Death Shadow Retreat
Melanie Ryan was initiated into teaching on death when her only child, Justin Bodhi Steigmeier, died suddenly in 2023 of an aneurysm at the age of fifteen. Justin’s sudden death was a great awakening for Melanie, which propelled her into the death Shadow. Justin’s light is very bright, and he is a guide for Melanie in her healing work with others.
The Death Shadow Retreat is about the ancient wisdom traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. In the Buddhist tradition, physical death is not seen as an end to life. We are not a fixed or solid body, we are energy, always changing and evolving. We are infinite consciousness.
Reincarnation is an alien concept for Western people, but it is fundamental to traditional Buddhism. According to the teachings of the Buddha, all humans go through a cycle of death and rebirth. Death and rebirth have no beginning and no end. The cycle of reincarnation is driven by karma.
All our thoughts, speech, and emotions that drive our actions, shape this life and our future lives to come. What breaks the cycle of reincarnation is attaining nirvana or enlightenment. At that time, you become an enlightened being, a Bodhisattva, who can choose to return to help humanity. You also have the opportunity of becoming a Buddha.
Death is not an end. The Buddha taught that impermanence permeates every aspect of our existence. It is the nature of reality. When we resist and fight reality, we suffer. How we deal with change has great influence on our level of joy or suffering.
Melanie offers a 3- to 5-day immersion to those struggling with death or simply want to go deeper into the Buddhist teachings, clear karma, and learn about consciousness and the study of impermanence. You may have lost a loved one, or you may simply be struggling with change and life’s transitions. This retreat is to provide you with the wisdom to help you deal with life’s changes in a healthy way, how to feel pain and release it, alleviate your suffering, and reconnect with an open, compassionate heart that can experience joy and creativity.
The death shadow retreat is custom-designed to meet your needs. It includes Buddhist teachings on impermanence, life transitions, conscious death, karma, past lives, and reincarnation. You will practice meditation, breathwork, gentle movement, and visualization meditations for healing and purification of negative emotions. There are times in silence in nature, hands-on energy work, and an assessment of natural herbs and supplements to help you with grief.
If interested, please email Melanie to set up a Zoom call to design a retreat just for you. MelanieRyanLCSW@gmail.com
Singles and couples retreat only at this time.
