Mindfulness of Death: An Online Weekend Retreat

REGISTER: Now – October 6
RETREAT: October 7 – 9, 2022

Online weekend retreat with Shaila Catherine is hosted by the Dharma Zephyr Sangha in Nevada. All are welcome.

“Mindfulness of death, when developed and cultivated, is of great fruit and benefit, culminating in the deathless, having the deathless as its consummation.”
– Anguttara Nikaya 8.7

Western societies are adept at hiding death. It occurs behind closed doors or in “sanitized” locations like hospitals and nursing homes. Most people rarely see corpses up close or witness the process of dying. It may seem that we have lost access to the spiritual insights that a closer connection with death could bring.

Developing mindfulness of our own death can protect the mind from complacency, and inspire us to practice dharma with greater energy and sincerity. Formal death contemplation can prepare us for the inevitable event of dying, help us to let go of latent fears, stimulate profound insights into impermanence, clarify priorities, and abandon sensory attachments.

Many forms of maranasati (mindfulness of death) are taught in Buddhist traditions. Most simply, we practice remaining aware and balanced as we reflect on the fact that we will surely die. These contemplations can remove fear of death and produce a sense of being at ease with the nature of things.

This online weekend at-home retreat will introduce a Buddhist approach to the contemplation of death and dying through a program of live video conferences with Shaila Catherine. The online meetings will include guided meditations, Dharma talks, question and answer sessions and discussions.

For information and registration details, visit the Dharma Zephyr Insight Meditation Community website at: https://dharmazephyr.org