Embracing the End of Life: A Journey Into Dying & Awakening

by Patt Lind-Kyle

Overview

Explore the Resistance to Death, and Awaken More Fully to Life

Death is simply one more aspect of being a human being, but in our culture, we’ve made it a taboo. As a result, most of us walk through life with conscious or unconscious fears that prevent us from experiencing true contentment. Embracing the End of Life invites you to lean into your beliefs and questions about death and dying, helping you release tense or fearful energy and awaken to a more vital life now.

Preparing mentally, emotionally, and spiritually for this inevitable transition provides improved clarity and strength. This book shares the idea of death as a journey of three steps—resistance, letting go, and transcendence. With dozens of exercises, practices, and meditations, author Patt Lind-Kyle helps you experience your truest, most expansive self. Exploring multiple aspects of life and death—with everything from chakras and the Enneagram to living wills and health care directives—this book is meant to help you unwind the challenge of death and discover the truth of your own path to inner freedom.

Praise:
“The fear of dying keeps countless people from living fully—as well as keeping countless others trapped in endless suffering. Embracing the End of Life will help all of us prepare joyously for the inevitable.”—Christiane Northrup, MD, New York Times bestselling author of Goddesses Never Age

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780738753836
Publisher:	Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD.
Publication date:	09/08/2017
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	384
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Patt Lind-Kyle, MA, is an author, teacher, therapist, speaker, and consultant. Her book Heal Your Mind, Rewire Your Brain won the Independent Publishers Gold Medal Award and a Best Book Award from USA Book News. Patt has written a chapter in Audacious Aging, and she is also the author of When Sleeping Beauty Wakes Up.

Visit her online at www.pattlindkyle.com.

Table of Contents

Contents

List of Exercises xxi
Foreword by Karen Wyatt, MD xxv
Introduction: Why Are We Interested in the End of Our Life? 1

Part I—How to Prepare for Your Death 13
Chapter 1—The Physical, Psychological, and Spiritual Process of Death................... 17
What Dies in Us Physically? 18
Psychological and Spiritual Aspects of Our Dying 21

Chapter 2—Step 1: Stages of Resistance................................................... 23
The Gift of Resistance 26
Denial 29
Anger 30
Bargaining 31
Depression 32
Despair 32

Chapter 3—Step 1: Running away from Death........................................ 35
Suffering and Pain 38
Life's Meaning as Part of Resistance 43
Acceptance 46
Meditation 49

Chapter 4—Step 2: From Resistance to Letting Go.................................. 53
Transitions from Birth to Death 55
The Revelation 57
Eight Characteristics of Letting Go of Death 59
Dying Preparation for Self and Others 60

Chapter 5—Step 2: Dying Preparation: Spiritual Considerations.............. 65
Religious Traditions Preparation 67

Chapter 6—Step 3: Letting Go into Transcendence................................. 71
Nearing Death 73
The Last Moment of Death 76
The Dissolution 77
The Basic Signs of the Physical Death Passage 79
Outer and Inner Dissolution 81
Suggested Readings and Music for Dying 85
Traditional Religious Prayers at Death 90

Chapter 7—Step 3: After-Death Experience and Instructions................... 97
What Happens After Physical Death? 98
Near-Death Experiences 99
Shamanistic Near-Death Experience 100
Beyond Your Death 101
Inner Guidance for the One Who Has Died 101
Ways to Recognize You Are Dead 103
Signs That Verify You Are Dead 104

Chapter 8—Practical Preparations for Death......................................... 109
Preparation for Caregivers 110
Preparation of the Body After Death 118
Recognition of You After Your Death 121
A Word about Physician-Assisted Suicide 122

Chapter 9—Legal Document Planning.................................................. 125
Your Will 127
Living Trust 127
Ethical Will 128
Advance Health Care Directive 129
Durable Power of Attorney 129
Medical Power of Attorney 129
Other Medical Directives You Can Choose 131
Medical School Body Donation 135
After-Death Decisions for Your Durable Power of Attorney Representative 136
Have Everything Prepared Legally Before You Die 142

Part II—The Journey to Freedom: A Guide to Life 147
Chapter 10—The Development and Structure of the Self....................... 151
The Constricted Self 152
Two Minds: Constricted and Expanded 157
The Two Brain Systems 160
Right and Left Hemisphere Brain Functions 161

Chapter 11—The Energy Template of the Self....................................... 171
The Chakras 172
The Enneagram 180

Chapter 12—Step 1: Journey of Separation............................................ 191
How the Constricted Self Is Born 192
The Shadow of the Expanded Self 192
Physical Senses and the Constricted Self 193
Space Equals Subject and Object 193
The Age Activations 194
Journey of Separation Exercises 195
Meditation Practices to Explore the Journey to Freedom 198

Chapter 13—Step 2: Journey of Emotions.............................................. 207
The Push and Pull of Emotions: Desire and Resistance 208
Space and Time 208
The Age Activations 209
Blocks in Life Flow 209
The Brain Frequency Patterns 211
Journey of Emotion Exercises 211
Journey of Emotions Meditations 213

Chapter 14—Step 3: Journey of the Mind............................................... 225
Our Thinking Structure 225
The Mind-Body Divide 226
The Power of the Mind 227
Journey of the Mind Exercises 229
Journey of the Mind Meditations 231

Chapter 15—Step 4: Journey of Self-Identity.......................................... 241
Becoming an Identity 242
Shadow Identity 242
Internal Dialogue 243
The Struggle to Go Beyond the Constructed Identity 244
Journey of Self-Identity Exercises 244
Journey of Self Identity Meditations 249
Part III—The Path of Freedom 261
Chapter 16—Step 5: Freedom from Personal Identity............................ 265
The Power of Your Heart 266
The Power of Negative Emotions 267
Love Dissolves Victim Identity 268
The Practice of Forgiveness 268

Chapter 17—Step 6: Freedom from the Mental Self............................... 277
Releasing the Mental Pattern 278
Your Potential Expansion 279
The Frequency of Gratitude 279
Gratitude Increases the Energy of the Heart 280
Gratitude Practices 281

Chapter 18—Step 7: Freedom from the Emotional Self.......................... 287
Your Emotional Drivers 288
Fear of Death: Will I Survive? 289
Learning to Surrender the Fear 290
Presence and Appreciation 290
Appreciation and Awareness 291
The Power of Appreciation 291
Appreciation Practices 292

Chapter 19—Step 8: Freedom from Separation...................................... 299
The Ground of Your Being 300
There Is No Separation 301
The Illusion of the False Home 301
Your Real Home 302
The Complete Human 302
Kindness 303
Kindness Practices 304
Compassion 304
Compassion Practices 306
Integration Process 311

Afterword 317
Appendix A: Resources 319
Appendix B: Legal Documents 321
Appendix C: Enneagram 325
Appendix D: Bonus Meditation Videos 327
Bibliography 341
Acknowledgments 349