There are only two things absolutely certain in life: birth and death, with death as potentially one’s greatest teacher. This presentation will focus on the deaths of loved ones and one’s own looming death as great opportunities for spiritual learning. The presenter, Karen van Vuuren, has worked for 17 years in elder care, hospice, holistic end-of-life care, and natural death care. There will be reflective and interactive exercises to explore our overt and subconscious beliefs about death. Clips will be shown from two educational documentaries written and produced by the speaker – Dying Wish and Go in Peace. Karen will discuss the lessons about the ingredients for a peaceful transition out of this world, distilled from this work. She will end with stories of spiritual transformation through “being with death” through caring for our own dead.
Third Thursday Spiritual Forum
Nov. 15, 2018; 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Center for Spiritual Living Boulder Valley
107 E. Geneseo St, Lafayette, CO
Presenter Biography
Karen van Vuuren is a former broadcast and newspaper journalist whose focus in the last 17 years has been end-of-life education and empowerment. Her two award-winning documentaries, Dying Wish (www.dyingwishmedia.com) about stopping eating and drinking at end-stage illness, and Go in Peace (goinpeacefilm.org) about the role of caregivers in healing the soul wounds of veterans, have screened nationally at hospice conferences and film festivals. Van Vuuren is also the founder of Natural Transitions (naturaltransitions.org) , a non-profit which hosts workshops and conferences and produces a biannual magazine on holistic approaches to end of life. Her latest project has been to co-found Colorado’s first holistic mortuary, The Natural Funeral, (thenaturalfuneral.com) at 102. W. Chester Street, Lafayette. The mortuary will be opening in early 2019. Watch for the tea parties and other events to allow people to see the mortuary and educational space.
Third Thursday Spiritual Forums present mind-broadening and spirit-enriching topics every month. For further information, contact Dr. Jay Burch (phone 720-917-9303, or email: jayburch333@gmail.com).