Cambridge Insight Meditation Center logoCambridge Insight Meditation CenterDedicated to integrating meditation practice and wisdom into daily life

Back to all Programs

Lessons from Hospice (in person only)

Program Type:
Teacher:,
Time:10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Date:Sunday - July 9, 2023
Sessions:1
Registration for this program is closed.

Registration for this program is full.

This workshop is intended for those who are interested in pursuing hospice training and/or who want to gain more awareness of being with people who are facing life-limiting illnesses. It is not recommended for anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one within the past year.

We will explore hospice teachings and exercises that may add richness to being with those dealing with terminal illness -- both the ones who are ill and the loved ones surrounding them. Although this is not a hospice training program for a specific hospice, we will investigate important issues that arise in working with the dying and their families based on hospice teachings. Some topics will include readings, discussions, and exercises that will help facilitate being present to those dealing with terminal and other serious illnesses. Also, we will look at our own way of being with ourselves at such a time.

Areas we will explore include:

  • The Dying Process: What you might see, what to expect, and ways to sit with the actively dying.
  • Listening and Communication: What is the difference between reacting and responding? How might our views, judgments, and fears separate us from being as present as possible to those who are dying? How can we hold our reactions with kindness?
  • Creating a Safe Space: How can we be fully present while maintaining a safe boundary for ourselves and for those we are being present to? How do we navigate community at this time?

Suggested Reading: The Magnanimous Heart by Narayan Helen Liebenson. As we explore ways to deepen our receptivity to be with illness and death, this book will support us in cultivating our own personal way to integrate loss and grief.

Space will be limited to 12 participants.

If you are interested in attending this workshop, please send an email to Nancy Barcelo at neushvna@gmail.com, or call (617) 312-4260. Include your name, email address, and phone number, and write a brief paragraph saying why you are interested in being part of this workshop, and what you would hope to learn. We will contact you as soon as possible to let you know if a space is available. Online registration for this program is not available.

This workshop is being offered on a dana basis through the generosity of the facilitators. Though there is no set fee, participants will have the opportunity to make a financial contribution to CIMC on the day of the program.

Please bring a vegetarian lunch or plan to go out during the lunch break. Masks will be optional.

There are no prerequisites for this program.

Workshop

Attending an In-Person Workshop at CIMC (see below for attending online workshops)

  • Please arrive at least 15 minutes early to check-in and to find a comfortable place in the meditation hall.
  • While at the Center all phones, pagers, beeping watches and other electronic devices must remain completely turned off at all times.
  • Parking at CIMC is limited; we suggest taking public transportation to the Center whenever possible.
  • Lunch will not be provided. Participants are invited to bring their own vegetarian meal to the Center or may buy lunch in the neighborhood. A list of local restaurants and food stores will be available.
  • Food and beverages, including water, are not allowed in the meditation halls.
  • We strongly recommend you dress in layers since the temperature in the meditation hall will vary throughout the day. The hall thermostat is set to a comfortable temperature range; however, please give yourself a range of clothing options, as individual preferences for warmth or coolness differ widely and cannot be accommodated.
  • Please leave shoes on the shoe shelves on the first floor and keep your valuables with you at all times.
  • CIMC provides zafus (round cushions), zabutons (large mats), meditation benches, blankets, and chairs for your use. At the end of the program, we request that participants brush off their zabuton and plump up their zafu. All other items should be returned neatly to where they were found.
  • CIMC is a refuge. Out of compassion for those who may have chemical sensitivities, please avoid using scented products—lotions, deodorant, after-shave, hair products, perfume, clothes laundered with scented detergent, or dryer sheets—before you come to the Center.

Attending an Online Workshop

  • We will be using Zoom for this workshop. Before your workshop begins, be sure to download Zoom and familiarize yourself with using the program, including the chat feature. Specifics about how we will be using Zoom during your workshop will be covered at the beginning of the workshop; however, we are not able to provide technical support during the workshop.
  • We ask that you treat our virtual meditation hall as if we were together in person, in the same room. The teachers and other yogis benefit greatly from your full presence and careful attention.
  • Join each session of the workshop a few minutes early. This will support the teachers and your fellow participants.
  • Ideally, power off phones and smartwatches for the entire time scheduled for the workshop on each day. Please don’t check your devices during breaks. We suggest that you put an “away” message on your email and voicemail and leave your devices in another room during your workshop hours.
  • Please keep your video on during our time together as much as you can. This supports a sense of connectedness and sangha.
  • Closed Captions for CIMC Programs are generated through “live streaming” via Rev.com. CIMC programs are not live-streamed to any other platform for any other use.
  • You will receive a welcome email from CIMC a day or two before your program that will include the zoom link and further information.