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Life and Death Workshop 1: Facing the Truth of Impermanence

Saturday Sep 28
2:00-3:45pm

Photo by A. Jesse Jiryu Davis

 

Let me respectfully remind you
Life and Death are of supreme importance
Time swiftly passes by and opportunity is lost
Each of us should strive to awaken…
Awaken… Take heed!
Do not squander your life.

 

This workshop is the first in a series exploring this Great Matter of Life and Death.   The workshop dates are: September 28, October 19, November 16 and December 14

In this workshop, we examine the truth of impermanence. The Buddha set the wheel of the dharma in motion saying “All that arises is subject to ceasing.” It’s easy to understand this truth conceptually, and yet we cling, which causes us to suffer. Together, we will contemplate our own experience, noticing what is arising and what is falling away in our own lives, as we embark on the path to realization.

The second workshop, on Oct 19, One Year to Live, asks us to contemplate our own impermanence. We will ask questions: whether we have unfinished business, what and who is most important in our lives, and how we want to spend the precious time we have left.

The third workshop, on Nov 16, introduces the Japanese tradition of writing a death poem. We will engage in this centuries old tradition through examining the form, reading death poems by zen monastics and poets, and finally writing our own.

In the fourth and final workshop, on Dec 14, life comes forward as we look at how we live our lives fully in the complete awareness of our own impermanence. We examine Case 63 in the Book of Serenity, Joshu Asks about Death, and reflect on what it means to live in “daylight. What does it mean to live life intimately?

The workshop series will be led by Ryoshin Hoshi and Senior Student Jisei Reigeluth.

You can register for all four workshops or each workshop individually. The cost for each workshop is $30 (members) or $45 (non-members). There is a $20 discount if you sign up for all four workshops.

The workshop involves small group discussion. It will not be recorded.

 

 

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