Sacred Passage: How to Provide Fearless, Compassionate Care for the Dying
By:
Margaret Phd, Rn Coberly
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Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Description:
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 Registered nurses can earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) by passing a written test based on this book. For more information, see http://www.shambhala.com/sacredpassage.
Publisher: Shambhala
Release Date: 2003-02-11
Customer Review: 5 out of 5
This book will change your approach to death and helping others cope with death - In 2002, I walked into our local library to return my daughter's library books while my father was in the hospital and had been told he had a week to live. I found this book in the new book section and my entire family took turns reading it. This book allowed us to focus on what was truly imporant, supporting my father at the end of his life here on earth. I had never spent time with someone dying before. Because of his condition, he could not leave the hospital. I stayed with him close to 18 hours a day and experienced as he passed from one stage of dying into the next. This book explained the stages of dying and helped me understand what he was going through. In fact, I would have been freaked out if I had not read the book when my father started seeing water and experiencing other phenomenon which are explained in the book as commonly experienced. The central point of the book is that your role is to help the person dying by supporting them and putting aside your grief until after their passing. After his death, the nurses told us they had never seen a family so focused on the patient and so supportive. Even though my father's death was painful and hard on him, we gave him all our love, prayers and support and the tension and anguish in his face disappeared and his face literally glowed after death. I highly recommend this book. I am buying my own copy now that we have other family members facing this death in the next few years.
Customer Review: 3 out of 5
Interesting but not for practical use - I purchased this book as a practical guide and read to help navigate life as a caregivier and support system of a close friend. I found it a bit too ethereal and very heavily weighted toward the Tibetan Buddhist views on life and death. Although, interesting, it's hardly useful on a daily basis. It is an interesting book to read, but it's not for those who are looking for hands on answers.
Customer Review: 5 out of 5
Well written, inspirational, and practical!!! - Anybody who knows somebody dear to them who is going to die should read this book.
Customer Review: 5 out of 5
Every nurse needs to read this book - This book was such a surprise to me. I didn't realize how much I needed to hear what was in it. I think all nurses, everywhere,
would get something out of what this book talks about. By the title it seems like it's a book for people who are dying, but it seems just as useful for anyone who cares about people whether they are dying or not. I am so glad that another nurse friend of mine gave me this book to read.
Customer Review: 5 out of 5
Extremely helpful and easy to read too - I have a friend who is dying and I am afraid to visit him because I don't know how to act or what I am not supposed to say. I bought some other books about death and dying and Sacred Passage was also suggested. I didn't think I would like it because it has some Tibetan Buddhist stuff in it and I am a Catholic. But, anyway, I got it and liked it better than the other ones because it gave me some actual ways to act and also told me that if I don't know what to say I am not obligated to say anything, really. That was such an eye opener for me. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is forced to be around a dying person and feals afraid, like I am. This book gave me hope that I would be able to do it. I even bought two more copies to give to people for presents.
Thank you to the author for helping me so much.
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