The door of this off-putting subject is now being opened by a new breed, the Hospice Professional, who attends to the needs of those on the brink and their families. Also, psychologists offering grief counseling are available to most of us when we know the day is fast approaching for someone near and dear to leave.
It seems like another very good way to prepare for eventually greeting the Great Specter is to discuss end of life issues with the employees of nursing homes and other such jumping off spots. There can be, according to some of the amazing people I have talked with, a huge difference between what patients say they believe and how they act as they come to the end of their lives. Some who profess to have a solid hold on the promises of an afterlife are terrified and some who have no formal belief structure approach and deal with it in a candidly, unabashed manner. It seems to be a "put your money where your mouth is" moment.
Books aplenty lead us into the labyrinths of near-death experiences and even offer to direct us on how to die with aplomb. Most appreciated by me to date are "On Death and Dying" by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, "Aaron's Crossing" by Linda Dewey, "The Tibetan Book on Living and Dying" by Sogyal Rinpoche, "Autobiography of a Yogi" by P. Yogananda, and "Testimony of Light" by Helen Graves. Not all of these books deal exclusively with the subject of death and the possibility of an afterlife. Still, I found Yoganada's treatise to be exceptionally deep...even though the subject is but one of the many issues he addressed.
Earlier generations often asked their parents, teachers and religious leaders about death and many took what was offered as the unadulterated truth. Now, the people I talk with seem more willing to find their own answers and to only factor in their earlier teachings if they seem to fit. There are, of course, legions, that do not choose to address the subject before, during, and maybe even after the event.
Once the subject of death and it's possible ramifications is seriously broached, it can become engrossing and, depending on how the following research goes, even rewarding. When we take the unwritten taboo off of any subject, the opportunity can arise for it to become manageable.
Souls choose the time of their death within a broad range of options. Though a range of possibilities may exist, the completion of a lifetime's inner work is always the criterion for passing on. This is known to the soul, even when that completion takes place at a very early age ? even when it occurs to a very young child or an infant.
While it happens that occasionally human intervention can alter the life-plan for the timing of the departure of souls, bringing it about more quickly through acts of violence, neglect, or cruelty, for the most part, souls that depart out of causes having to do with physical functioning have made choices about such timing. And even where an external agent appears to be the primary cause of death, very often, this, too, has been written into the life-plan of the soul for purposes of learning.
The spiritual goals of a lifetime are varied, as varied as the souls who are embodied on the earth. And yet there are certain consistent patterns that have to do with such things as experiencing love more deeply, understanding relationships, unfolding one's creative possibilities, pursuing a path of service of benefit to others and to the earth, healing an inner relationship with one's body and with oneself ? these are just a few of the things that can form focal points for a life-plan, and they are not mutually exclusive but can co-exist with one another. Although they vary in content, each of these goals may be considered to be spiritual, for each fosters the soul's learning about reality and about its own inner nature.
When the signal comes to a soul that an amount of experience has been completed that satisfies the purposes of a particular incarnation, the soul lets go of its hold on the physical body, sometimes over a long period of time, and sometimes rather quickly, retracting the life-force that replenishes the body and allowing the natural process of dying to begin. This can manifest in a variety of ways, all of which are of the soul's choosing.
In relation to pursuing a conscious spiritual path during a lifetime, it is necessary for certain souls to be awake and aware concerning their spiritual work, its origins and purpose, and for others to manifest an energy and purpose that is not fully known to the conscious self. In both cases, souls may be intensely committed to a spiritual goal, and when their work is done, they are ready to move on. In some cases, this point of completion is known to the conscious self, but very often it is not. However, it is always known to those who can perceive things from the soul level.
The attachments that love creates often surround the departure of a loved one with pain and sadness, and with a longing for the departed one's return. This is a natural outcome of the operation of the human heart in its expression of love. Where the human heart can be joined with the inner Divine essence, however, then sadness can be accompanied by joy at the knowledge that the loved one's journey continues on into a new cycle. Both sadness and joy can coexist at the time of a loved one's passing, when it is known that the soul has accomplished its purpose on one level, and is ready to move on to another.
Both Luise Volta & Julie Redstone are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Luise Volta has sinced written about articles on various topics from Work From Home, Health and Business Intelligence. Luise Volta's life has included careers in nursing, teaching pre-school, interior design, Real Estate sales, insurance adjusting, and dairy herd testing. Visit for. Luise Volta's top article generates over 22200 views. to your Favourites.
Julie Redstone has sinced written about articles on various topics from Religion, Kids and Teens and Religion. Julie Redstone is a teacher, writer, and founder of , a center for spiritual teaching and healing whose purpose is to create an understanding of the sacred transiti. Julie Redstone's top article generates over 165000 views. to your Favourites.