Waking to Living and Dying
Sissel and Marcie on the deck overlooking the beach at our June 4, 2011 all-day session on living and dying
Sacred Art of Living Workshop taking place this spring.
The PSZC’s Waking Fully to Living and Dying program is embarking on an exciting journey this spring. Carol Spangler and Cheryl Ellsworth have generously offered to lead a series of classes/workshops expanding on the Sacred Art of Living (SALC) curriculum that Dr. Dean Sharpe summarized in his November 2011 presentation at Vashon Community Care. Carol and Cheryl have both been through the extensive training lead by the Sacred Art of Living Center in Bend, Oregon.
The class/workshop series will be in six parts, and will meet once a month through July. Participants will have readings and writing to work through during the month between meetings, and will also interact with a partner during the month. The class size is limited to sixteen participants. At this time the class is filled. However, we feel that this may be just the beginning, and that this series may be regarded as a pilot program. We will keep people informed of what is going on in the workshop through postings here on the PSZC web site.
“Sacred Art of Living & Dying is more about living than about dying. These workshops draw from the wisdom of our ancestors that the quality of life is enhanced when we do not live in fear or denial of suffering and mortality. The results of facing or “leaning into” existential/spiritual pain are profound and may include the improvement of physical health and enhanced capacity for healing—as well as peace of mind and the transformation of spirit. These insights, while critical at the end of life, are also useful throughout the many other real “deaths” that occur throughout every person’s lifetime including times of illness and loss and the normal stages of transition such as birth, adolescence and elderhood.”
Here is what Carol says about the series she will be co-leading at the Zen Center this spring:
“The intent of this six-month journey is to become a community of practitioners in the sacred art of living and dying; embracing our own mortality and the mystery of life and death. As we begin our journey, we thought it would be good to speak of our individual intentions and hopes for our work together. What calls you to engage in this conversation? What support do you need to wake more fully to living and dying? What are your hopes for our time together? Part of the conversation in our first session will be sharing around these questions… In our own way, we are, individually and collectively on a pilgrimage. One definition of pilgrimage is “a transformative journey to a sacred center.” It’s a spiritual exercise and a journey of risk and renewal. We can only imagine where our journey will take us!”
Meeting Dates for the Sacred Art of Living workshop series (class is full):
Friday, March 2
Monday, March 26
Monday, April 23
Monday, May 28
Monday, June 25
Monday, July 23
Dean Sharpe from Oregon’s Sacred Art of Living Center speaks at Vashon Community Care, November 29, 2011:
transcription of the first 15 minutes of the talk
Click here to see a list of articles about what this group is up to.
Contact Sissel Johannessen at sissel@centurytel.net to get on the group mailing list.
