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Articles & Essays: 2008

Understanding Death, Appreciating Life

These articles explore key themes associated with the Ikeda Center's focus for 2008,

Understanding Death, Appreciating Life

Featured Story

• An Interview with Pam Kircher

Called "Humanizing Healthcare and the Process of Dying," this interview gathers some of Kircher's insights on the positive personal and social changes growing out of hospice care and related healthcare movements in America.

"Enjoying the Rhythm of Birth and Death: A Buddhist Perspective"

Articles and resources from the October 18, 2008 lecture by Dr. Yoichi Kawada, which featured a response by Mary Catherine Bateson.

• "Preparing for Death by Fostering Connection with Others"

This article highlights the East-West connections made during the event.

• Photo Essay

Includes images of speakers and attendees engaging in the Center's final death-life exploration for 2008.

5th Annual Ikeda Forum: "Living with Mortality"

Articles and images from the 5th Ikeda Forum for Intercultural Dialogue: "Living with Mortality: How Our Experiences with Death Change Us," held on September 20, 2008.

• "Facing Death: A Path to Personal and Cultural Change"

This feature story reports on the insights that emerged during the day from event participants and from panelists Pam Kircher, Vincent Harding, Megan Laverty, and Anthony Marsella.

• Photo Essay

Photographer Marilyn Humphries' images capture the serious intent and the joyous spirit of the event.

• Participant Insights

The morning small group dialogue session concluded with participants sharing insights from their discussions of how they have been changed by their encounters with death and dying.

General Interest

"A Fear To Be Overcome"

In this reflective essay, the Ikeda Center's Jeff Farr explores the philosophical rationale and social context for the 2008 focus.

"Learning to Learn About Death"

This feature story reports on the public dialogue held at the Center on February 27, 2008. In this piece you will encounter some of the key reflections offered by event speakers Mary Catherine Bateson, Nur Yalman, Harvey Cox, and Tu Weiming. The article also explores the rationale for the 2008 focus "Understanding Death, Appreciating Life."

"How Near Death Experiences and the Hospice Movement are Transforming American Values"

Sharing findings from her experiences in the worlds of hospice and Near Death Experience, Pam Kircher outlines a vision of hope for the future, one built on "simplicity and compassion and connectedness." Pam was a featured speaker at the September 20 event, "Living with Mortality."

"The Buddhist Outlook on Life and Death"

This feature story from 2001 provides an introduction to Dr. Yoichi Kawada's insights on how life and death are viewed within the Mahayana Buddhist tradition. This article makes for good reading in preparation for Kawada's October 18 lecture at the Center, "Enjoying the Rhythm of Birth and Death: A Buddhist Perspective."

"Mahayana Buddhism and Twenty-first Century Civilization"

This lecture by Daisaku Ikeda, delivered at Harvard University on September 24, 1993, articulates many of the ideas that animate the work of the Ikeda Center. The Center's focus for 2008, "Understanding Death, Appreciating Life," endeavors to explore Ikeda's ideas on the cycles of life and death, as put forth in this talk.

Ikeda Center for Peace, Learning, and Dialogue
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