The Gift Of A Peaceful Death

Many times you will hear people say that they dont fear death but they do fear what they may have to endure before they reach that final passage. Relying on medical interventions and pharmaceuticals alone often does not bring the peaceful death that people hope for, but by integrating complementary and alternative methods with Western medicine the possibility of having that ease at the end is significantly heightened. In this book you will read accounts by practicing professionals on how and when they use complementary and alternative modalities with their patients and clients. You will read about the many uses of energy healing, including how a hospital chaplain uses it to ease the pain and fear of patients who are on a medical ventilator. You will read about nurses who use essential oils to induce relaxation, reduce pain, and eliminate nausea. The music therapist shares stories of how music can soothe, elevate mood, and bring families together at the end of life. You will see how simple massage techniques can reduce pain and stress and lower blood pressure, how acupuncture can ease symptoms and in one case restored a patients ability to breathe. With the probable exception of palliative care physicians, your medical provider may be prohibited from suggesting these be part of your treatment plan, but you, as the patient, or a family member, can ask for them. Creating an integrative treatment plan is consistent with the philosophy of hospice care: treat the whole person. The founder of the modern hospice movement, Dame Cicely Saunders, MD, saw the suffering of people with terminal illnesses who did not have adequate pain relief, who were lonely and isolated, and who felt spiritually bereft. This book shows how the complementary and alternative methods discussed fit perfectly within the model of holistic care and palliative medicine.

Many times you will hear people say that they don't fear death but they do fear what they may have to endure before they reach that final passage. Relying on medical interventions and pharmaceuticals alone often does not bring the peaceful death that people hope for, but by integrating complementary and alternative methods with Western medicine the possibility of having that ease at the end is significantly heightened. In this book you will read accounts by practicing professionals on how and when they use complementary and alternative modalities with their patients and clients. You will read about the many uses of energy healing, including how a hospital chaplain uses it to ease the pain and fear of patients who are on a medical ventilator. You will read about nurses who use essential oils to induce relaxation, reduce pain, and eliminate nausea. The music therapist shares stories of how music can soothe, elevate mood, and bring families together at the end of life. You will see how simple massage techniques can reduce pain and stress and lower blood pressure, how acupuncture can ease symptoms and in one case restored a patient's ability to breathe. With the probable exception of palliative care physicians, your medical provider may be prohibited from suggesting these be part of your treatment plan, but you, as the patient, or a family member, can ask for them. Creating an integrative treatment plan is consistent with the philosophy of hospice care: treat the whole person. The founder of the modern hospice movement, Dame Cicely Saunders, MD, saw the suffering of people with terminal illnesses who did not have adequate pain relief, who were lonely and isolated, and who felt spiritually bereft. This book shows how the complementary and alternative methods discussed fit perfectly within the model of holistic care and palliative medicine.

In The Gift of Death, Jacques Derrida's most sustained consideration of religion to date, he continues to explore questions introduced in Given Time about the limits of the rational and responsible that one reaches in granting or accepting death, whether by sacrifice, murder, execution, or suicide. Derrida analyzes Patocka's Heretical Essays on the History of Philosophy and develops and compares his ideas to the works of Heidegger, Levinas, and Kierkegaard. A major work, The Gift of Death resonates with much of Derrida's earlier writing and will be of interest to scholars in anthropology, philosophy, and literary criticism, along with scholars of ethics and religion. "The Gift of Death is Derrida's long-awaited deconstruction of the foundations of the project of a philosophical ethics, and it will long be regarded as one of the most significant of his many writings."—Choice "An important contribution to the critical study of ethics that commends itself to philosophers, social scientists, scholars of relgion . . . [and those] made curious by the controversy that so often attends Derrida."—Booklist "Derrida stares death in the face in this dense but rewarding inquiry. . . . Provocative."—Publishers Weekly

In this moving and compassionate classic—now updated with new material from the authors—hospice nurses Maggie Callanan and Patricia Kelley share their intimate experiences with patients at the end of life, drawn from more than twenty years’ experience tending the terminally ill. Through their stories we come to appreciate the near-miraculous ways in which the dying communicate their needs, reveal their feelings, and even choreograph their own final moments; we also discover the gifts—of wisdom, faith, and love—that the dying leave for the living to share. Filled with practical advice on responding to the requests of the dying and helping them prepare emotionally and spiritually for death, Final Gifts shows how we can help the dying person live fully to the very end.

The author of The Healing Power of Mind draws on Buddhist scripture, firsthand accounts, and other sources to present an overview of Tibetan Buddhist teachings on facing death with openness and insight Buddhism teaches that death can be a springboard to enlightenment—yet for all but the most advanced meditators, it will be the gateway to countless future lives of suffering in samsara. Tulku Thondup wrote this guide to help us heal our fear and confusion about death and strengthen our practice in anticipation of this transition, and to help us realize the enlightened goal of ultimate peace and joy—not only for death and rebirth, but for this very lifetime. In simple language, he distills a vast range of sources, including scriptures, classic commentaries, oral teachings, and firsthand accounts. The book includes: • A downloadable audio program of guided meditations (URL provided in the book) • An overview of the dying process, the after-death bardo states, and teachings on why, where, and how we take rebirth • Accounts by Tibetan "near-death experiencers" (delogs), who returned from death with amazing reports of their visions • Ways to train our minds during life, so that at death, all the phenomena before us will arise as a world of peace, joy, and enlightenment • Simple meditations, prayers, and rituals to benefit the dead and dying • Advice for caregivers, helpers, and survivors of the dying The paperback edition links to a downloadable audio program providing guided instructions by the author on how to visualize Amitabha Buddha in the Pure Realm; how to receive his blessings; how to visualize transforming your body into light and sound at the time of death; how to share the blessings with compassion for all sentient beings; and how to rest in oneness. By becoming intimate with this practice while we're alive, we can alleviate our fear of death, improve our appreciation of this life, and prepare for death in a very practical way, while planting the seeds for rebirth in the Pure Land.

"Owen-Towle's text is a prayer to push away the fear we often associate with the end of life." -from the Foreword by Rev. Nancy McDonald Ladd Plainly, I'm neither a scientific investigator nor a professional thanatologist. I'm a pastor, and my advice is straightforward: whatever the manner or date of our extinction might be, it behooves us to reflect deeply and prime diligently for our death, while we're still awake and kicking. May we refrain from taking a spiritual bypass and face our own end as boldly and creatively as possible. Doing so will deliver unspeakable gifts both to ourselves and to our loved ones. Making Peace with Our Own Death may become one of the most important things we will ever do. -from the opening chapter "Reflecting Upon Death Amidst a Pandemic" About the Author The Rev. Dr. Tom Owen-Towle is entering his 54th year of ordained ministry and is the author of two dozen books on personal relationships, social justice challenges, and spiritual growth. Tom and his life-partner, the Rev. Dr. Carolyn Sheets Owen-Towle, are the active parents of four children, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Tom is a guitarist and parlor magician, who, currently (pre-pandemic), in "re-firement," sings with seniors, mentor's children and youth, and volunteers with San Diego's homeless. Owen-Towle also lectures and conducts workshops on the core themes of conscious aging and mindful dying.

A ground-breaking addition to death studies, Final Gifts shows how to decode the special language with which the dying communicate so that we can help facilitate, rather than frustrate, a peaceful death.