Present To Dying
A community based contemplative care program for beginners
This November 7th - 9th, 2025, Present To Dying is being offered as an immersive 3-day residential retreat at the Grinwood Retreat Center, located on beautiful Hicks Lake in Lacey Washington.
We're naming this offering, 'Present to Dying ~ Gifts of the Turning Earth'. And the gifts are myriad... an additional Autumn opportunity to come together and express gratitude for our precious lives, to practice bearing witness as beginners to the joys and sorrows of life, to release our loss and renew our spirit, to learn simple important skills in caring for the dying, to grow in community through our practice of council, and to cultivate loving and compassionate action in the world!
As with our springtime program and as noted above, this retreat will be conducted as a Council, in the intentional geometry of the circle, also known as the sacred wisdom circle. It's often said that the circle itself is the teacher, and during our time together, we will be exploring that assertion, cultivating the capacity to speak and listen as beginners, from 3-centers of awareness: mind ~ heart ~ body. We will engage in direct experiential practices intended to deepen our awareness of impermanence, loss, the realization of our interconnectedness and interdependence, as well as our own good hearts, and those of our neighbors.
We will experience opportunities to express and memorialize our losses. We will learn what to expect as death draws near, what tasks and opportunities exist inherent to dying and how the contemplation of dying leads to greater insight into how we can live our best lives now. We hope you join us in November, where together we can explore what it means to be Present to Dying and to celebrate the Gifts of our Turning Earth.
Is Present to Dying an End of Life Doula Training Program? While our program does not lead to formal certification as a Doula, it does meet the proficiency standards for Doulas set by the NEDA (National End-of-Life Doula Alliance). Present to Dying is a contemplative care program that covers the scope of practice common to Doula work. It will prepare you to to support and be present to dying people - including yourself. It will prepare you to serve with us as 'Compassionate Companion' or with a local Hospice. It will also help prepare you to become a certified professional End of Life Doula if that is your intention.
3-Day retreat content summary
DAY 1 - The Contemplation of Dying
Optional Morning Activities (Optional for those arriving Thursday Evening)
-Morning Sitting
~BREAKFAST (8-9) for those that arrived Thursday evening.
Registration 9:00-9:30
1. OPENING: (Formal program start at 9:30) Welcome Councilors!
A. Introduction to the program
B. Tools: Introduction to the Practice of Council and the Wisdom Circle
C. Contemplative Practice: Strong Back- Soft Front and the two faceted gem.
2. The 3 questions and 'Listening from the Heart'
~LUNCH (12-1PM)
3. Living With Loss ~ Present to Dying
4. The 9 Contemplations: our relationship with death
~DINNER. (6-7PM)
5. ‘Care of the Dying in the 11th Hour'
6. Grief Work ~ Creative Corner
7. Evening Meditation Practice
DAY 2 – Bearing Witness
Morning Activities
Silent Sitting
Qigong.
~BREAKFAST
1. Bearing Witness to Dying
2. Clear Seeing and the Practice of Ubumuntu
~LUNCH
3. The Practice of Birth and Death.
4. The Flower Ceremony
~DINNER
5. Movie Night ~ Care of the Vessel ~ Departures
6. Grief Work ~ Creative Corner
7. Evening Guided Meditation: Ubumuntu Part 2 - Acceptance/Transformation
DAY 3 – The Experience of Death and Life After Loss
Morning Activities
Silent Sitting
QiGong
~BREAKFAST
1. The Practice of Dying ~ the dissolution of the body.
2. Council Reflections on the practice of dying
3. Somatic Exercise ~ Gratitude
~LUNCH
4. The 3 questions on being 'Present to Living'
5. CLOSING THE CIRCLE
A. Life After Loss Practice
B. Disposition of the Medicine Bundle
C. Dedicating the Merit and Closing the Council
D. Graduation and Remembrance: Graduation & Group Photograph,
E. Burning Ceremony ~ releasing our prayers and aspirations to the Universe
Join us for our NEXT COUncil retreat
2025 Autumn Course Dates: November 7th through November 9th.
(Please plan to arrive promptly at Grinwood Retreat Center, Westwood Building, at 9AM, Friday, November7th).
Early Check-In: For those traveling from afar or just wanting to check in to the retreat the night before the formal program begins, you will notice on the registration that for $25 dollars more you may arrive at the Retreat Center at 6PM or later on Thursday, November 6th! One of our team will be there to show you to your room.
Location: Grinwood Retreat Center, 6015 30th Ave SE, Lacey WA 98503
Parking: Located in front of the Westwood Building, the main building where the retreat is conducted. There is also parking near the Chalet and the other buildings at Grinwood.
Registration Process: Three ways to register.
(1) Please print and complete the PDF registration form below and include the course fee and return to the following address. Hospice Without Borders, 1713 State Ave NE, Olympia, WA 98506
(2) After printing and completing the registration, scan and email to david@hospicewithoutborders.com
(3) Contact us using the blank form below and we will return your message and arrange a time to complete the registration over the phone.
Course Registration and Cost: The cost of this retreat is kept to an absolute minimum and is inclusive of all meals, lodging and retreat materials, except you do need to bring your own towels, bed linens, pillow, toiletries, and for one of the practices which takes place lying down, a camping sleeping mat and a light blanket and small pillow are recommended. On the registration form you will see how cost varies depending upon whether you come early, whether you request vegan or gluten free meals as opposed to standard or vegetarian meals, and whether you request to stay at the Westwood building or the Chalet.
Scholarship: We do have limited scholarship funds for those requesting support.
Once we process your registration, we will contact you by email to confirm you plan to attend and provide you with course introduction details that will help prepare you for the program. We will also inform you if your 1st option for lodging is unavailable. We hope to see you in November!
The easiest way to pay the registration fee is to do so via the donate button on our website. Begin with the form, and if you have questions and or difficulties with the process, please don't hesitate to call us at 360-556-4974,
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
If you have additional questions not answered above, or you wish to register for the course over the phone as described above, please feel free to contact us using the form below. One of the course leaders will contact you in 1-3 business days.