Summary: I have noticed over the years that many of us are curious about death and dying but most of us want to hold it at arm length. With increased dharma understanding and maturity, we begin to want to close that gap. To do so we have to bring death closer; we have to start living it without interruption. What we notice is that it is immediately accessible and ultimately friendly. Dying is not self-controlled; it is the ultimate act of surrender. It requires both releasing our need to control and the courage to face life without the influence of thought. Our self-controlled life is lived by thinking our way through it, so death means dying into quiet. In your meditation place nothing between you and the quiet that surrounds you. A single thought is too much distance between you and that quiet. Simply release the need to think (without pushing thought away) and live the quiet. Now you are living your death. After the sitting see what interferes with continuing to live your death. This talk is also presented in video here: http://seattleinsight.org/Talks/BrowseTalks/DharmaTalk/tabid/90/TalkID/664/Default.aspx
