Ven Candā: "Liberating Perspectives on Death & Dying" Dhamma Talk and Guided Meditation, 18.5.24

✨We have now moved to our new monastery property! Donations of any amount are especially welcome at this time: www.anukampaproject.org/donate
✨️Please click SUBSCRIBE to help us spread the Dhamma.
Drawing on varied stories from her own life, the lives of others, and the lives of the Buddha and his disciples, Ven Canda illuminates a path for relating to death, fear of death, and grief in a way that is skillful and compassionate. After a 40 minute Dhamma talk digging into the question of how to use death contemplation for a better life, Ven Canda leads a 35 minute meditation, guiding the meditator in providing gentle care to the body while recognizing its impermanence. The talk ends with instructions for walking meditation, including how the walking posture can be used for death contemplation.
[0:00] Introduction
[4:39] Death contemplation
[8:56] The Buddha’s teachings on death
[12:26] Coming close to death (fear and love)
[19:35] The causes of death and fear of death
[22:08] The universality of death
[26:12] Loss and holding grief skillfully
[29:29] The beauty of using life well
[32:05] Reflecting on mortality with compassion
[38:12] Guided meditation
[1:13:10] End of sitting meditation and instructions for walking meditation
[1:17:26] Walking meditation as death contemplation
Perhaps you are witness to someone who is dying, have lost a loved one or have received a diagnosis you are grappling with? Or perhaps you are healthy and imagine death is far away - and that is the way you would like it to stay!
The Buddha recommended meditation on death for everyone, as a way of bringing a sense of immediacy to practice. Although it may initially sound unappealing, by gently turning toward the universal reality of death, we can learn tools for living a fuller life - a life of gratitude and love.
This retreat invites us to contemplate and discuss the universal experience of death and dying, taking inspiration from Buddhist ideas as well as modern scientific research on near-death experiences, to find a greater acceptance and peace within.
More about us:
Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project is a Charity founded in 2016 with the aims to spread the Buddha's teachings and develop a monastery where women can train toward full bhikkhuni ordination for the very first time in the UK. Over the years we have developed a diverse and dedicated spiritual community around these aims and recently found a property! Anukampa Grove Bhikkhuni Monastery, in Boar's Hill, is only 5 miles from Oxford and is surrounded by peaceful woodland. Our moving date is March 22nd, 2024. In this exciting phase we welcome your support so we can make essential renovations and adaptations to the property and welcome visitors and aspiring monastics trainees as soon as possible!
Donations of any amount are very gratefully received, either as one-off donations or standing orders. UK tax payers can claim gift aid, increasing your donation by 25%. International bank transfers can be made via Wise.
Please visit
www.anukampaproject.org/donate or write to [e-mail] for more information.