^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ See Current contributions. See Aug 07 contributions. See Jul 07 contributions. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^]x Sun Sep 2 11:15:56 2007 F51 in NH =USA= Name: Elaine - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Found us by: [ Other: ] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - More personal info: This was a fascinating process. I would have liked to download the format and spent a few days working on it then be able to upload the completed copy here. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Most Significant Recent Death Exp was death of Ex-, 1 Years ago. Cause of Death: reportedly accidental drowning but I had received a suicidal email 2 days before he died He drowned with his son-in-law.; Aged: 56. --Details: He and his son in law went fishing and disappeared. His body was found drowned 5 days after he disappeared. His son-in-law's body wasn't found for several months (10-11- mos)later. The evening before his body was found I held an outdoor candle lit ritual by myself, calling to his spirit. Late that night, as I lay in my bed, I had a waking dream where "saw" him floating face down in about 3 ft of water near a rocky shoreline. I knew it was him because of the curly hair; I loved his hair when it cirled like that. I "witnessed" his body's recovery as, in the dream, I was standing beside him in the water.. the water was up to the base of my own hairline; the waters themselves, were very calm. In this vision, no one else saw me. I watched as they removed him from the water, identified his remains, put him on the strecher and took him away. It wasn;t until I pulled away and began to see a larger picture that I noticed he had been floating off the shore of a small island. I later learned the name of the island was Lonely Island; it fit him, it fit his life. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - T O P I C A L S - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --Death Is: leaving the "training vehicle" (our body), leaving here to go back to our soul group and reunite with the priotionof our spirit we left behind to restore us after this life. --The first time I ever experienced someone's death, I was 5 years old. --The Most Vivid memory I have of this most recent death is: how my heart clenched when I learned of his death No one I had been intimate with had ever died and I flooded with the memories of what our life had been like when we were together...some happy, spme not so happy. I remmebered our last conversation and his emotional pai. I remember wondering if he was at peace now...then almost immediately, I knew he was. --What I think my (USA) culture needs to better learn about death is: how singular this lifetime is in relationship to the overall goals our individual soul must accomplish. --One gift for which I shall always be grateful is: that quiet, small voice within me that responds to my unspoken questions/fears. FOr instance, when I wondered if he was at peace, I instantly hear the soft reassurance that, in deed, he was. --What was of most support to me in my experience with death was: people who had come into my life at "just the right time"; sometimes they stayed, but often, these people where "chance" encounters who just happened to come along..... --And the most difficult for me in my experience with death was: getting past all the fear and mis information I had been exposed to as a child. Unthawing my emotions and allowing the waves of grief and loss to wash over me then ebb and flow away. --Regarding just Being There for someone dying, my advice would be: breth evenly, allow your face and eyes to soften, meet the eyes of the dying person and let them guide the course of the conversation. --[My Father's] death taught me so much. I'd have others know how I: My father and I had a violent relationship, he was closed minded, alcoholic and not able to feel his own emotions. He spent most of his lfe thrying to close off from people yet, the day he died, we had the most "connected" experience of our entire relationship. I was aware I was "disassociating" from our father-daughter to that of a more clincial ( safe) distance... but what transpired between us, through our eyes, has stayed with me always. I heard myself ask if he was scared... for the first time I can ever rememebr, his eyes met mine, they were clear and open... I saw saddness, no anger. He didn't speak; I told him I would be scared if I were in his place and then I did something I never did before, I touched him... I placed my hand on his knee and left it there ( he sat in a wheelchair). His eyes filled with tears bit still he did not speak. I don;t rememebr anyting else from that exchange. But later that night, I awoke suddenly with a start seconds before the phone rang; it was his dr telling me dad had died. When my mother dired, 24 yrs later, I was alone, outside my rural home, laying in a healing circle by myself, surrounbded by 30 lit candles in ritual. That's another story. --The most confusing point of death for me was when: how others handled death, specifically funerals as I was growing up. --Regarding Humor in the death process, I'd just say that: I did this... laughed out loud; the reactions of others ranged from horror and anger to gentle understanding. --But some things worked out so well... I'm SO GLAD I was able to: remain present with my own feeling/emotions instead of falling into what others thought I should be or do. --One seemingly minor thing (yet important) which impressed me was when: I became aware of the sensation of the sun on my face during my mtoher's funeral... the warmth seemed intense and spread through my body... the voices around me dullen to a distant hum. --And exactly backwards: what we didn't make a big deal of, was: making sure eberythig happened "on time" at the funeral.... My son;s babysitter became ill so they called and asked me what to do. I told hom to bring the kids, we would wait. The funeral home was great about the delay but the "visitors" were antsy and, in