Living and Dying
Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything – all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. ~Steve Jobs, 2005
Death is a natural part of life, but our culture does not treat it that way. There is little support for facing the reality of dying or for preparing practically and emotionally for our own deaths or the deaths of those close to us.
The Living and Dying Archive will bring together a wide range of recordings, writings, practices, and other resources collected over many years. As the collection develops, it will include practical guidance for preparing for and navigating dying and death, experiential approaches to facing and feeling the emotions that can arise, and explorations of the many perspectives on what happens during dying and after death. This is a developing collection, with additional materials being prepared and added over time.
By facing now the possibility of a life-challenging situation, we can reduce unnecessary suffering for ourselves and others in the future. We can prepare for circumstances in which we cannot speak for ourselves and be supported in completing practical preparations such as an advance directive (AD) and living will. Questions that arise during these tasks also allow us to consider the emotional and spiritual issues of living and dying.
Rarely are we invited to recognize and share the ways dying, death, and loss have been part of our lives. Each experience of grief is unique; at the same time, sharing our grief with one another is a primary way to integrate and honor it. In exploring these experiences collectively, we can discover our common ground and be informed by different perspectives. Many people find that opening to the reality of death brings new clarity about how they want to live now.
Gestalt practice invites us to show up and turn toward what is present. It can provide structure and space to explore living in a conscious relationship with death and dying.