More to Dying than Death

    Registration for this course has now closed as it is fully booked. Keep an eye on the website for future courses which will be set up next year.                                   

     To die will be an awfully big adventure  J M Barrie (Peter Pan)

Dawa Ozer, Jinlab, Ngeshe and Jamyang are offering a book study of Lama Shenpen’s ‘There’s more to dying than death. A Buddhist perspective’. 

Dawa Ozer has a background in Nursing and Midwifery. She has worked both as a hospice and Marie Curie nurse and hosted Death Cafes for several years. 

Jinlab is an Art Psychotherapist in a hospice, accompanying patients, families and carers at end of life and in bereavement. 

Ngeshe Özer has been a practicing Buddhist for many years, and with the Awakened Heart Sangha for five years. She has accompanied relatives during dying and at the time of death and recently trained as an end-of- life doula.

Introduction:

In Lama Shenpen Hookham’s book ‘There’s more to Dying than Death’, Lama invites us to radically transform our relationship with death. In doing so, she points to a deeper experience of being alive.

Drawing upon the Tibetan Buddhist tradition of positively preparing for death throughout life, she offers a way of living with greater ease and contentment, and to ultimately face our own death with confidence.

In this book, Lama Shenpen consolidates the Discovering the Heart of Buddhism (DHB) study themes within the context of living and dying. She shows how students can practice relating to whatever experience unfolds in life or death, by resting not in thoughts, but in the larger embrace of our indestructible heart essence.

Writing with openness, clarity and sensitivity, she specifically considers issues surrounding death and caring for the dying. For example - how meditation helps us to understand death; the stages of death and rebirth; how the living can help the dead or dying; practical planning for one’s own death and bereavement.

Bob Dylan said, “If you’re not busy being born, you’re busy dying” and we’re all busy dying.  The question is not, “Is there life after death?” but “Is there life before death?”  A lot of the time, we live life relatively mindlessly, getting better and better at being unaware.  Observing the dream-like quality of life can sow the seeds of great compassion for those who cling to it as though it would never end. Most importantly, awareness of death leads to an awakened appreciation of every precious moment of life. This is a great gift.

Practicalities:

Lama Shenpen Hookham requests her students read ‘There’s More to Dying than Death’ annually. It can take courage to explore our own mortality and to consider that which goes beyond birth and death. This course provides the opportunity to read, digest and explore together, in sangha.

Start date: Tuesday 16th January 2024 at 7pm UK time.

Format: We will read chapters of the book independently and meet to discuss weekly. 

Eligibility: This course is aimed at members of the Awakened Heart Sangha who have completed DHB. However, if you have not completed the DHB and have a particular interest in attending, you are also welcome. Please contact us to discuss.

Zoom link: https://ahs.org.uk/meet/room1