Upcoming Events at The Berkeley Alembic
Sat Oct 29, 7:00 PM - Sat Oct 29, 9:00 PM
The Berkeley Alembic
2820 Seventh Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
Community: Berkeley
Description
In Death Sangha we meet to honor the fact of Death, to face our own and others’ mortality in a clear, fierce, and humble manner. HALLOWEEN IN BERKELY
Event Details
At its core, all spirituality is about Death. The Buddha, Buddhism, and meditation practice have always been deeply concerned with Death, dying, and mortality. Every living thing has to face the reality of Death, and yet in modern meditation circles there is almost no confrontation with this ultimate question and primordial mystery. Instead there is denial, obfuscation, minimalizing, and—essentially—painting a smiley face on the whole subject. If that seems ridiculous to you, as well as something that misses the whole point, then Death Sangha is for you.
In Death Sangha we meet to honor the fact of Death, to face our own and others’ mortality in a clear, unsullied, fierce, humble, and gracious manner. In Death Sangha we will play with the fantasies of both eternalism and nihilism, and experiment with the awakening that lies beyond both. We will confront experiences such as Cosmic Horror, Cosmic Shame, and Total Meaninglessness. We will also engage with the mythological, occult, psychological, historical, and phenomenological aspects of this most important topic. And of course we will do plenty of meditation.
Death Sangha is not a spectacle for the curious, nor is it a soporific for the frightened. In Death Sangha, you will confront your deepest fears, your most difficult warts and shadows, and learn to meditate with the reality of your own imminent demise. It has often been said that until we truly accept Death, we cannot actually live. In Death Sangha, we will not meekly accept Death, but rather learn to passionately and exuberantly dance with this final and most intimate partner.
Details / FAQ:
- Led by Michael W. Taft
- Cost: $45 suggested donation
- Want to volunteer? Fill out the volunteer form by Oct 19th and we'll get back to you.
- Doors: open at 6pm and we will begin at 7 pm sharp. The door will be locked & unmonitored after 7pm, so don’t be late. This will be a 60 minute sit, maybe longer. The evening also entails group interaction, so come prepared to participate.
In Death Sangha we meet to honor the fact of Death, to face our own and others’ mortality in a clear, unsullied, fierce, humble, and gracious manner. In Death Sangha we will play with the fantasies of both eternalism and nihilism, and experiment with the awakening that lies beyond both. We will confront experiences such as Cosmic Horror, Cosmic Shame, and Total Meaninglessness. We will also engage with the mythological, occult, psychological, historical, and phenomenological aspects of this most important topic. And of course we will do plenty of meditation.
Death Sangha is not a spectacle for the curious, nor is it a soporific for the frightened. In Death Sangha, you will confront your deepest fears, your most difficult warts and shadows, and learn to meditate with the reality of your own imminent demise. It has often been said that until we truly accept Death, we cannot actually live. In Death Sangha, we will not meekly accept Death, but rather learn to passionately and exuberantly dance with this final and most intimate partner.
Details / FAQ:
- Led by Michael W. Taft
- Cost: $45 suggested donation
- Want to volunteer? Fill out the volunteer form by Oct 19th and we'll get back to you.
- Doors: open at 6pm and we will begin at 7 pm sharp. The door will be locked & unmonitored after 7pm, so don’t be late. This will be a 60 minute sit, maybe longer. The evening also entails group interaction, so come prepared to participate.
