A Celtic Book of Dying: The Path of Love in the Time of Transition

Glossary of Gaelic Words and Expressions Introduction How I Met with the Teachings — My Own Story: In Grief Did My Mother Conceive Me —Brigit, Stirrer of the Cauldron PART ONEDeath and Dying in the Celtic Tradition Opening the Heart to Death — Life Is Not Threatened by the Loss of Form –Never-Ending Life –Death as Mystery in the Celtic Tradition — A Time for Change — Death, the Great Catalyst — A New Language –The Áite, or Passages of Birth and Death — The Áite of Birth –The Áite of Death PART TWO Dealing with Your Personal Death and Dying Process Natural Transformation as Death Approaches — The Paths Home — Slip Away –After the Death of the Body –How Can We Live and Die Consciously? — Celtic Festivals of Transformation — Death Is Simply the Next Step — Lessons in Tough Love — Learning to Receive LovePART THREE Helping a Dying Person and Their Relatives How Can We Help a Dying Person Make a Happy Transition? — “I Am Afraid of Pain” –The Stages of Releasing into Healing –The Power of Music: Medicine for the Heart –The Work of an Anam-Áire — The Service of a Traveller with the Dead –Care of the Environment When a Person Is Dying — How Can We Best Support the Dying? — Guidelines for Helping the Dying — Technology Can Help People Suffering Alone in Hospital — Sacred Ritual of Watching with the Dead — Blessing the Body — Disposing of Water and Bedclothes — Burial of Rings –Letting Go of the Past — Distant Help for the Dying through Imaging and Meditation — Prayers for the Dead — Do What Is Natural — The Ethics of Assisting Another in Their Desire to Die PART FOUR Being With the Bereaved Supporting Bereaved People — The Golden Breath of Love — Sacred Ritual for Bereaved People — Other Rituals Celebrating Transitions in LifePART FIVE Lessons from the Heart of Nature Nature Is Our Guide — The Seasons Are Our Teachers PART SIX Stories from the Heart of Death “Do This for Each Other Often — Don’t Wait until You Die” — Fear Versus Love Appendix The Alchemy of Love — The Court of Love Overview of Exercises and Practices IndexAcknowledgements About the Author