INTRODUCTION 1 ◎ PART ONE DEATH IN WESTERN HEALTH CARE 1.The Problem of Death Denial 11 The Prevailing Medical Paradigm 16 Nursing School and Death Denial 19 Emergency Room Practice 22 Death Denial in the Community 24 2.A Broader View of Healing 29 Kubler-Ross and the Plight of the Dying 30 Paliative Care and Healing 32 Healing and the Power of the Mind 35 Reflecting on Death 38 3.Awakening to Impermanence and Facing Death 45 Death's Scythe 50 Questioning Assumptions 58
◎ PART TWO RESOURCES FROM THE TIBETAN BUDDHIST TRADITION 4.Ceaseless Transformation 65 Dependent Origination: The Truth of Impermanence 66 Karma: Form and Shadow Remain Linked 68 Ordinary Mind: The Worlds We Find Ourselves In 70 Enlightened Mind: The Light Within 71 Rebirth: The Realms of Cyclic Existence 72 The Tibetan Book of the Dead: An Instruction Manual 74 5.The Eight Stages of Dissolution 79 Stage 1: Earth Dissolves into Water(Mirage) 82 Stage 2: Water Dissolves into Fire(Smoke) 84 Stage 3: Fire Dissolves into Wind(Fireflies) 86 Stage 4: Wind Dissolves into Space(Flame) 87 Stage 5: Ordinary Mind States Dissolve(White Flash) 88 Stage 6-8: Subtle Mind States Dissolve(Red Flash, Black Flash, Clear Light) 89 The Tibetan Art of Death: Two Lamas 92 Summary Table of the Eight Stages of Dissolution 94
◎ PART THREE PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS FOR CARE PROVIDERS 6.Tibetan Buddhist Practice and the Dying Trajectory 101 The Tibetan Buddhist Death Meditation 103 Hearing the Diagnosis: Death Is Certain 106 What Do I Say? Time of Death Is Uncertain 109 Focusing: At Death Only the Condition of the Mind Has Value 112 7.Developing a Transpersonal Stance in Care of the Dying 115 Presence, Not Pretense 117 Promoting Peace in Relationships: Forgiveness 119 Ensuring Peace at the End: Sacred Passage 121
