ACI 8
Death and the Realms
of Existence
with Inna & Bill McMichael
Online Course
September 19–October 18, 2026
A practical course for deepening meditation, understanding karma, and living with more purpose, wisdom, and compassion
English Pусский Italiano Українська Türkçe Español български Français ACI 8:
Death and the Realms
of Existence
ACI 8, Death and the Realms of Existence, with Inna and Bill McMichael, offers a clear and practical blueprint, based on timeless Buddhist texts, for understanding this life, the choices we make, and the future those choices create.
In this course, we will explore teachings from Master Vasubandhu’s Abhidharmakosha, the First Dalai Lama’s Illumination of the Path to Freedom, and Je Tsongkapa’s Great Book on the Steps of the Path.
This course helps us look honestly and wisely at the precious opportunity human life gives us, and coaches us on how to stop wasting time, deepen our practice, and live in a way that truly benefits ourselves and others.
You’ll learn how these teachings can bring clarity to daily decisions, support meditation practice, and help you use this life with more purpose, wisdom, and compassion.
WHO THIS COURSE IS FOR
Those who want to understand what happens after death—not at the level of guesswork, but at the level of precise knowledge from a timeless wisdom text
01Meditation practitioners, because the awareness of death and the interim bardo state between life and death changes the quality of any practice
02Those tired of abstractions and discussions of laws of the universe, because in ACI 8 everything is concrete: worlds, levels of existence, types of birth, causes of rebirth
03Those with an analytical mind; the Abhidharmakosha is essentially Buddhist science, with classifications, causes, and effects
04Those who feel that their current life is not an accident and want to understand how to use it as consciously as possible
05
Our classes are based on some timeless wisdom texts. Our main text is The Treasure House of Higher Knowledge (Abhidharmakosha), written by the 4th-century Master Vasubandhu. We will also use Illumination of the Path to Freedom, a commentary written by His Holiness the First Dalai Lama (1391–1474), and excerpts from The Great Book on the Steps of the Path (Lamrim Chenmo) by Je Tsongkapa (1357–1419).
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN THE COURSE
Map of the Worlds The three main realms of existence, with 17 levels of the Form Realm, our Formless Realms, and six types of beings in the Desire Realm, from gods to hell beings. You will learn about the complete structure of the reality in which we live.
What Happens After Death The intermediate state, bardo: how it is structured, how long it lasts, what happens there. How and why rebirth occurs. Modes of rebirth. How you transition from one realm to another. Causes of rebirth in each realm. The conditions necessary for birth in the human world, and why this is an opportunity not to be missed.
The Structure of the Universe How world systems form, develop, and disintegrate. Types of eons and their duration. How life appeared on planet Earth (from the Abhidharmakosha's perspective).
Suffering and Its Causes The six sufferings that are always present in samsara. Descriptions of the hells, hungry spirits (pretas), animals, humans, pleasure beings, and formless beings. The five degenerations of our age. The four principles of karma.
How to Relate to Death Problems that arise from not being aware of death. Benefits of developing awareness of death. How to properly meditate on death.
ACI 8
Take a wild but informative ride with us through all the realms of existence—what it is to be a human and how you get to be one; what other kinds of beings there are in our universe; how planets get born and destroyed; what time and space really mean; and where you go and what you do when you die.
As certified ACI teachers with many years of study and deep personal practice, Inna and Bill offer a grounded and accessible introduction to these profound teachings.
Register today! This course is free and open to anyone.
COURSE TEACHERS
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Bill McMichael
Bill McMichael is a pilot and longtime student of both Khen Rinpoche and Geshe Michael Roach. Bill has been studying ACI since 2000. He has completed all 18 foundational courses and 18 advanced courses, as well as a three-year retreat. As a certified ACI teacher, he shares wisdom which is grounded in deep personal practice.
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Inna McMichael
Inna McMichael is a medical doctor (MD, PhD), psychotherapist, and author of many transformational programs. She also works as a clinical research specialist. Inna has been studying ACI since 2014, and is a certified ACI teacher. These teachings became the foundation of her profound inner transformation, which she now shares in her work with others.
🗓️ ACI 8 SCHEDULE:
🕗 10:00–11:30 a.m. Arizona time
Class 1 — September 19
Class 2 — September 20
Class 3 — September 26
Class 4 — September 27
Class 5 — October 3
Class 6 — October 4
Class 7 — October 10
Class 8 — October 11
Class 9 — October 17
Class 10 — October 18