UPCOMING EVENTS: Contemplative Retreat Day and Memorial Celebration

CEOLP/IFC will be holding its annual Contemplative Retreat for volunteers in March, at the beautiful Dragon Mountain Temple retreat site. The date has not been determined yet, but will most likely be either the first or third Sunday in March.

The day begins with an optional meditation in the ‘kiva’ zendo that is followed by ‘coffee-klatch’ welcoming. The morning proceeds with a talk or presentation followed by discussion. It has been suggested that we use a TedTalk ‘What really matters at the end of life’ by BJ Miller. BJ is a medical doctor focused on end of life/ palliative care and former director of the San Francisco Zen Hospice.

After a lunch break we will have a short period of meditation followed by a contemplative exercise. The day will close with a final sharing with participants before proceeding to the cremation site for the memorial celebration.

The memorial celebration is open to the entire community. During the ceremony we read the name of each person cremated at the site, as well as the names of those who were cremated in Crestone before CEOLP was established. We offer juniper for each and thank them for making the cremation site sacred and for blessing our service and lives with their presence. The ceremony generally takes place at 3pm.