In this 4-part series of solo episodes I’m sharing wisdom about the intertwining of life and death in a perfect dance that spirals throughout eternity. Today I talk about balance, which is an essential element of any dance. Learn how to balance dying while living and living while dying! These thoughts are derived from my book What Really Matters: 7 Lessons for Living from the Stories of the Dying.
This episode includes:
- Thoughts on coping with tragedy and 5 tips for spiritual survival
- Why we cannot live fully (and in balance) if we ignore death
- How the medical system perpetuates the separation of death from life
- How being mindful of death helps us let go of attachments and live with equanimity
- Practices for bringing death awareness into daily life:
- Morning gratitude practice
- Mantra: This day is a gift
- Notice death around you – including tragedies in the world
- Observe the “little deaths” each day
- Practice getting back into balance
- Discover joie de vivre (the joy of living) and practice love through your final breath
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Art of Dying Author Series with Karen Wyatt MD – September 6, 2019 – Open Center, NYC
- Workshop: Earth Lessons for the Soul – September 7, 2019 – Open Center, NY
- Blog post: How to Cope When Tragedy Strikes
- Get the book: The Dark Interval: Letters on Loss, Grief, and Transformation by Rainer Maria Rilke; translated and edited by Ulrich Baer
- Get the book: The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche
- Retreat: A Deeper Dive Into Death
- Join the team at Patreon.com/eolu and get access to the EOLU mug: “Mind if we talk about death?” (only Patrons can purchase it)
If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes! Thanks again to all supporters on Patreon.com/eolu, especially my new patron, Heather Thomas–your contribution means everything to me!
Beautiful, touching description of your dance with life and death. Thank you. It affected me deeply, Karen! Thank you.