If you prefer to listen to the podcast version of this newsletter, check out below:

Listen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music

Hello!

I'm David Morin.

I'm a former Peace Corps volunteer and sales professional turned poet, death doula, and prison rehabilitation facilitator.

I help driven individuals seek deeper meaning and fulfillment in their lives through contemplation on their final chapter, unblocking clarity, urgency, and purpose.

This is a formal announcement of my first business offering, inspired by the book A Year to Live by Stephen Levine.

I'm leading a small group of people, starting Wednesday February 5th, for a year-long life experiment based on this question/scenario:

What would you do if you only had one year left to live?

Note: This post was written as an introduction to this concept, with context of my journey here, my own experience taking this class previously, and the broader scope of why this work is so important. Feel free to skip sections if you prefer. The second half of this post is a thorough FAQ section, including the flow of the curriculum and what to expect from this year long experiment.

If you want to sign up or learn more before committing, reach out to me directly via email, WhatsApp, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

You can also sign up for a time to chat some more here.

A Year to Live, by Stephen Levine

This group is based on the book of the same name by Stephen Levine, a poet, author, and meditation teacher who accompanied countless people on their death beds for their final transition.

Levine found that most of the people he worked with who received a terminal diagnosis almost always used the "bad news" as a second chance at life.

Some wanted marriage, others sought divorce. Some wanted adventure and traveling, others wanted to learn the guitar.

So, he decided to build a relationship to his own inevitable end, giving himself a pretend death date and living as if he had one year left on Earth.

The book itself provides practical tools and profound guided meditations to help with this work, which will be supplemented by lessons and reflections of my own.

I've spent a lot of time and energy into creating a really helpful map and flow of this experiment that I wish I would have had when doing this (I'll talk more about my own experience below.)

I'm proud to say that I've got something I'm extremely proud of, with a delicate balance of infusing my own direction to material that is already perfect on it's own.

Why Me to Lead This?

From Corporate Sales to Poetry

In 2021, I was stuck in a sales career that was no longer important to me while battling resentment and addiction. Everything changed when I attended a 3-day darkness meditation retreat in Mexico, where I discovered I was a poet. A few months after that, while instinctively accompanying my abuelo through his final days in hospice, I was formally introduced to my calling as a death doula.

In the next year, I wrote over 1,000 poems, fueled by a dramatic yet authentic life-or-death urgency that taught me how alive I truly was.

In retrospect, this moment was my first taste of truly grasping my mortality.

I ultimately realized life was too short to not fill it with what I loved doing, so I quit my sales job—my dream sales job with my company car and on pace for my first six figure year—to write poetry. I knew it was crazy, but I didn't care.

Nothing else mattered.

The next 18 months were a roller coaster, traveling all over the world following poetry and my curiosity of mortality to Morocco and through Europe, hosting poetry workshops in Guatemala and following the Monarch Butterflies to their sanctuary in Michoacán, Mexico.

My own Year to Live experience

I eventually came across this class called A Year to Live, which was offered by Wilka Roig, an incredible teacher, death doula, transpersonal psychologist, and the director of the Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Foundation in Mexico.

I originally signed up for one reason: I wanted to find some way to be able to relate more to my death doula clients. I wanted to grasp a crumb of understanding what it might mean to be facing an impending death.

The class officially started in January 2023.

I attended the monthly group calls, but hadn't opened the online module or the book yet. I was too scared to do it.

I didn't have the courage to open the first module until a couple months later, in March 2023. That's when I saw the first instruction that I was desperately avoiding:

"Welcome to A Year to Live. One year from today will be your death date. Write it down now."

Shit. Here we go, I thought.

March 7th, 2024 was my death date. No going back.

It turned out to be the most profound and healing year of my life.

Discovering Priorities Before My Death Date

During my Year to Live, I became crystal clear that service and family were the most important things to me before my "death date."

That's when I stumbled into prison rehabilitation.

At a conference, I made a friend from the film industry who had been formerly incarcerated. He still attended support groups at the prison he paroled from, so I asked if I could join him and share some poetry. It was the most fun I've had in years.

I became so passionate about the space that I went back for the next few months. And then reality reality sank in: I was broke, running dangerously low on savings, and had no prospects of income.

So, I made a deal with Life.

I told Life: "If you find a way to pay me for this work, I will give every last day until my death date to these men." I meant every word. I didn't see past March 7th in my head. (You don't have to take it this seriously!)

