Death Nesting: The Heart-Centered Practices of a Death Doula

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A practical and compassionate guide to physically, emotionally, and spiritually caring for the dying. Just as we might prepare a nest for one about to give birth, so can we lovingly prepare a nest for one who is dying. In this practical and compassionate guide, death doula educator Anne-Marie Keppel incorporates ancient and modern death doula techniques, mindfulness practices, and herbal support to show how anyone can physically, emotionally, and spiritually care for the dying, whether at home, in hospice, or even in the ICU. Seeking to demystify the dying process, she explains what the body physically undergoes during the end of life and shares techniques to physically care for the dying, including methods to assist bedridden individuals. She presents practices for emotional soothing, breathing techniques to reduce anxiety and pain, and ways to reduce stress during the active dying process. She shares ceremony and energetic boundary guidelines, Reiki and ancestral support techniques, and herbal care for nourishing and healing on a spirit level. Providing support for caregivers and loved ones as well, Anne-Marie explores self-care methods for moving with grief, ideas for “things to do” when there is nothing to do, and mindfulness practices for contemplating your own mortality. She also offers visualizations and techniques for talking with children about death and dying. Sharing glimpses into the world of spirit to reveal the poignancy of the dying process, the author shows that death is a sacred rite of passage we all experience.

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