Caregiver Revolution

Facing Death calmly, without fear: Since we have no escape from death, it is wise to learn how to face it. We must accept the idea of death and instead of being afraid, we may feel a sense of excitement, and having made preparations over the years, we should be able to meet the challenge of death effectively, explains Dalai Lama. He adds, my will to live is equal to my excitement of facing death; I wonder how I will cope when actually faced with it, though I daily practice facing death, by visualization and training the mind. At one level it means cultivating a sincere, compassionate motivation and performing positive actions, serving others. It means learning to control the mind, becoming familiar with the idea of death without fearing it. Making life meaningful and useful to society, is the best preparation. Spiritual practices leave good imprints on the mind. Sincere, continuous prayers for well-being and happiness of all should become our habit. Start now because ‘tomorrow’ or ‘next life’, we don’t know which will come first!

From: The Times of India Blog

A thoughtful article that might be of use as we face end of life decisions: How to prepare yourself for a good end of life.

From the article:

“Don’t wait until you’re at death’s door to explore your passions, deepen your relationships and find your posse.”

“Take command of the space. No matter where death occurs, you can bring calm and meaning to the room.”

(photo by Michael Macor from the article)

 What People Actually Say Before They Die is a recent interesting article in the Atlantic by Michael Erard.

From the article: ““Famous last words” are the cornerstone of a romantic vision of death—one that falsely promises a final burst of lucidity and meaning before a person passes. “The process of dying is still very profound, but it’s a very different kind of profoundness,” says Bob Parker, the chief compliance officer of the home health agency Intrepid USA. “Last words—it doesn’t happen like the movies. That’s not how patients die.” We are beginning to understand that final interactions, if they happen at all, will look and sound very different.”

Thank you End of Life- The Golden Room facebook page for recommending this!

Here is a good resource page for prayers for the dying in the Catholic tradition, including scripture readings, prayers at bedside, graveside and for mourning.

image courtesy of asik.site