Less than a month later, I had a part time job.

Less than a month after that, that part time job turned into full time.

Suddenly, I went from being one of five facilitators for a group of 30 men once a month, to being the only facilitator for three groups of 90 students, three days a week at a level four maximum security facility. I was fortunate grateful to have service I was so passionate about. Getting a full time salary for it was icing on the cake.

Healing with my Family

The urgency of my death date also made it crystal clear that repairing my relationships with my parents could no longer be put off. This became my focus in the second half of the year after coming to this sobering realization:

"I don't have time to wait for my parents to heal to love them the way I've been waiting to."

Phew.

This acknowledgement alone was enough to begin releasing any remaining resistance and resentment I held towards them. By the end of 2024, most of my immediate family began therapy together, including my parents who had been divorced for 15 years.

Living with my mortality in mind started as a contemplation.

Slowly it became a teacher.

Now it's a way of life.

If you want to sign up or learn more before committing, reach out to me directly via email, WhatsApp, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

You can also sign up for a time to chat some more here.

Why this is the most important work you can do for yourself and the world.

Make no mistake. You can buy this book right now, read it on your own this weekend, and have a profoundly impactful experience on your own which could impact the rest of your life.

However, if you'd like a group of people to explore this with, to bounce off some powerful insights and reflections and have a community of people to go on this journey with, consider joining my study group.

Disclaimer:

This next section explores the deeper, existential layers of mortality and its influence on society and culture as I’ve seen it. It's meant to provide a broader, philosophical context of my approach to this topic and why I believe this is the most important inner work that humans can do for humanity and the planet.

If you'd rather skip this section and get to the rest of the program details, skip ahead to "Here's what's included in the program."

Mortality as an Iceberg

Mortality is the greatest teacher we will ever have, yet it's a class that no one wants to take.

Welcome to the class.

It is not a stretch to claim that the human species has never been as far removed from death, and its unbiased wisdom, as we are today.

We live in an age of overwhelming outrage: over injustice, over untimely death, over suffering. And while much of this outrage is valid and deserves our attention, it's worth asking: how much of it is also tangled with our fear of death itself?

Think of this outrage like the visible tip of a glacier. What we focus on—grief, anger, and injustice—rises above the surface. But beneath the waters lies something far more menacing: our collective denial of our mortality.

It is this massive, unseen weight that shapes so much of our fear, avoidance, and despair without us even knowing. Yet, we rarely dive beneath the surface to examine it.

When someone dies unjustly or too soon, we rage loudly, and we question: Why this? Why them?

But rarely do we sit the root of our anger or grief.

Is it injustice alone that fuels our outrage, or is it the chilling reminder of our own impermanence that has us kicking and screaming on autopilot?

I don't know this answer for sure. But the more we demand answers, the less time and energy we spend contemplating these questions.

Without these necessary conversations with ourselves and each other, how will humanity break free from the cycles of trauma and violence that haunts our species as a whole?

Mortality as a Teacher

This distinction of our outrage matters.

Where we direct our collective energy and intention matters.

We often put these two in the same boat simply because it’s easier to, but there is an ocean of nuance here that we are spiritually incapable of dipping our toes in as a society, preferring instead the raging waters of our fear.

In a world that refuses to acknowledge mortality, it's easy to blur the lines between our fight against injustice and our fight against death itself. Yet, they are not the same. If we can untangle them, mortality becomes less a fuel of fear and more a teacher, offering us perspective, presence, and clarity.

Our ancestors understood this better than we do now. Death was a part of life: witness, honored, and faced directly. People died at home, surrounded by family, and their passing was marked by collective, communal mourning while the corpse rested in the home for days. Today, death is hidden away in hospitals, abandoned in nursing homes, sanitized, ignored, seldom seen and halfway grieved. We've even changed our language to soften the blow: "unalive" feels safer to say than "dead."

This denial to our mortality isn't just about avoiding sadness or despair; it reflects a deep disconnection from life itself. Yet, the more we push death away, the more we rob ourselves of the chance to live fully.

This of course, is often felt but rarely acknowledged in ways we crave. We lack the language and courage most days.

But of course, there's always hope.

We can reclaim the wisdom of mortality, not as a teacher of despair but as one of depth and perspective.

We get to dive beneath the surface of the glacier to cut through the noise and reconnect with what truly matters.

In doing so, we transform our fear into purpose, hesitation into urgency, and disconnection into presence.

