Spiritual Care in Death and Dying | Meditation Courses & Retreats

The one thing we will all face in our lives is the death of a friend or loved one, and ultimately, the realisation that we ourselves will pass on from this life.

Over millennia religions have sought to help us face our own mortality. In the modern scientific Western culture it is clear that we have little real knowledge of the dying process and what actually happens during death, except as a physical process. This lack of clarity leads to the inability to really know how to support those who are sick, dying or have already passed on. Knowing how to support others can be axiomatic in realising how we can prepare for our own mortality.

This workshop explores at the various aspects of the dying process and aims to find ways to approach our own mortality in a more positive and freer way, so we can be less fearful of this inevitable part of life.

Retreat Dates:

No Date Scheduled

Duration: 2 days

Level: Open to all levels

Venue: Emerson College, UK

Price: £150 non-residential price.
Additional Costs: Limited availability for single (shared bathroom) rooms at £40 (incl. breakfast).
Otherwise overnight stay in local B&B’s.
Optional Saturday lunch (£10 – please book during booking process)

Below are some related articles that have recently been published in the UK press.

Article about Death Doulas

Article about The Death of Loved One

Burgs will share teachings on how we can support those who are facing their own mortality, and how we can still support those who have already passed on.

The weekend will cover a number of aspects:

1. Discourses explaining the dying process from a Buddhist perspective using the teachings of the Abhidhamma as a basis, alongside the energetics that go on during the process.

2. How we can do to help and support those who are in close proximity to their own death and how we can support them energetically when they pass on. We look at how helping steer and hold people into a space of calm and peace can greatly assist their dying process.

3. We will explore approaches that can make a massive difference to a dying person, however and wherever that death occurs. From advance care planning and care of the sick, through to the care of the body and legal and spiritual considerations when arranging funerals and memorials. This will be hosted by qualified nurses with experience in palliative care.

4. There will also be an opportunity to look into how we might approach our own grieving process, the grief that we carry, and how we manage the loss of loved ones who have gone from our lives.

This is the first time that Burgs will be sharing these teachings in a retreat environment. We anticipate that this retreat will become a significant part of the teachings that are offered through the Art of Meditation in the years to come.

The retreat will be co-hosted by Charity Garnett and Cathy Dawe. Both Charity and Cathy are qualified nurses and experienced in palliative care. Their presence will add a new dimension to this workshop.

They will help explore a full range of interdependent factors including physical changes at the end of life, symptom management and practical nursing considerations for those in need. She will also bring insight to working with healthcare practitioners and other sources of support in trying to achieve peace and meaning in the last days of peoples’ lives.

Who's it for?

Overview of the Day

Pricing

Travel

Retreat Food

The workshop is open to anyone who is interested in looking into the dying process and exploring how we can support those around us as well as prepare ourselves for the eventual journey we will all take.

Friday – 10am for 10.30am start
The day will end around 6.30pm

Saturday – 9am for 9.30am start
The day will end around 4.30pm

The workshop will be a mixture of discourses, guided meditations, informative group discussions, and information on the death and dying process from the palliative care perspective.

The price for the workshop does not include room and board. Teachings are included in this price.

A small selection of single rooms with shared bathrooms are available. Please state if you wish to have a room during the booking process.

Single room shared bathroom fixed price of £190
Retreat without room and food £150

A deposit of £100 is required to confirm your booking on this workshop. Without this we can not guarantee your place on retreat.

Cancellation:

You can cancel anytime up to 2 weeks before the retreat starts and we will be happy to refund your deposit completely. If you decide to cancel less than 2 weeks before the retreat we will do our best to refund you your deposit, but this will be dependant on whether we are able to fill your place on retreat and is left to our discretion.

Emerson College is situated on the South Downs near Ashdown Forest – the largest forest in the south of England – on the outskirts of the village of Forest Row in East Sussex. London is 30 miles to the North and Brighton and the South Coast are about 50 minutes drive to the South. London Gatwick airport is 30 minutes drive in a westerly direction and Royal Tunbridge Wells is 20 minutes drive to the east.

Nb: Sat Navs and Google Maps may direct you to the College via Tablehurst Farm. This is not correct. The only access by road is via Pixton Lane off the Hartfield Road.

Emerson College
Hartfield Road
Forest Row
East Sussex
RH18 5JX
United Kingdom

Please bring a packed lunch for the first day or go out for lunch in the local area.

If you are staying at Emerson College overnight then a breakfast will be provided for you as part of your cost.

There is an optional lunch on saturday, for a cost of £15. if you wish to do this please book this during your booking process.

Retreat Venue

Emerson College, Forest Row, UK

Set in magical gardens on the edge of the Ashdown Forest, Emerson College is an independent adult learning centre, open throughout the year. If offers a wide range of meeting rooms that can be let by the hour, day, or year. Emerson can provide overnight accommodation with meals. Camping facilities are also available during the summer months.

Simplicity, tranquility and outstanding natural beauty make Emerson a unique venue for retreat.