7:00-8:30 pm EST

Tuesdays: October 1 / 8 / 15 / 22 / 29, November 5 / 12 / 19 / 26, December 3 / 10

About the Book Group

In this book group we will explore Andrew Holeck’s book, Preparing to Die: Practical Advice and Spiritual Wisdom from the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition. This book is highly recommended by accomplished Buddhist teachers, end-of-life care professionals and their caregivers. This book group is open to all levels of experience.

Group Sessions Breakdown

*Please read the forward and introduction before attending the first session

October 1: Forward and Introduction—Introductions and group discussion

October 8: Chapter 1. What to Do For Yourself Before You Die

October 15: Chapter 2. What You Can Do For Others Before They Die

October 22: Chapter 3. What to Do For Yourself As You Die

October 29: Chapter 4. What to Do For Others As They Die

November 5: Chapter 5. What to Do For Yourself After You Die

November 12: Chapter 6. What to Do For Others After They Die

November 19: Chapter 7. Before Death Approaches

November 26: Chapter 8. Caring for the Dying

December 3: Chapter 9. After Death

December 10: Chapter 10. Difficult Issues: Organ Donation, Euthanasia, Suicide, Abortion/Miscarriage, Death of a Pet, Conclusion

You Will Receive

• An opportunity to discuss topics such as death and dying in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition
• An opportunity to explore Tibetan Buddhist rites, rituals and customs
• An opportunity for meditation, discussion, and connecting as a community
• Meditation, discussions + Q&A

You Will Gain

• Experience to enrich your understanding of death and dying
• A deeper appreciation of impermanence that reduces attachment, anxiety, suffering and emotional reactivity
• An opportunity to share your experience in a supportive community
• An opportunity to practice in the comforts of your own home and/or practice space

Required Reading Material

*The book will not be shared electronically. Please purchase the book from your own preferred vendor.

Preparing to Die: Practical Advice and Spiritual Wisdom from the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition by Andrew Holecek

Prerequisites

No experience necessary. Open to all levels of experience.

About the Teacher

Alley Smith is an ordained Buddhist Minister of Religion (Upadhyaya) in the Shambhala Lineage. She serves as a Chaplain at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, USA. She also holds precepts in Zen Buddhism. Alley is a US military war veteran. She specializes in spiritual care, mortuary affairs and as a funeral clergy. Alley has been a student of Shambhala Buddhism and Zen since 1999.  

Email: [email protected]