Art of Dying IV Conference

Art of Dying IV: Living, Dying and Being In Between

Saturday, OCTOBER 2nd

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Plenary Addresses


	The Heart of the Great Matter of Life and Death
	Frank Ostaseski
	The tragedy in being with the dying is not that life is impermanent or sometimes cut short. It is that we often only see in hindsight what really matters. Sitting with others on the precipice of death offers us a rare view. It is a bittersweet teaching often accompanied by a mixture of opposing feelings. It reveals both the precarious and precious nature of our lives. It reminds us that we don’t have time to waste. We can use our lives to prepare for the moment of death and that preparation is a path to living a wiser and more loving life.

	To Die, Perchance to Dream – Aye, There’s the Rub
	Robert A. F. Thurman, PhD
	The Buddhist worldview, along with the view of most spiritual traditions, includes a commonsense acceptance of the probability – indeed reality – of the inevitable continuity of subjectivity after death. The concern then becomes the quality of that continuity. This talk intends to provide an overview of the after-death experience from the Buddhist and Eastern esoteric and psychological perspectives, drawing on the The Tibetan Book of the Dead (The Great Book of Natural Liberation Through Understanding in the Between), and on the work of Western researchers such as Ian Stevenson, Kenneth Ring and Michael Newton.

Workshops


	The Book of Liberation in the Between
	Robert A.F. Thurman, PhD
	In this workshop, we will go deeper into the inner scientific and meditative preparation for both death and assistance to the dying, and also address the issues arising from the grief of bereavement. We will use Robert’s translation of The Tibetan Book of the Dead and refer to Sogyal Rinpoche’s classic, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, the Dalai Lama’s work on the subject, and other more recent Tibetan works in English. We will concentrate on the “Death Point Between” preparation and on various post-death ceremonial practices primarily for the bereaved, as they might be adapted from the Tibetan treasuries for people of modern cultural backgrounds.

	Afterlife and the Renewal of Jewish Death Rituals
	Simcha Raphael, PhD
	Judaism has a well-developed system of death rituals designed to assist the bereaved and their families in times of need. We will explore the psychological function of Jewish rituals of death and mourning from a spiritual perspective, which takes as a given age-old Jewish teachings that human consciousness survives bodily death. By integrating Jewish ideas of life after death into contemporary life, how do we transform our rituals of burial, mourning and memorialization into “soul-guiding” practices?

	Compassionate, Mindful Treatment of Dying Patients
	Leslie Blackhall, MD, MTS
	Western medicine has not done well in coping with the care of dying patients. Death is seen as a failure of medical care. As a result, dying patients suffer needlessly and caregivers suffer burnout and moral distress. At the University of Virginia, an innovative new initiative normalizes the issue of dying as part of medical care, and teaches clinically excellent, compassionate, collaborative and mindful care of patients with life-limiting illnesses. In this workshop, we explore what it takes to create the systematic change in clinical care that this kind of training might lead to.

	With Eyes Open: Being Real at the Bedside of the Dying
	Frank Ostaseski
	The eyes of a dying patient are clear mirrors. In their gaze, there is no place to hide. Being face to face with dying requires a fierce compassion and self-awareness that is best supported through mindfulness, inquiry and fearless receptivity. We will explore the capacities that best serve at the time of dying such as applied compassion, calm presence and non-attachment to outcome. Weaving together moving stories, Buddhist practices, and good common sense, Frank offers an integrated, contemplative approach to dying that is experiential and goes well beyond the traditional medical models.

	The Nature of a Good Death
	Leslie Blackhall, MD, MTS
	As clinicians caring for those nearing the end of life, our goal is to give our patients a “good death.” Our understanding of what that means, however, is colored by our gender, our religious beliefs, our life experiences and, perhaps most importantly, our culture. In this workshop, we will start by investigating our own preconceptions and assumptions about what constitutes a “good death.” We will then move on to examine what it means to die well across cultures, using case histories, the arts, and social science research. We will also explore how this data can be used to deepen and enrich the ways we care for our patients.

	Indigenous Teachings on the Art of Dying
	Elena Avila, RN, MSN
	In the tradition of Curanderismo, death is seen not as an end but as a stage in a constant cycle of living and dying. This workshop aims to expand the insight of participants into ancient traditions that can enhance the experience of dying for patients, families and health practitioners. As both a Curandera and a practicing nurse, Elena teaches a holistic approach that includes ceremonies that assist the dying such as Limpia, or spiritual cleansing, treating Susto, or soul fright, and Platicas, or heart-to-heart talks, to enable the dying person to release their body with joy and peace.

	Past Life and Life Between Lives Regressionn
	David Parke
	What happens to us when we die? Past Life Regression is a technique to help people recover memories of their past lives and see the karmic ties that they have carried into this lifetime. Life Between Lives Regression takes a person into the spiritual world so they can follow their soul's journey and gain greater insight into the challenges they face in their current life. We will discuss in depth many of the notable personalities in the regression field and also the work done by Michael Newton who focused his efforts on the life between lives.

	An Evening of Contemplative Musicianship
	Therese Schroeder-Sheker
	This evening is an intimate and contemplative session, a meditation of music and words offered to support the profound issues of life and death, dying and becoming, that animate our conference.