Theme: "Funeral rites and support for the grieving".

28 & 29 December 2023

Every year, during the winter session, we meet at the Gendronnière Zen Temple to discuss and explore a theme related to our personal practice and the activities of our various dojos, centres and temples. This year, the theme will be funeral rites and support for the bereaved. It will be an opportunity to re-examine our understanding of the teachings on death. What do the Buddha and other Buddhist traditions have to say about death? In our society, which is losing its bonds and shared values, we are increasingly faced with the challenge of responding to people who wish to have funeral ceremonies to accompany the death of a loved one. What is the function of rites and what are their benefits? And how can we practise these funeral rites at our level in the
forms of Zen Sōtō? During this colloquium, masters and former monks and nuns will clarify various doctrinal points. There will also be workshops for sharing and practising rituals.

The lectures will be translated into English, and depending on the workshop, the discussions will be translated into English, Spanish, Italian or German.
We look forward to seeing many of you at this two-day conference.