Encouraging emotional and spiritual growth during the end-of-life process. Articles on meaning-making and inner peace.
In my work as a death doula, I sit with people in some of the most tender and heart aching moments of their lives. Most – if not all – of my clients have to confront grief at one point or another. It shows up differently for every person, every loss, and every season of…
The transformation that can occur when people are brave enough to examine their thoughts and beliefs is incredible. We talk about people being “ready to die”. I have seen people absolutely not ready to die, not yet having come to terms with their lives, and people that find that place of grace and serenity before they go.
Contemplating consciousness, perception and mind has been a lifelong pursuit. The question of the nature of our existence is like a little muse that sits on my shoulder all the time.
Less than a month ago I attended the funeral (celebration of life) of a very special woman named Barbara. I got to know her through my weekly visits to a memory care facility in the city. She was often accompanied by her lovely and amazing companion; Jenny. Jenny – knowing how important socialization is for people living with dementia – frequently…
Science shows us that we are not made of static parts, but of patterns—processes in motion, constantly assembling and dissolving. We are not so much “things” as we are “events,” happening over time. And yet throughout all this movement we hold on to a sense of singular identity. A name. A face in the mirror. A feeling of being “me.”
Have you ever been to a funeral of a loved one and wondered if you were in the right place because the eulogy was so different from what you knew of that person?
Time is an illusion
It all happens right now
Kind, patient, content, committed.
Beauty never ends
I thought that anyone facing death would want to right wrongs, share sage advice, ask for forgiveness and forgive. My experience as a death doula is that this doesn’t always happen.
The website Living with Purpose says that, “Your Personal Legacy is more than simply a statement of how you wish to be remembered after you pass on. It is something that enriches your life and reveals you and what your life is about to your family, friends, and your community.”
Believe it or not research suggests that there is a correlation between sad movies and our happiness – the idea being that by watching heart-wrenching movies, we appreciate more what we have in our own lives. Watching sad movies can also validate our own feelings of grief, depression and angst.
“Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.”
Embrace each day as potentially your last by finding joy, practicing gratitude, and planning for a ‘good death’ with daily delights.