Awaken to life with Mortals

Overcome your deepest fears and learn how to fully engage with your life.

With evidence-based tools and experiences contained within a compassionate community, Mortals guides you in embracing your mortality to profoundly enrich your life.

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We recognise that we live in a society where people are increasingly disconnected, often thinking they're alone in their struggles – including the heavy stuff like, well, death.

On top of that many of us are grappling with chronic or long term health conditions or have experienced the loss of a loved one, which leads them to think about the big things about life - meaning, purpose, fear and hope.

Yet, thinking and talking about mortality seems to happen only when things are tough.We believe it's time for a change...

How does it work?

Research shows that coming to terms with your mortality has the positive benefit of improving life satisfaction, wellbeing and meaning.We also know that that providing ‘social support’ (i.e. groups) can help people find a container for their problems and that the greater the support experienced by individuals, the lesser their fear of death.It's been shown that accepting death can liberate people from fear and anxiety of death, and lead them toward living their lives with purpose.

With Mortals our goal is for you to go...

From feeling alone with intense emotions...
to finding a sanctuary to express and explore those feelings.

From facing life's major transitions and stress alone...
to being part of a community that helps navigate life's big changes together.

From fear and anxiety about death...
to a transformed perception leading to peace and acceptance.

Ready for a transformation?

Sign up to receive updates about the next 6-week Mortals programme in 2025, and the release of the Mortality Attitude Profile.

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Why join Mortals?

• To have the chance to explore your mortality in a safe, supportive, diverse group, you’ll gain new perspectives on life and death
• By participating in rich, engaging activities and conversations that gently challenge you, you’ll co-create a supportive environment that helps you process your feelings effectively, to support your own growth.
• Finally, you’ll have the chance to metabolise your experiences to shape a meaningful legacy.

Who made Mortals?

Mortals was created by Ivor Williams, in collaboration with psychologists and psychotherapists with guidance from spiritual leaders and others. It is built upon years of Ivor’s research - as Lead for End-of-Life Care at Imperial College London - into contemporary methods for supporting mental health and wellbeing and is based upon pioneering research in sociology, end-of-life care and psychospiritual care.

Who is this for?

Mortals is for everyone, because death affects everyone. Our mission is to support anyone at any stage of their life in an authentically inclusive space.When Mortals fully launches, we believe it will be particularly beneficial for those experiencing major life changes, facing existential problems due to climate change, bereavement, long-term or chronic illnesses or conditions, and terminal or life-limiting illness.

Who is this not for?

Our current offering is not for those who have been bereaved in the last 6 months or recently diagnosed with terminal illnesses. Given our small team, we don't have the in-house expertise to support people who may need additional support. We recommend professional 1:1 support for them if they feel they require any help with their experience.

What is the Mortality Attitude Profile?

The Mortality Attitude Profile (MAP) is a proprietary web-based questionnaire assessing one's views on mortality across five psychological areas. Once completed, it provides a personalised "Mortality Type" that can be used in your daily life much in the same way the Myers-Briggs personality tests can provide important insights. It is also a foundational part of the Mortals programme. It was designed in collaboration with psychologists, and is underpinned by robust academic research and empirical evidence, so you can trust the findings.

Is this safe?

Our work is based upon a variety of sources, including ethically-approved clinical studies alongside long-standing practical exercises and meditations that have been used by many people over hundreds of years. We hold ourselves to a high standard of care, with years of experience in facilitating group work around sensitive/difficult topics and have designed our programme with input from clinical experts who have advised the best way to mitigate risks and provide the most reasonable care for people taking part in the programme.

Isn’t it a bit morbid to think about death?

While current societal norms might make it feel morbid, engaging with mortality has long been viewed as a profound way to truly understand and appreciate life. Think about the ancient Stoics, the use of Memento Mori in art, or the Death Café movement. Mortals is built upon a long tradition that has helped many people over the millennia.

What can I expect to get from Mortals?

Simply put, by understanding your personal attitude to mortality and engaging in our activities and being part of our community, we aim for you to find greater purpose, improved well-being, and lead a more fulfilling life.

What is the structure of the programme?

The 6-week programme offers weekly online sessions that centre around mortality awareness exercises. Week 1 sets the stage by explaining the pilot and gently introducing issues around mortality. Week 2 has participants pondering their ideal death. From Week 3 to 4, they deeply explore mortality through exercises like visualising a terminal illness, meditating on death, analysing their fear of dying, and recognising the consequences of evading mortality thoughts. Week 5 and 6 emphasises tasks that orient you towards your purpose and meaning in life and the creation of a legacy document connecting participants to their cultural roots, values and future generations. All with access to the private, online community.