Starting in May, we will be reading and discussing The Five Invitations, by Frank Ostaseski. Join anytime! Each session will begin with a short meditation focused on the “invitation”, a brief summary to date, and a timed popcorn style sharing of your thoughts, feelings and insights surrounding the reading, and the discussion questions at the end of the book.
If you are brand new to Buddhist concepts, this is a great way to be introduced to them in a meaningful way, but they are not required to grasp the messages of this book, which cross all philosophies and disciplines. This book is for anyone who is curious about how to make the most out of this life, and to live each day of it with curiosity, wonder and joy. We will go slowly, and meet monthly, one “invitation” per month.
Book Details
Death is not waiting for us at the end of a long road. Death is always with us, in the marrow of every passing moment. She is the secret teacher hiding in plain sight, helping us to discover what matters most.
Life and death are a package deal. They cannot be pulled apart and we cannot truly live unless we are aware of death. The Five Invitations is an exhilarating meditation on the meaning of life and how maintaining an ever-present consciousness of death can bring us closer to our truest selves. As a renowned teacher of compassionate caregiving and the cofounder of the Zen Hospice Project, Frank Ostaseski has sat on the precipice of death with more than a thousand people. In The Five Invitations, he distills the lessons gleaned over the course of his career, offering an evocative and stirring guide that points to a radical path to transformation.
The Five Invitations:
-Don’t Wait
-Welcome Everything, Push Away Nothing
-Bring Your Whole Self to the Experience
-Find a Place of Rest in the Middle of Things
-Cultivate Don’t Know Mind
These Five Invitations show us how to wake up fully to our lives. They can be understood as best practices for anyone coping with loss or navigating any sort of transition or crisis; they guide us toward appreciating life’s preciousness. Awareness of death can be a valuable companion on the road to living well, forging a rich and meaningful life, and letting go of regret. The Five Invitations is a powerful and inspiring exploration of the essential wisdom dying has to impart to all of us.
Imprint Publisher
Flatiron Books
ISBN
9781250074652
