About me
Let’s get to know each other
Chi Chi Menendez
I am a Death walker living in Mullumbimby on the northern rivers of NSW on Arakwal, Bundjalung country. A Death walker is somebody who can offer you non medical support and walk beside you on your end of life journey. I can help with planning for end of life, offering resources and support or connecting you with services you may need.
I also offer ritual ceremonies, creation of living wakes and funeral ceremony. I craft meaningful ceremonies that honour endings and end of life.
I’ve had a lot of personal experience with death, including accompanying people in their end of life journeys, as well as having experienced many of my own losses. I bring my personal experience to the table, coupled with a big heart, presence and dedication. I have deep reverence for the sacred time that is end of life. I am a spiritual person and work with mysticism, but I am also very open and respectful to differing cultural views and belief systems. I am a curious, empathetic, caring human who is also super organised and will bring you the best of myself in service. I speak fluent Spanish, French and English.
The Why
Many people ask me why I am interested in working in this space, and like many fellow Death walkers it came after a personal loss that turned my life upside down.
I lived and worked in Paris for 20 years as an art director and event organiser. After the sudden death of my brother I returned to Australia to organise his funeral and experienced what Jung would refer to as “the dark night of the soul.” I was devastated and rudderless. I had no tools for dealing with death, so I went on a search to find meaning. I did Vipassana, yoga, read books on zen buddhism, explored religious systems, you name it I looked into it. I was looking for answers but instead I found more questions and a call to work with death. This has this led me on a spiritual quest that continues to this day.
I found renewed purpose by following the call to work with death and to be in service to others.
Studies
In 2022 I embarked on my Death walker training with Zenith Virago. In 2023 I continued my studies with the Consultation and Celebrancy training and completed Zenith Virago’s Ceremony Masterclass. I am now exploring more spiritual approaches to death and the art of crafting personalised rituals for rites of passage. I am continuing to further my studies as a chaplain, as well as delving into the Tibetan texts and other mystical writings. I also work with archetypal Tarot and craft personal grief rituals.
My mission is to build resources, both embodied and virtual, to help others who may find themselves in need of a guide to navigate sacred end of life times.
Projects
I am a busy human and I love doing lots of things and have a passion for working in my community. I organise a series of free events at The Paddock project called “Death Conversations” with the aim to cultivate death literacy through open conversations about death to inform, inspire and empower.
I am the co-founder of Ritual Objects, a ceramics studio specialising in funerary urns, and I am the host of “the Dying Well” podcast. The Dying Well is a resource for learning more about death and dying through a series of interviews with experts and Death workers. I also also organise Death Expo in Mullumbimby and Mullumbimby Death cafe.
If I sound like your person to work with, get in touch. I will be honoured to be of service.
