Death & the Art of Dying: The Bardo of Letting Go with Andrew Holecek

Demystify and prepare yourself for the ultimate letting go using specific meditations, visualizations and other practices from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.

All of life is held within the context of death, and by acknowledging and preparing for death now, we ironically find ourselves living more fully — and fearlessly. In this program we will celebrate the preciousness of the human condition and ready ourselves and others for its final journey. As the traditions proclaim, “If you die before you die, then when you die you will not die.” With preparation, we can transcend death, turning the greatest obstacle into the greatest opportunity — to attain enlightenment.

In The Bardo of Letting Go, we will learn how to die a good death and how to help others die. Taking a practical view, we will consider the ramifications of various choices regarding death, such as suicide, euthanasia and organ donation. We will also explore meditations and other esoteric practices, such as dream and sleep yoga, that prepare us for letting go of this particular life.

Andrew Holecek has completed the traditional three-year Buddhist meditation retreat and is the founder of the Forum of Living and Dying, which offers seminars around the country on death and dying. He writes a column for Bodhi Magazine and his book on spiritual hardship, The Power and the Pain: Transforming Spiritual Hardship into Joy, will be available in April, 2010.

Extend Your Stay. We are offering a 25% housing discount for additional nights. Come early and relax before your program starts to savor your retreat experience.

Please arrive between 2 and 5pm on Friday, October 1. Program ends with lunch at 12:30pm on Sunday, October 3. View Detailed Program Information.