Zen & Dying Workshop with Robert Joshin Althouse, Roshi and Rosemary Salerno MSW, LCSW: July 18-19, 2009

This workshop will examine the nature of dying, how we relate to death, our own as well as others’ deaths. The workshop will approach dying from the point of view of the care giver, as well as the person who is dying. 

How do we approach our own death? How do we deal with fear and worries regarding dying? What are some of the myths and assumptions we have about death that may not be helpful when we actually face our own death?

If we are a care-giver, how do we go through this? What things need to be thought about before the person is close to death? How do we handle the many details around death? Is hospice right for your situation? How do you care for someone, and care for yourself at the same time?

Althouse Roshi is the Abbot of the Zen Community of Chicago. He has studied in both Zen and Vajrayana Buddhist traditions and has been teaching Zen for 18 years. He lost both of his parents and his sister in his early 20’s. Having just turned 60, he brings a wealth of life experience to the work of grief and dying.

Rosemary Salerno brings 15 years of extensive experience to her work in the areas of grief, loss, end of life care, and holistic healing. She is a Vajrayana Buddhist practitioner. The personal loss of her son, Jason, adds a profound depth to her work with death and dying. She uses Reiki and other skillful means to assist those at the end of their life by creating a peaceful transition and providing a holistic model of treatment for the grieving.

Cost: $175/ZCOP member; $225/non-members

Register for Zen & Dying Workshop here

Seven Day Sesshin: June 7-14, 2009

This traditional Zen retreat will involve intensive zazen, services, Teishos (dharma talks), Dokusan (private interview) with the teacher, samu work periods, body work and the practice of immediacy.

This sesshin will be the concluding event of our 90 day Spring Ango training period. It will conclude with a Shuso Ceremony in which the Shuso presents a koan case from the Shoyoroku and participants question her about the koan. The sesshin begins Sunday, June 7th at 7:00 pm. It ends with a Sunday Service on Sunday, June 14th that finishes with a communal lunch at 12:00 noon.

Cost: $350/ZCOP member; $525/non-members

Register for Sesshin here

“Zen Photography: Blind Seeing” Workshop: May 2-3, 2009; with Peter Cunningham

Professional photographer, Peter Cunningham will be offering a special workshop on Zen Photography at the Empty Sound Temple. This will be a rare opportunity to work up close with a master of this medium. Never a dull moment when Peter is around, this promises to be stimulating, fun and highly creative.

Peter recently returned from his 4th trip to China where he is working with young Chinese photographers and completing Still Films and books around the theme of Cultural Evolution. This might seem a long journey from his first paid job as a photographer in 1973, when for $25 he made Bruce Springsteen’s first pictures at Columbia Records and later did the same for Madonna. Peter learned to be a professional photographer creating images for famous performers in music and theater, he did this for 15 years until the birth of MTV made the field less interesting. To view his work go to http://www.wordwiseweb.com/.

The workshop is on Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm, Sunday 9 am to 4 pm.

Cost: $115, ZCOP members/$125 non-members

Register Photography workshop here