Sacred Passage (eBook)

RN Margaret Coberly Ph.D (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2003 | 1. Auflage
176 Seiten
Shambhala (Verlag)
978-0-8348-2870-4 (ISBN)

Infos

Working as an emergency room nurse, Margaret Coberly came in contact with death on a daily basis. However, it wasn't until her own brother was diagnosed with terminal cancer that she realized she understood very little about the emotional and spiritual aspects of caring for the terminally ill. To fill this gap she turned to the unique wisdom on death and dying found in Tibetan Buddhism. In this book Coberly offers sound, practical advice on meeting the essential needs of the dying, integrating stories from her long career in nursing with useful insights from the Tibetan Buddhist teachings.

In the West, death is viewed as a tragic and horrible event. Coberly shows us how this view generates fear and denial, which harm the dying by adding unnecessary loneliness, confusion, and mental anguish to the dying process. Tibetan Buddhism focuses on the nature of death and how to face it with honesty, openness, and courage. In this view, death is not a failure, but a natural part of life that, if properly understood and appreciated, can offer the dying and their loved ones an opportunity to gain valuable insight and wisdom. Coberly argues that the Tibetan Buddhist outlook can be a useful antidote to the culture of fear and denial that surrounds death in the West and can help caregivers become more fully present, fearless, honest, and compassionate.

Sacred Passage highlights two very practical teachings on death and dying from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and presents them in clear, nontechnical language. Readers learn about the 'eight stages of dissolution leading to death,' a detailed roadmap of the dying process that describes the sequence of physical, psychological, and spiritual changes that occur as we die. Coberly also presents the 'death meditation,' a contemplative exercise for developing a new relationship to death—and life. The book also includes a lengthy, annotated list of recommended readings for added guidance and inspiration.

Topics include:
How the terminally ill can experience emotional and spiritual healing even when they can't be cured Why Western medicine's relentless focus on curing disease has led to inadequate care for the dying What to expect during the dying process How our fear and denial of death harm the dying Techniques to help caregivers promote a peaceful environment for the dying and their loved ones How to meet the changing physical and emotional needs of the dying Helpful advice on what to say and how to behave around the terminally ill

---

Working as an emergency room nurse, Margaret Coberly came in contact with death on a daily basis. However, it wasn't until her own brother was diagnosed with terminal cancer that she realized she understood very little about the emotional and spiritual aspects of caring for the terminally ill. To fill this gap she turned to the unique wisdom on death and dying found in Tibetan Buddhism. In this book Coberly offers sound, practical advice on meeting the essential needs of the dying, integrating stories from her long career in nursing with useful insights from the Tibetan Buddhist teachings. In the West, death is viewed as a tragic and horrible event. Coberly shows us how this view generates fear and denial, which harm the dying by adding unnecessary loneliness, confusion, and mental anguish to the dying process. Tibetan Buddhism focuses on the nature of death and how to face it with honesty, openness, and courage. In this view, death is not a failure, but a natural part of life that, if properly understood and appreciated, can offer the dying and their loved ones an opportunity to gain valuable insight and wisdom. Coberly argues that the Tibetan Buddhist outlook can be a useful antidote to the culture of fear and denial that surrounds death in the West and can help caregivers become more fully present, fearless, honest, and compassionate. Sacred Passage highlights two very practical teachings on death and dying from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and presents them in clear, nontechnical language. Readers learn about the "e;eight stages of dissolution leading to death,"e; a detailed roadmap of the dying process that describes the sequence of physical, psychological, and spiritual changes that occur as we die. Coberly also presents the "e;death meditation,"e; a contemplative exercise for developing a new relationship to death—and life. The book also includes a lengthy, annotated list of recommended readings for added guidance and inspiration. Topics include:    •  How the terminally ill can experience emotional and spiritual healing even when they can't be cured    •  Why Western medicine's relentless focus on curing disease has led to inadequate care for the dying    •  What to expect during the dying process    •  How our fear and denial of death harm the dying    •  Techniques to help caregivers promote a peaceful environment for the dying and their loved ones    •  How to meet the changing physical and emotional needs of the dying    •  Helpful advice on what to say and how to behave around the terminally ill

Textauszug

Introduction Anyman's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankinde, and thereforenever send to know for whom the bell tolls, ittollsfor thee. —,JohnDonne,Devotions WhenI was in nursing school a terminally ill child turned his big, wondering eyestoward me and asked, 'Am I going to die?' I was stunned. What was Isupposed to say? What couldIsay? I didn't even know what I was allowed to say. Certainly I could notrespond from my experience. Embarrassed and confused, I said something like'Don't be silly! Of course you're not going to die. You'll live to be ahundred,' and then immediately changed the subject. Wanting to feel safe,not threatened, I had retreated behind the mask of the mundane, and my heartclosed. I did not feel good about it, but back then I knew no other response.Like most of my peers, I had reached adulthood without having talked much aboutdeath. I was certainly not prepared to face it myself. In fact, I had beendeeply conditioned to believe that I was guaranteed a bright future and a longlife. Why would I think about death? No one else did. Norwas death a topic for study or reflection in my nurse's training. This wasunfortunate since, as a practicing nurse, I was surrounded by constant grief,pain, and death—,often overwhelmed by it. I had few coping strategies. It waseasy to adopt the customary aloofness of many health-care professionals, todistance myself from the anguish of my patients and their families. At times Iheard about or was witness to certain events occurring around a death thatseemed extraordinary and mysterious to me, but for the most part I viewed deaththe only way I knew how, with closed-minded indifference. By focusing on thedisease, carrying out nursing functions dictated only by physical signs andsymptoms, and relating to nurses and doctors rather than to patients, I wasable to protect myself from thinking or feeling too much about death. Or so Ithought. But my aloofness began to generate a new dissatisfaction—,a disturbingfeeling of being unkind. I felt a gnawing discomfort about my tendency to rushabout busily preoccupied instead of giving a few moments of my time togenuinely comfort the bereaved. It was becoming evident that my unwillingnessto face the fear of death had made me unavailable to human beings at a timewhen they most needed my genuine, compassionate presence. Ididn't fully realize just how unprepared I was to face death until my brotherbecame terminally ill with a fast-growing lung cancer that was rapidlymetastasizing, distributing malignancy throughout his body. For several weeksafter his diagnosis I was unable to be of any real support or strength to himor anyone else, because I was so preoccupied with my own terror. I feltcrippled just when my strength and comfort were needed the most. Death anxietyrelentlessly pressed against my chest, and dread incapacitated me. The pressuresoon became so unbearable that it forced me to turn inward and look at my ownattitudes about death. To me death was a monstrous intrusion—,an unwelcome,abnormal, and horrifying event. The prospect of death seemed chillingly finaland unbelievably sad. I did not want to think about death, and I feltexcruciatingly uncomfortable around dying people. But my brother needed me. Andif I was to be a genuine presence during his dying trajectory, I would have togain the knowledge required to overcome my fears. At this critical turningpoint I was forced to decide between making the effort to improve myunderstanding by facing death honestly, or doing nothing at all and returningto the comfort of my...

Produkt-Details

• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Sachbuch/Ratgeber ► Gesundheit / Leben / Psychologie ► Esoterik / Spiritualität
• Themenwelt: Sachbuch/Ratgeber ► Gesundheit / Leben / Psychologie ► Psychologie
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Psychologie ► Trennung / Trauer
• Themenwelt: Sozialwissenschaften ► Soziologie ► Mikrosoziologie
• ISBN-10: 0-8348-2870-7 / 0834828707
• ISBN-13: 978-0-8348-2870-4 / 9780834828704