The Wisdom of Dying: Practices For Living

by N. Michael Murphy, Thomas Moore (Foreword)

Death catches us unprepared. Overwhelmed by not knowing what to do or say, we may hold our breath until it passes, only to be consumed later with regrets and suffering that we pass on down through generations. Michael Murphy's approach to death is both astounding and compelling in its simplicity. Abundant with fascinating references to ancient myth and legend, essentially it suggests a return to the celebration of joy in death, of the ritual and passion central to the traditional Irish wake with the loved one present for music, dancing and storytelling. It is about recovering what we have lost before we the innate wisdom apparent in children before they are trained in soul-lessness by the prevailing culture, the capacity to care, to give freely, to love and be loved. Interweaving the intensely moving stories of those who have met death and those who have accompanied them, with stories from ancient myth and legend, and insights gained from the author's decades of experience in guiding others on their journeys toward death, this remarkable book may well change your approach to life as it reveals how we can focus on our conscious dying to open ourselves to more conscious living; listen to our inner feelings and to those of the people we love; change patterns of relationships to enhance our connection with ourselves and others; use the powerful models of storytelling , myth and ritual; and, finish what needs to be finished, let go of what needs to be let go.

231 pages, Hardcover

First published July 25, 1999

Reviews

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought there were wonderful insights and very thought provoking.

[Alan Marr · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very well written, helpful book about a difficult topic that I have has to explore for myself this year. There are some powerful arguments for opening up the dying process -to see it as a part of living. There are practical suggestions for planning ones one departure but perhaps more importantly to assist others on the journey too.

[Carisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book got shelved as I looked into other books on dementia specifically. I'll come back to this one.