Spiritual Perspectives on Death and Dying
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About this ebook
*2016 Silver IPPY Award Winner for Aging/Death & Dying
In Spiritual Perspectives on Death and Dying, the author gathers basic insights from five major sources: C. G. Jung, the LSD research of Stanislav Grof, the Hindu and Tibetan Buddhist traditions and the writings of Alice Bailey. The sequence of events of the dying process, the fundamental journey of the soul and the thoughtful advice from these sources are reviewed. What unfolds is a vista of challenge and hope.
"I found this to be an excellent book. It is a quick read but it goes deep. It connects the reader with the experience of death and dying that unites all of us who share the human experience. It also successfully prompts a connection with the reservoir of accumulated wisdom from different traditions in a way that brings hope to the dying process. Anyone confronted in some way with the reality of death and dying will benefit from this book."
"A lovely little book with succinct and clearly written summaries of the world's major spiritual traditions addressing the end of life. The author weaves her personal experiences with loved ones as well as her own confrontation with a potential terminal diagnosis into the well researched intellectual content of the book's tapestry."
"This wonderful book is a must read for anyone who ponders the meaning of life and mortality, and who is interested in helpful information from ancient and modern sources."
Bernice H. Hill
Bernice H. Hill, Ph.D., is a Jungian Analyst in private practice in Boulder, Colorado; member of the International Association of Analytic Psychology (Zurich) and a senior training analyst for the C. G. Jung Institute of Colorado. She has presented seminars on UFOs and extraterrestrials to mental health professionals and the public in Colorado Springs, Denver and Boulder. Her prior experiences include being a chemist for the Canadian Dept. of Defense, studying the effects of irradiation on biological materials. Appalled at the destructiveness of nuclear weaponry; she left science for social action. She served as advisor for a Canadian provincial Member of Parliament after his successful run as an independent.Following a fascination with the human psyche brought Bernice to the work of Carl Jung and Stan Grof. She has been an active member of the International Society for the Study of Subtle Energy and Energy Medicine. While attending The Star Knowledge Conference (Wagner S.D., 1996); she participated in the circle of 12 women in the ritual offered by New Zealand shaman MacWiremu Korako Ruka. As a consequence, she organized similar rituals in Peru and New Zealand.Publications: "Cosmic Human Cosmic Intent" 2020, "Emergence of the Cosmic Psyche: Extraterrestrials and Subtle Energy," "Journal of The International Society for the Study of Subtle Energy and Energy Medicine," Autumn 2008. "Sophia and Sustainability" in L.M.George (ed): "Love of the Fourth Spiritual Paradigm," Oracle Institute Press, 2009. Review of: "When the Impossible Happens" (Stan Grof), Journal of The International Society for the Study of Subtle Energy and Energy Medicine, Spring 2007.
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Spiritual Perspectives on Death and Dying - Bernice H. Hill
Spiritual Perspectives on Death and Dying
by Bernice H. Hill, Ph.D.
Luminous Moon Press, Boulder, CO
Copyright © 2015 Bernice H. Hill. All Rights Reserved.
Published by Luminous Moon Press, Boulder, CO
No parts of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information retrieval systems, without prior written permission from the author.
Cover photo Starry night sky and Milky Way over Jackson Lake and Tetons
copyright Royce Baird.
Cover and interior layout and design by Carolyn Oakley, Luminous Moon Design.
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
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Acknowledgements
Over the years, many people have contributed to this gathering
of thoughts and reflections. In particular, I would like to thank Ann Allegre, Stephanie Bendel, Celia Coates, Paul and Mimi Hansen, Jeffrey Kiehl, Jane Kircher, Donna Mitchell-Moniak, and Joy Om. I would like to give a special note of appreciation to Carolyn Oakley for her preparation of the material for publication.
Table of Contents
Introduction: The Gathering Clouds
Chapter 1: Carl Jung
Chapter 2: Stanislav Grof
Chapter 3: Hindu Perspective
Chapter 4: Tibetan Buddhist Perspective
Chapter 5: Reflections on Reincarnation
Chapter 6: Ageless Wisdom Perspective
Chapter 7: Cultural Questions
Chapter 8: Summary
Epilogue
Bibliography
About the Author
A man should be able to say he has done his best to form a conception of life after death or to create some image of it – Not to have done so is a vital loss.
Carl Jung
Memories, Dreams and Reflections
Introduction: The Gathering Clouds
It was a watershed moment. My heart beat faster when I saw where the letter had come from—my doctor. Then, in professional language, the message, simple and direct: Your recent mammogram showed several irregularities. Please call to schedule a follow-up appointment.
A geographical watershed is a high point of land—all rivers become divided. On one side, they may flow east and on the other, west. Psychologically, it is an awakening. Consciousness suddenly finds itself in a whole new reality, flowing in a different direction.
These writings stem from that moment. At age 79, I was shocked by the diagnosis of invasive breast cancer that followed. I could no longer pretend I was aging gracefully. Suddenly, I was no longer immortal.
The time had come to face this profoundly mysterious and threatening future: a threshold faced by all. Over the years I had witnessed others going through this doorway; heard many stories of their passages, but now it was my turn. This was different. Real and immediate!
My approach was typical for me; I wanted an overview. Not so much of the progress of breast cancer, but the more important wake-up call of facing death.
I would gather everything I could find on the subject—the full range of ideas, theories, philosophical approaches, personal stories and courageous antidotes.
The following chapters trace that endeavor, and I have come to realize that it was a task that had been waiting for me for years.
Chapter 1
Carl Jung
In the spring of 1993, I drove to the house of a patient of mine who was very ill with bowel cancer. The quiet, tidy green squares of suburban lawn curved around the corner where he lived. The sun glowed through the new green leaves and I wondered what it must feel like to be dying, when the warm earth was just coming back.
Betty answered the door and led us down the hall. Bob was talking to the Hospice nurse, so I mustered those things one says to an anxious wife. Memories of the angry marital sessions between them floated through my mind. The nurse left.
Bob was weary and a bad color. I said I would go, but he motioned for me to sit down. With great effort, he hoisted himself to his feet and headed for the bathroom. Shortly thereafter, there was a cry. Betty rushed to him, calling for my help. The weakened man drooped on the toilet, breathing hard. The gray-green color of his face deepened. Betty, pale as slate, was trying to hold him.
The man was heavy on our arms. With my face a few inches from his head, I could see the beads of sweat on his forehead and smell the stale odors of bedclothes and tired body. Fear gripped Betty.
Talk to him,
I said. This angry woman, who rarely had anything positive to say, started murmuring, I love you, Bob. You have been a fine husband and a wonderful father. Things will be all right!
She stroked the damp, bald, head.
Bob gave one long labored sigh and his body slumped.