By cultivating an intimacy with mortality, we remove the blanket of a false comfort that we are guaranteed to make it to 80 or 90 and feel the chill of contemplation of having one year left to breathe. Reunite with the part of yourself that has long been lost.

At the end, when our body weakens and the muscles can no longer give, our only choice will be to retreat into our inner home before the long sleep.

By softening that bed now, we sink more comfortably into life's unknown so we can live with more intention, clarity, and urgency than ever before.

Join me and a small group of like-hearted seekers in a year-long deep dive into mortality and uncover new depths of what it means to be alive.

Here's whats included in the program:

• (13) live 90-minute virtual calls once a month, recorded for replays.

• (3) 60-minute 1:1 calls with me throughout the year for additional guidance and reflection.

• guided meditation recordings

• a safe container for exploring difficult topics

• WhatsApp group chat for ongoing discussion and updates

• forms to help complete an Advanced Directive and Living Will

• There may be an in-person retreat at the end of the program which would be optional and will be decided based on group interest. Please note: The retreat is not included in the core fee and would be a possible co-creation explored later in the course.

Topics of exploration:

• the value of a one-year commitment to death conscious living

• embracing the unknown and your fear of fear itself

• the natural, ancient process of Earth that is death, life, rebirth

• regrets, unfinished business, guilt, shame

• fear-revealing and fear-reducing meditations, mindfulness techniques, and dying meditation practices

• life review practice

• the spectrum of grief

• integration and intuition

• love and compassion

• forgiveness and gratitude

• the impermanence of the flesh

• legacy work

If you're interested in joining, this year-long group will begin on Wednesday February 5th, 2025, and will last for thirteen monthly calls, each on the first Wednesday of the month (the 13th call is a complementary follow up call for this group which will be in February 2026).

If you want to sign up or learn more before committing, reach out to me directly via email, WhatsApp, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

You can also sign up for a time to chat some more here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Take your time with this information if needed. It can be a lot to digest sometimes.

This isn't your typical FAQ. I've sprinkled in some more specific experiences and lessons of my own for some of the questions. Do take it all with a grain of salt. If you join, or if you do this on your own, your process will be personal to you.

Who is A Year to Live for?
How Long is the Course?
When and how often do we meet?
What kind of commitment will be expected?
Will there be homework?
How serious to I need to take this experiment?
How might I feel after completing A Year to Live?
What is the curriculum?
Will we meet in person for a closing out ceremony?
Will focusing on my mortality increase my chances of dying?
How do I sign up?

Who is A Year to Live for?

If you’re ready to embrace the full spectrum of human experience, confront your mortality, and live with greater urgency and intention, A Year to Live is for you.

This program is for everyone, and can meet anyone where they're at.

However, I have designed this program for individuals who are…

• Driven, growth-oriented professionals

• Seeking a change in life but not sure where to start

• Curious about mortality

• Seeking personal transformation

• Curious to get your feet wet for a deeper sense of spirituality

• Open to exploring vulnerability

• Eager for a life transition

• Looking to live more authentically and unapologetically

Are you ready to embrace life with the same urgency and intention as you would embrace your final year?

This isn't just about facing your ending.

It's about getting a new perspective on life in all of its vibrant strokes and hues. It's about shedding what no longer serves you until what truly matters reveals itself.

If you're ready to commit to a transformative year, to embrace your mortality like a long lost friend and allow it to guide you to a more authentic, peaceful, purpose-driven life, then I would love for you to join us.

This is a small, intimate group, and space is limited.

If you want to sign up or learn more before committing, reach out to me directly via email, WhatsApp, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

You can also sign up for a time to chat some more here.

How long is the course?

The program begins on February 5th at 5:30 pm PST and runs for 13 months, with calls on the first Wednesday of each month. This will be the first call of the 13.

The final call will be in February 2026, where we’ll reconvene after the 'death date'.

When and how often do we meet?

Calls will be the first Wednesday of every month at 5:30pm PST.

What kind of commitment will be expected?

Each month, we’ll meet for a 90-minute session that will begin with some insights, reflections, or a poem from me. The heart of our time together will be the group sharing their reflections and lessons with each other in a safe container.

The theme throughout will be noticing and honoring what we feel in each moment, an important practice as we prepare for the ultimate unknown.

The focus for the first month will be reading the entire book. It is smaller than the average book, though it does pack a punch. It is 168 pages broken up into 39 chapters.

