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Author
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Topic: Book: "Living Well & Dying Well: A Sacramental View of Life and Death"
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MaryEllen O'Brien
Member
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posted 05-17-2003 03:28 PM
   
My book, "Living Well & Dying Well: A Sacramental View of Life and Death" ÷ Sheed & Ward, 2001 [ISBN: 1-58051-108-2], may be of interest. It is a retrieval for our own time of the "Ars Bene Moriendi" tradition, the "Art of Holy Dying," that was well known in late medieval and Renaissance Europe. In it's original form, the wisdom of the tradition was passed on through anonymous handbooks that could be found throughout western Europe. The handbooks including woodcuts visually depicting the rituals and concerns for those who would accompany the dying, and who could not read. Over time, the books became more sophisticated and reached a literary zenith in the work of Anglican bishop of Ireland, Jeremy Taylor. All "ars moriendi" books held in common the belief that there were five spiritual crises common to illness, injury and dying (or other types of major loss); and five spiritual healings available. It was the task of those around the dying person to assist them through the crises to the healing ÷ which could take place regardless of the physical outcome. Psychic healing, soul-healing, healing of the mind ÷ all transcended any breakdown of the body, and allowed one to die in peace ÷ or to live renewed and with sacred reverence if recovery came.
The crises are distinctly spiritual, not to be confused with psychological stages ÷ but can work alongside that wisdom.
They are: Loss of Faith; Despair; Impatience; Spiritual Pride; and Greed.
The "remedies" ÷ attained through through the "art" of this way, were Faith, or Inspiration; Hope; Patience; Humility; and Generosity. The methods rely on
visual art, poetry, story-telling, or narrative arts, the art of prayer and its accompanying rituals, and a knowledge that we are all part of those who have gone before us, and those who remain.
You can find the book at Amazon.com, or at the publisher's web site, the Sheed & Ward imprint of Rowman & Littlefield:
http://www.rowmanlittlefield.com/Sheed/
It is my hope that this book makes a contribution to the art of healing in our time.
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