one case, demanded to know why we were delayed. --I can get all teary-eyed just thinking about it all again when: emotions of all kindws flood over me. --In another dimension of Life where this all had never happened... I can do this, and have, many times. It is mostly enjoyable as long as I do not get hing up in the what ifs --Regarding HOSPICE etc: hoiw easily the hiospice folks adapted to the family surroundings; the focus was not only on the dying one; but on the entire unit. --Regarding CHURCHES, RELIGION, etc: only s small piece of the process... many of the organizaed church people I met clung to their doctrine in stead of being emotionally present for thise they came in contact with. If the clergy did not really know the family; this was a opportune time to "meet" them, on an emotional level... Maybe it was the clergy's own humanity that got in the way, I don;t know. I never got the impression they were open to really talking TO me just AT me. --Religious Affiliation: judao-christian belielfs combined with buddist philosphy --Regarding ONENESS of SPIRIT, etc: all encompassing... superceeds the narrowness of various doctrine and reinforces the commonality of a Supreme Being --Regarding MONEY: it became the focus of grief for angry family members. In the most recent case, ripping the family apart emotionally. --Regarding the FUNERAL: how my mother;s burial was affecting those around her. In most cases, they weer not close enough to my mother to actually feel great emotional gried over her death; still, some were actually wailing. Clearly they were feeling untouched grief from their own past experiences. It was fuuny, as I scooched down, under the umbrella, between my 2 youngest grandchildren I felt like a spectator watching the emotions of those around us. --The weirdest part of it all to me was: reconnecting my spirit with my physical body and just rtying to walk. --SOME OF THE COMMON SIGNS OF DEATH : don't change the topic of conversation from theone the dying operson chooses to go in. --SOME OF THE COMMON STAGES OF GRIEF: honesty became the focus in my life; I was more aware of how I really felt about everything... I "saw" things more clearly.... as if I, too, was looking at something for the last time. --RE: Visions from the 'Other Side': I encouraged my mother's phenomena and stressed the importance of the other caregivers aroubnd her NOT to change the course of conversation or redirect my mother's attentions away from the path her thoughts took. --RE: Near Death Experiences: IN 1991 I suffered what I thought was a heart attack. I was out of state and not with anyone who really knew me. As I lay in the ER by melself hooked up to machines I felt fear... again that small voice inside me gently scolded me 'ARE YOU GOING TO RUSH THROUGH YOUR DEATH AS YOU HAVE RUSHED THROUGH YOUR LIFE UP TO THIS POINT?" I immediately slowed down my breathing and focused on meeting the regularity of my breath with the monitors... I became very relaxed and felt my body become lighter; balloon like; I "lfited" from the bed as slowly rose to the ceiling, lightly bumping my nose against the ceiling tiles of the room above me ( much like a balloon does) ... I remember giggling like a small child each time my nose brushed against the roughness of the ceiling tiles...I heard voices in the distance, but felt no pain. In 2000 I was hit head on by a drunk driver... there was silence after the crash until someone (male) came to my door and told me I had to get out of the car. I ultimately did, although I rememebr feeling like my body wouldn't move; After getting out of the car I truned and exclaimed " Look at my car"; the man gently but firmly told me I had to get out of the road becasue there would be another car coming... some how I managed to get to the side of the road and laid down under what I thought was a shade tree in a small glade.... the next thing I remember was speaking to my passenger who was also laying next to me..... I turned my head to the side and saw the paramedicas working on a young man from the other vehicle... he was very still and bloody; there was something odd about his car; then I noticed the car hadbeen cut in two; he was in the back seeat but there wasn;t anything in frontof him... I watched his eyes try to focus and then I saw them grow dimmer. Then I felt someone open my shirt, I looked up into the blue eyes of a fireman... he opened his black coat to shelter me from the rain that had started to fall. He smiled doen at me, then I felt the crushing pain of my injuries slamm into my body. I later learned theere had not been another person on site at the accident before the fire dept arrived.. The man who had heloed me out of my car " wasn't real". --How might you deal with yet unresolved issues from a death?: GENERALLY I've found that as soon as I have identified "unresolved" matters of this nature; I am assured fromthe other side that, depending on its nature, the "offense" is generally percieved as unimportant to the "deceased" person.... for some of the more serious issues, I am generally gifted with some new awareness. --If we were to visit one last conversation... I have discussed an example of this above. --RE: After-death visits from our loved ones: i WAS driving down a familar road on my way to visit my mother some 3 hrs away... she was failing and the dr had told me she had begun to slide. Anyway, as I drove down the road I "drove into the visition"... I saw a yellow painted cinder block built hospital room with my mother half sitting up in bed; the room was dimmly lit with a small down light coming from a lamo just above mom's head. Shee seemed to be sleeping. Just as soon as my mind grasped that picture, the "camera" panned back and expanded my view... I saw myself, stting in a chair beside mon's bedside, I had laid my head down on her bed and had fallen asleep laying on my arms as the streeched out across the bed. Then again, as before, the picture "moved back" and widen my view... I then saw my mother standing behind me saddly watching the scene I described earlier... behind