It is expected that some parts might be too heavy to read at the beginning of the study group, or all in the span of the first month. This is okay. Simply notice this and note that chapter for when it comes up again later. Certain chapters will be reviewed in different months.

Will there be homework?

Each month, you’ll be assigned reflective activities, including meditations, journal prompts, or contemplations, to deepen your understanding and integration of the themes.

There will also be a section focused on important end-of-life documents if you feel comfortable addressing them, though nothing assigned will be mandatory.

Every experience, including resistance, or simply honoring another more urgent desire with your time, is not only valid, but encouraged.

When I took the class, I rarely did the assigned monthly reading or assigned meditation. But I honored my own process every single day, and still had an incredible experience.

Please note that for end-of-life documents, I am not providing legal advice or counsel. Any assistance or resources I provide are solely for informational purposes. Consult with a qualified attorney or legal professional when making any decisions regarding planning or legal documents.

How serious do I need to take this experiment?

The level of seriousness you apply to this year is entirely up to you.

When I took the course, my teacher mentioned that in nine years of teaching this material, no one had ever taken it as seriously as I did.

I approached it with such intensity because I knew I wanted to continue this work long-term, even hiring my own death doulas to guide me through my final last few months.

You do not have to approach it the same way I did. This isn’t about rigidity, it’s about creating a space where you can explore your mortality at your own pace, integrating the lessons in a way that makes sense for you.

The more you engage with the material, reflections, and contemplations, the more transformative your experience will be. But there’s no “right” way to approach it.

This is a journey, not a test.

Whether you engage with it lightheartedly or with deep, daily contemplation, your experience will be meaningful in its own way.

Remember: We all live uniquely, and our experience of dying will reflect that too. The way we honor death is the way we honor the present moment.

Before we die, all we will have is a moment. A moment just like this one.

How are you showing up in your life?

How might I feel after completing A Year to Live?

What might change for you if you fully embraced each moment or each day as though it might be your last?

There's only one way to find out…

Common side benefits include (but are not limited to, nor guaranteed):

• A greater sense of clarity and purpose

• Increased clarity for difficult decisions

• Increased emotional resilience

• A renewed sense of urgency and presence in your life

• Profound inner peace

• A deeper connection with loved ones

• Increased capacity for compassion and empathy

• Increased empowerment, confidence, and authenticity

What is the curriculum?

The curriculum is broken up into quarters largely based on my own reflection of taking the class myself. Each quarter will transition us into the next stage of living consciously with our mortality.

The flow will be as follows:

Q1: Fear

Feb: Death

March: Loss

April: Grief

In the first quarter, we set a gentle intention to explore the fears behind our fears—the ones that keep us from living fully. This invitation prepares us to face the ultimate unknown with an open, unfettered heart in the coming months.

Q2:Fulfillment

May: Desire

June: Review

July: Intention

Next, we focus on what truly matters, developing a sense of purpose and making practical plans for living fully before our death date.

Q3: Acceptance

August: Prepare

September: Share

October: Heal

In this quarter, we sit more intentionally with death and dying, preparing essential end of life documents and explore the opportunity for healing with those we love.

Q4: Surrender

November: Life

December: Death

January 2026: Rebirth

Finally, we sink deeper into the cyclical nature of our own life and death, acknowledging the parts of ourselves that need to be released while welcoming the rest of our lives.

Will we meet in person for a closing out ceremony?

While the in-person retreat is not currently set in stone, it would be a celebration of our year-long journey together and a meaningful opportunity to honor and bond deeper through our work together. More details will follow as we progress through the course. This would be a co-creation by the members of the community.

Will focusing on my mortality increase my chances of dying?

This is a common concern—and honestly, I worried about it myself when I started the course, so I don’t blame you. Let me save you from a few months of anxiety that I experienced so you don't have to:

Life and the universe respond to your intention. If your intention is to use the awareness of mortality to live more fully, then you have nothing to worry about.

At some point during the process, I found the blessing of having a full year to live. There was a certain safety in that "pretend" awareness, especially when I felt the weight of tomorrow never being guaranteed.

Thinking about your death will not invite it any more than thinking about sex will get someone pregnant.

What you can expect, however, are insights and synchronicities unlike anything you’ve ever experienced.

How do I sign up?

To join this year of transformation, reach out to me directly or schedule a time to chat here.

Contact me directly below:

Email | WhatsApp | Instagram | LinkedIn.

What Others Are Saying