Workshops: How to Help the Very Sick and Dying
Venue: Hayagriva Buddhist Centre, 64 Banksia Terrace, Kensington 6151, phone 9367 4817. Detailed enquiries to valerie.len@bigpond.com
Saturdays 1:30pm-4:30pm 16, 30 October
Two Workshops presented by the Wheel of Life Training Team – Hayagriva Buddhist Centre
Ven Sangye Khadro, in her book Preparing for Death and Helping the Dying, explains why it is important to help the dying and why most of us need training to do it properly: “It is said in the Buddhist teachings that helping another person to die with a peaceful, positive state of mind is one of the greatest acts of kindness we can offer. The reason for this is that the moment of death is so crucial for determining the rebirth to come, which in turn will affect subsequent rebirths.
However, helping a dying person is no easy task. When people die, they experience numerous difficulties and changes, and this would naturally give rise to confusion as well as painful emotions. They have physical needs – relief from pain and discomfort, assistance in performing the most basic tasks such as drinking, eating, relieving themselves, bathing and so forth. They have emotional needs – to be treated with respect, kindness and love; to talk and be listened to; or, at certain times, to be left alone and in silence. They have spiritual needs – to make sense of their life, their suffering, their death; to have hope for what lies beyond death; to feel that they will be cared for and guided by someone or something wiser and more powerful than themselves.”
In these Saturday afternoon workshops we will explore together the emotional, spiritual, medical and legal aspects of helping friends and loved ones at the time of death. You may then have the courage and the knowledge to help skillfully and compassionately at this crucial time. A donation of $30 per workshop, towards costs (folder, handouts, afternoon tea, hall operating cost) would be appreciated.
