tea, cake, wine and an organic conversation. Your conversation guides are professionals in all things end-of-life. Come with questions and curiosities (as well as your grief- it is all safe here).

See you there! What else do you have to do on a Friday night? :)

08/28/2025

To Our Community,
Our hearts are broken.

We grieve deeply in the wake of the recent tragedy that has struck our schools, our neighborhoods, our places of worship and our families. What happened is unthinkable—and yet, it happened here. In our streets. In our schools. To our children. The weight of that truth is unbearable, and we carry it together.

To the families who have lost loved ones, we mourn with you. There are no words that can fill the space left behind, but know that your grief is seen, your sorrow is honored, and your children will never be forgotten.

To the students, teachers, and staff who lived through this trauma: your courage in the face of fear is extraordinary. It should never have been asked of you. You should never have had to wonder if today was the day. And yet you did—somehow, you did.

To the parents and caregivers sending children to school with a knot in their stomach each morning: your fear is real, your vigilance is exhausting, and your love is unshakable. We stand with you. We hold your anxiety as part of our collective burden—and we carry it, together.

Our community is hurting. But in this pain, we find each other. We hold space for mourning, for anger, for fear—and also for hope. Because even now, especially now, we believe in a future where schools are sanctuaries. Where children grow, unafraid. Where safety is a given—not a privilege or a question.

We are not alone. We are with each other. And in our unity, there is strength. In our grief, there is truth. And in our love, there is resilience.

May we remember. May we honor. May we heal—together.

With heartfelt sorrow and unwavering support,
The Bardo ♥️

We are hosting an online candlelight vigil Tuesday, September 2 at 8 pm. Sign up online. Link in bio.

08/12/2025

When art meets function, ritual, and meaning-making, something magical happens. Recently, a dear friend shaped clay into water urns for our Tea ceremonies — hands steady, heart open — and gifted them to us along with a piece of writing on “Dying love”. In our work, we witnessed that catharsis can take many forms: shaping clay, painting, singing, planting, or simply sitting in stillness in nature.

Each act becomes a way to process, to honor, and to connect. Here, in the spaces between life and death, creativity, becomes both a vessel and a ritual— holding not just water, but the stories, emotions, and love that flow through us all.

He hopes to sit with many, teaching to throw clay, as they process their grief and love with the steadiness and imperfections of their own hands.

08/07/2025

Sometimes things seem easier when we have the support of our friends and family. This woman is not even 40 and is dealing with a terminal diagnosis in isolation because her family is in Ethiopia. She laments that in Ethiopia, families sometimes grieve to the point of their own death, when they find out somebody in their family is ill. She has yet to tell her family, even her mother with whom she is incredibly close, that she has cancer and has lost all of her hair. She has nobody to go home to when she gets discharged from the hospital. She suffers with anxiety and depression knowing that she’ll go home to an empty house and have to put on a wig every time her family video calls from Ethiopia. The look on her face when she tells me how much this pains her is enough to take my breath away.

Anyone who is in this line of work is privy to the chasms of differences that each culture holds around end of life. To honor one’s culture as well as hold them in love, is the greatest honor. ♥️

Squeeze those you love. Every day.

07/29/2025

Join us in hosting a Death cafe at Anderson funeral home in St. Paul!
September 5 @ 6 PM.
Registration in bio!

Hope to see you there! ♥️

07/21/2025

Caregivers! Join us The Marsh for some time to meet people who are caring for others as well!

August Coffee for Caregivers with The Bardo 🍩

Caregivers—you give so much to others, now take time for yourself. Join us for a warm, welcoming 1.5-hour open circle where you can connect, share, and recharge with fellow caregivers. Whether you support others professionally or personally, this is your space.

Coffee, tea, and donuts are included. Registration is just $5.

Register here: https://mnminnetonkaweb.myvscloud.com/webtrac/web/iteminfo.html?Module=AR&FMID=103402189

07/17/2025

We recently posted in remembering and honoring of .

The response we received by one follower is worth sharing, as it echos the ethos of reverent living by holding death’s hand daily.

From .rothfolk “Andrea performed their farewell show in Denver at the end of May 2024. It wasn’t announced as their farewell show and yet, there was a knowing in the crowd.

That same day I got news that my sister would end her dialysis treatment. I flew to Minneapolis the next day instead of going back to Washington.

Andrea’s written and spoken treasures kept me afloat those two weeks. Gave me a place to hide. Provided someone that I felt understood how my heart works.

I feel that same elevated empathy from Christin and Bardo. The ability to meet a person exactly where they are and to hold their hand.”

🙏 Thank you, .rothfolk for your tender story and sentiments. ♥️

07/11/2025

Many of you have reached out asking what’s the latest with the Bardo as we’ve been quiet. We have been practicing stillness and listening.

Those of us who fight to make the world a better place are often reminded that it is equally important to care for ourselves to show up in the best way possible. Mothers, you know this lesson well.

Just over a week ago, both Christin with the Bardo and Deb with Mend ( )suffered some significant physical setbacks. Just a little over a day apart, Christin suffered four broken ribs followed by Deb () having an accident that led her to require surgery on her leg. As both of us walk this path together, we are asking ourselves what these messages teach us. To know us is to know that we will search for meaning in most everything and while accidents happen, it feels like this particularly strong message was delivered to remind us about the art of slowing down.

We get it. No more messages please. ☺️

it’s also a good time to be reminded of the power of stillness and what comes from the place of quieting. This is why we’ve been quiet on social media. We continue to be active in our own personal communities and supporting those who reach out with and-of-life needs as we work toward a higher expression of community support.

We will continue to post resources on all things death and dying, as well as updates with events that we are either hosting or participating in.

Thank you for all of those who have reached out and sent your support and love. Part of this is allowing for quiet. We also intend to be very loud at times. ♥️

Perhaps this is a reminder to all to slow down and pause. You don’t have to do it alone. ♥️

06/21/2025

At The Bardo, seasons and rituals make us tick. The Summer Solstice celebrates light at its peak. It calls us to stand fully in our own vitality, to acknowledge what has come into bloom, and to honor the energy and clarity that this season offers. It is a time to give thanks for what has grown and to let the sunlight reveal what is ready to be seen.

This height of light also begins the shift toward shorter days. It reminds us that even in times of brightness and outward movement, change is always underway.

The summer solstice teaches presence; how to savor the fullness of life while quietly preparing for the inward turn that will come.

Even in stillness, transformation continues. The solstice offers a sacred reminder that growth and rest are both essential parts of the journey.

RITUAL IDEAS:
MAKE SUN WATER
Place a jar of spring or filtered water outside in the sunlight for a few hours. Use it later to anoint your tools, add to baths, or sprinkle on your altar for clarity and energy.

SOLAR CANDLE
At sunrise or sunset, light a gold or orange candle. As it burns, speak a simple intention:
“May the light within me grow strong and steady.”

EARTH OFFERING
Leave fruits, herbs, or a splash of honey near a tree or in your garden.
As you give, say thank you-to the land, the sun, and the spirits who dwell in between.

06/05/2025

Join us every Wednesday for a new topic and conversation around end-of-life. Follow link in bio to sign up! We’ll start with the basics and lead into more advanced topics. Each week we will have guest speakers who are seeking to offer a unique perspective on the same topic. Each one of these events is offered online.