my mother was her mother... my grandmther had her hand on my mother's shoulder in comfort. I "heard" grandmother say "She'll be all right ( meaning me)' my mother seemed to take comfort in those words and somewhat relaxed... then, in my awareness,I drove OUT of the vision and continued down the road to visit my mother. I took this vision to heart and it seemed to quiet my sense of panic and urgency as I drove to my mother. I finally reached the cottage-type hospitalmom had been taken to; the nurse showed me the way to her room.... it was a yellow painted, cinder block built room, dimly lit with a small light just above my mother's head. I felt surrounded by support and knew, once again, there was much more to life and death than what traditional religion preached --Regarding Rights & Wishes of the Dying: I have created this for me and asked my spouse to do the same --Any thoughts about your own death?: This happens often; I have mixed feelings of relief and panci followed by an acceptance of inevitability (sp) --What might you like your obit to say of you: perhaps later; I have thoght of this, but this questionnaire is tiring.. valuable but tiring. I wish I could stop and come back to it later. --Any Coping Ritual or Event you invented / devised to help you cope: My mother took momths to pass, slipping further down each day. One night I spent the evening with friends at a spiritual retreat, on the way home I found myslef tking a way home I had not taken beofre... I pretty much knew where os road went so I wasn;t concerned... I foundmyself at a bookstore, they had a signifficant CD collecttion. I spent 3 hrs there in the new age section listening to various tracks; I purchase several, including a CD of chants in sanskrit and hebrew concerning the clearing of the 7 chakras... it was magical. As I continued on my way home I felt led in some way; several miles later I found the need to purchase some pillar candles; soon there was a department store, I pulled in. Once inside, I found a sale on a box of 4 pillar candles; I bought 8 boxes and wondered at the excitement I felt building; I was still an hr from home. By the time I got home a full blown plan had been created... I drove my care out back and arranged 30 pillar candles in a large circle; I placed 2 "soldier" candles inside on eirther side of a piece of lace I laid on the ground. I brought out a boom box and played new drumming CD I had also bought that afternoon.... several other things happened between this time and the time I ultimately went out into the yard, freshly showered, lit the candles, and laid down inside the circle to focus on my breath. I started the meditation CD ( sansskrit/hebrew) and sang along .... a series of natural events occured during this time leading up to the event that happened at the same time the 7th chakra chant finished and I was in the process of declaring the space around me as holy ground. I live rurally, an open hay field is adjacent from my property; the field is surrounded by dense trees; before the trees lies open water. The wind came up in the distance, it was pitch dark out except for the light of the candles; I heard the sound of the wind int he trees, then heard it change its sounbd as it hit the hay and build in rustling as it moved across the field towards where I now knelt in the middle of the circle. I turned my face towards the sound, heard the wind's sound change again....as it hit the driveway, then the rock wall and made its way across the remaining 400 yds to where I knelt, my arms now flung back, my head tipped back as the wind finally engulfed me, moved over me and then off into the woods behind me. Then, once again, it was silent. The music had stopped, the woods were quiet... it took several moments for me to manage to get up and walk back into the house; when I finally noticed the answering machine I found 2 messages.. the first from my mother's nurse asking me to call; the second from my brother telling me of my mother's passing... While these events occurred (and others not described here) my mother passed into the next life. --Any Coping Rituals or Events which have carried over into your life? frankly, after copleteing this questionnaire, I am too tired; --Any New Friends emerge in the shared grieving process of Death? Absolutely.... - - - - - P e r s o n a l H i s t o r y - - - - - How'd I do? Adequate What Helped me most deal with death? Dissociation I rememebr crouching by him, he was a young, black, airman from the neighboring Air Force Base. I remember the horse shoe crabs and the smell of the mucky shire. He looked like he was asleep; I wasn;t scaed until my mother screamed from the embankment .. she had come looking for me. I don't know how long I was alone with the young man's body. What Hindered me most in my dealing with death? Family's Sensitivities My mother was mentally ill and both my parents were racial bigots; after fraking out initially, my mother never spoke of the young man again. No one did really. --As for reaching out helping others now as part of my healing process: discussed earlier - - - Comments on this Questionnaire & collection GuestBook - - - This is an extremely valuable tool... I was drawn into it while doing research on a topic that came up while viewing a TV program on bardo. I am tired, physically, though... there are areas in ehoch I wish I had more physical energy to go into greater detail... other questions where I amswered with one person in mind and then wished I could go back and write another response concerning the death of another loved one. Thank you for creating this vehicle, you've made me think; re-remember emotions and events in a different light. I hope my thoghts/words are helpful in your project as well/ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Mon Sep 24 14:51:41 2007 M50 ish in starcross, devon =england= - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Found us by: [ Stumbled on it ] couriosity - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Prof/Studies: ex train driver - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - More personal info: help each other - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Recommended Reading-- Titles: if Recommended Reading-- Writers: rudyard kipling - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Most Significant Recent Death Exp was death of Father, 44 Years ago. Cause of Death: heart attack; Aged: . