Mystics in the past have been known to pass nights in coffins in order to get used to the idea of dying. Monks used to keep skulls on their desks as a reminder of their mortality and the transitoriness of life. The baby boom generation now realizes the time has come for a rendezvous with the prospect of death — either through illness, loss, or caring for their aging parents.
This inspirational and helpful interfaith audio resource has been created by producer Gary Remal Malkin and co-producer Michael Stillwater. In his introduction, Ira Byock, M.D., director of the Palliative Care Service in Missoula, Montana, affirms the power of words and music "to comfort, build confidence, and connect listeners with their own inner wisdom." In his foreword, Sam Keen notes that he's an amateur when it comes to dying. We all are and that's why a resource such as this one is so needed.
Other wise advice about death and dying comes from Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, Thich Nhat Hanh, Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, Ram Dass, The Very Reverend Alan Jones, Father Maximillian Mizzi, and others. The closing musical selection "Benedictus," composed by Michael Stillwaterand sung by the University of Berkeley Chamber Choir, is a blessing in itself. Graceful Passages: A Companion for Living and Dying will be of great use to all caregivers assisting those in the last stage of life.