Practicing Dying, Practicing Living: Unadorned Lotus Dharma Studio begins the fall season with a rather serious approach to art practice and Buddhist practice. Four art and meditation sessions in the Dharma Studio, working with Buddhist ideas and meditations related to death and dying. Looking closely at death can loosen our fear of death, strengthen our practice, and help us live more fully present, engaged lives. These classes invite an intimate look at death and dying, working with traditional Buddhist meditations and teachings. Each class will include both meditation and art practice. No art experience or skill required. These four sessions will build on and relate with each other and as a series, but also work as single classes; you can come for all or just one or two.
Recommended reading: Joan Halifax, Being with Dying. Reading this book in conjunction with this series of classes will offer a greater depth of engagement with the practice.
In the Dharma Studio, Suite 340, 1111 Godfrey, Grand Rapids, MI. 49503.
10:00 am to 2:00 pm on the following Saturdays:
Sept 21: Impermanence: looking at the transient, evanescent, and inconstant nature of existence.
Oct 12: The Nine Contemplations: a meditation on the inevitability of death and what is important to us in the light of our mortality.
Nov 16: A traditional Tibetan meditation on the Dissolution of the body. We will talk about Tibetan practices related to dying, practice this guided meditation, and then do an art practice in relation to our experience.
Dec 14: Living Fully: This precious human life—a look at the opportunities this life affords us, from a Buddhist perspective, and an examination, in art and meditation of how we can most fully engage in a meaningful life.
Requested Donation of $10 per class. Drop ins welcome but if you can, please register in advance so we can best accommodate you, by contacting Ven. Lianghua Su Jill eggers at jilleggers9@gmail.com, or text or call 616 308-8023. All classes begin promptly at 10:00 am so please allow time to arrive early and get settled in. Doors will be closed once meditation and class has begun.
Questions? Please call, text or email!