Assisted Conscious Transition

[Diane Goble]

The near-death experience perspective offers non-NDErs a glimpse into the process of transition. If we take the most common scenarios, we have a foundation to build on so when each of us actually dies, we have a something of a roadmap or guidebook so we're not all confused or frightened when we wake up on the other side of the veil looking back at the world we left behind. Practicing to die before you die means just that. You can go to a hypnotherapist who does guided imagery or do it yourself in meditation. Whatever you think is going to happen is the script you visualize. You can practice visualizing your soul or essence leaving your body, saying goodbye to your loved ones, meeting your guides or angels who carry you towards the light or your loved ones on the other side who are waiting to welcome you home. You can insert any religious beliefs you may have. You can do your life review on this side before you cross over so when you do, you will have clear sailing. You can forgive people who need your forgiveness, you can forgive yourself. You can express gratitude to those you have taken for granted. Thank your teachers who came into this life to give you your greatest lessons, those you gave you the hardest time. Learn to bond with your soul who has been your unseen guide through this life, let go of the ego that has kept you bound to the physical world. Thank God (or whatever you call that power) for this opportunity of a life time. A frequent practice like this will help you if your transition happens suddenly because you will know immediately what the heck just happened! It will give you strength and peace of mind if you go through a disease process or are dying slowly of old age. It will heal your soul. You'll be in a state of higher consciousness, in the now, no matter what is happening around you. You will be in control of your dying process, your transition from the physical to the spiritual dimension that matches your frequency of light, your transformation from matter to the energy of unconditional love and oneness with ALL THAT IS. This could also be considered assisted-dying if someone guides you in this practice but it seems a way better way to go than drugs or starvation. We have a choice about whether we want drastic measures to be taken to try to prolong our life, which usually ends with the person dying in the hospital hooked up to machines keeping their lungs pumping air and tubes pumping drugs into their veins, with the family kept out of the room so the patient dies essentially alone. We also have the choice to accept that we are going to die at some point and we'd rather be surrounded by our family and friends and compassionate caregivers from hospice buzzing about, keeping us comfortable and pain free. This isn't giving up, it is accepting what is. On the practical side, Medicare is not going to be able to cover drastic measures to keep all the baby boomers alive beyond the point of reasonable care. This isn't Soylent Green, this is our own decision by writing our advance directives, living wills and DNRs while of clear mind and good health. The new end-of-life care will be palliative care, comfort care. No more drug treatments, no more invasive surgeries, no more expensive prescriptions with wacky side effects.. It will be alternative healthcare and practitioners, herbs and vitamins, natural foods, physical therapy, acupuncture, reiki, light and energy work, and Transition Guides to help us find our way peacefully and with dignity to the rest of our lives. If you want to more about Transition Guide Training, go to Transition Guide Training... about Conscious Dying, go to Art of Conscious Dying Peace & Joy! Diane

[Greg Schneider]

Hi Diane:

I have been reading Dr. Stan Goldberg's new book Lessons for the Living - Stories of Forgiveness, Gratitude and Cour... and it has prompted me to think more seriously about what you are discussing here. Dr. Goldberg's book discusses, among other things, some of his experiences at the Zen Hospice Project as a volunteer. I started my journey as a hospice volunteer there at the Guest House, an old Victorian home with much charm, that became the exit portal from this life for many hospice patients over the last couple of decades.

A chapter in the book titled "Faces of Compassion" so poignantly reminded me of how patients and volunteers are transformed by compassionate interaction. By necessity some of the trends in hospice care, as it moves further into the medical mainstream, are resulting in a less intimate experience for patients and volunteers. Liability concerns are causing some organizations to really restrict what a volunteer may do to/with a patient. This is unfortunate in my opinion.

At Zen Hospice we saw patients come into the hospice bitter and disillusioned by life and perhaps care they received prior to coming to hospice. After experiencing the intimate environment and the compassionate care provided by so many volunteers who served at the Guest House, many patients were transformed and the result was a fulfilling and peaceful death.

I believe that there are patients, caregivers and volunteers who would prefer to have an environment where they could participate in an "Assisted Conscious Transition", as you have described it.

Hospice has grown sufficiently in size that there is now this macrocosm of hospice care that varies considerably, just like there is a macrocosm of healthcare, of which hospice is considered a jewel. I believe their is an opportunity for the creation of an "alternative" hospice microcosm that could become the jewel of the broader hospice macrocosm for those who would like to die in an environment where those around them strive to create a conscious transition -- whatever that means to the patient. I believe there are many hospice workers who remember the period when hospice was a volunteer effort by all disciplines. They would likely encourage such an environment and participate in the care.

Greg Schneider
HCF Creator
President, Hospice Volunteer Association