The Great Matter of Life and Death
Summary
In this episode, Myosin Kate McCandless leads a memorial service honoring recent losses, including public figures like Dolly Parton and Wendell Berry. She explores the Buddhist concepts of impermanence and non-attachment, emphasizing that caring deeply does not require clinging. The talk addresses the complexities of grief and mourning, using personal anecdotes and the story of a memorial bench to illustrate how the legacies of the departed continue to shape our lives.
Topics discussed
Welcome and introduction to Mountain Rain Zen
Reflections on the turning of the seasons
Honoring recent losses and setting up the altar
The three marks of existence and the fourth mark
Impermanence, no self, and Indra's Net
Attachment theory and the need for connection
Non-attachment versus disconnection in practice
Cultivating awareness of clinging and letting go
Grief as a natural emotion and the concept of bereavement
Mourning rituals and cultural variations
Avoiding the suppression of grief with Buddhist principles
The Buddha's teaching to Ananda on parting
The Zen story of Satujō and universal grief
How practice supports the process of grieving
The evolving relationship with the departed
Personal experiences of legacy and presence
Stories from hospice work and witnessing healing
A memorial bench and spreading kindness
Complicated grief and the responsibility of karma
Reading Wendell Berry's poem 'The Sycamore'
Closing honors and call to support the community
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