Balfour Mount quotes Phil Simmons … The thing itself, like the predawn moment, is always new when we are truly present to it. I would concur with Phil: “More and more I find that dwelling in the present moment, in the face of everything that would call us out of it, is our highest spiritual […]
the present moment … our gateway to eternal life Read More »
… and as he lacks experience of the event he bungles it. So that he may die successfully, he must learn how to die by following the instruction of experienced men who know what it means to die in the midst of life. Asceticism gives us this experience of death. (Florensky)(quoted in The World of
man dies only once in his life … Read More »
… provides individualized care to persons with dementia based on their need. A recent NYT article tells the story. “The dementia floor was named Vermillion Cliffs, after colorfully layered rock formations formed by centuries of erosion, implying that, “although weathered, although tested by dementia, people are beautiful” and “have certain strengths,” said Peggy Mullan, the
beatitudes nursing home … Read More »
… Ira Byock’s Four Things That Matter Most … ‘forgive me, I forgive you, thank you, I love you’ … are fundamental tasks for all of us … and become especially important in the midst of serious illness. … similar to James Martin’s #11 … the rest are good too …
four things that matter most … Read More »
… “We are story-telling animals. Some of our most important shared stories are in the form of metaphor, parable, and poetry. We communicate through imagination and intuition as much as reason and cognition. And we can find and communicate certain realities only indirectly, not directly. Some kinds of knowledge can be sought only by setting
community and our experience of dying … Read More »
… ” Look at what he says: “No, the part that is reserved to each individual, that is, what God wants for you, must be done by you.” There is no excuse, because it is not up to us to choose the road through which the Mystery leads the other to his destiny. We are the ones who have
accompanying the other in their suffering … Read More »
No worst, there is none. Pitched past pitch of grief, More pangs will, schooled at forepangs, wilder wring. Comforter, where, where is your comforting? Mary, mother of us, where is your relief? My cries heave, herds-long; huddle in a main, a chief Woe, wórld-sorrow; on an áge-old anvil wince and sing — Then lull, then
no worst … gerard manley hopkins Read More »
… “I speak with difficulty; I can hardly walk, never without the chance of tripping up; I with great difficulty go up and down stairs – I read with discomfort. I cannot write except very slowly – and I am deaf … except in failure of memory, and continual little mistakes in the use of
cardinal newman on growing old … Read More »
… Halifax et. al. describe a contemplative end-of-life training program for health care professionals … Being with Dying. ” … bringing a present moment quality of presence to interactions has the potential to transform the care of dying people as well as the caregivers themselves. Cultivating this quality within themselves and others allows clinicians to
the power of presence … Read More »