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - T O P I C A L S - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --Death Is: a natural phenomia --The first time I ever experienced someone's death, I on my own aged 7 --The Most Vivid memory I have of this most recent death is: calling my mother down stairs because something was wrong with my dad and she called the milkman into the house and i got sent into the kitchen --What I think my (england) culture needs to better learn about death is: that is a natural event and fearing death i think i worst than death its self --One gift for which I shall always be grateful is: my mother, my father who i cannot remember very well and my family and friends --What was of most support to me in my experience with death was: i think being 7 yaers old i had no real concept of death --And the most difficult for me in my experience with death was: my mothers loss --Regarding just Being There for someone dying, my advice would be: to tell them of all the friends and family they are going to meet --[My Father's] death taught me so much. I'd have others know how I: carried on with my own life --The most confusing point of death for me was when: i do now think things are clear and understandable --Regarding Humor in the death process, I'd just say that: never had that urge --Not that it's a regret, but I would like to have better had time to: spent more time with my children --But some things worked out so well... I'm SO GLAD I was able to: learn from life, some people are so so much worse of than me, and im thankful i have learned that --One seemingly minor thing (yet important) which impressed me was when: i was born --And exactly backwards: what we didn't make a big deal of, was: money status --I can get all teary-eyed just thinking about it all again when: i hope i have done well for my family --In another dimension of Life where this all had never happened... i think we will all be together in another time / dimension this is one moment in time how do you equeat time --Sometimes I think: It's just not fair... i dont think there is fair or unfair in life i think its what you make of life --It's sometimes so very difficult. I just wish I could i dont find life so difficult im just glad im alive --When it really hit me... when I realized & acknowledged the death, I hope all the pain and suffering was over --Regarding MEDICINE, DOCTORS, etc: cannot comment had no experience --Regarding HOSPICE etc: no ex --Regarding CHURCHES, RELIGION, etc: i am not a church goer but i believe in a higher spirit of some kind --Religious Affiliation: beliver in a higher sprit --Regarding ONENESS of SPIRIT, etc: that we are all born of one and no matter what we expeirence here on earth we will at sometime all unite --Regarding MONEY: my mother wored harder to keep me --Regarding the FUNERAL: support because we have all been there and we will all be going there but on the otherside of the curtain --The weirdest part of it all to me was: dont really know --SOME OF THE COMMON SIGNS OF DEATH : think of family past and family to come a part of you has exsisted and will continue to exsist when you are no longer on this plane --SOME OF THE COMMON STAGES OF GRIEF: they were there at sometime we will meet again --RE: Visions from the 'Other Side': i belive my mother and father are now as one on the other side --RE: Near Death Experiences: a feeling of peace tranquillity and loss of the fear of death because --How might you deal with yet unresolved issues from a death?: resolved --If we were to visit one last conversation... loved you then love you now --RE: After-death visits from our loved ones: real clarity but i think it more in the terms of a higher presence that my parents are ok but the being/ presence is telling me this not my parents --Regarding Rights & Wishes of the Dying: i want to die with dignity i was not given a choice about being born but i want to choose how and when to die if possible --Any thoughts about your own death?: diffine soon ????????? we will all die someday treat people well now because no one knows what is after death --What might you like your obit to say of you: wished the best to all mankind ......please lets learn from history.s mistakes and all live as brothers --Any Coping Ritual or Event you invented / devised to help you cope: thought i was in a dark room and asked the higher presence /being whatever to turn on the light to let me see around me and he did .i liked what i saw --Any Coping Rituals or Events which have carried over into your life? live each day as it comes try help others ...if we can do things to help others then let us --Any New Friends emerge in the shared grieving process of Death? not really - - - - - P e r s o n a l H i s t o r y - - - - - How'd I do? Well What Helped me most deal with death? Avoiding Everything What Hindered me most in my dealing with death? Family's Sensitivities --As for reaching out helping others now as part of my healing process: not really applicable - - - Comments on this Questionnaire & collection GuestBook - - - no its not helped me but i hope it helps others - - - Any other questions you feel we should have asked here? i dont know but i had a really really strong sense of deja vu fillng in this ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Thu Sep 27 11:51:04 2007 F25 in tel aviv =israel= - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Found us by: [ Web Search: ] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Prof/Studies: philosophy student - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Recommended Reading-- Titles: the book of life and death, buddhism studies, islam religion, jewish religion, greek philisophy, simon weill (love and affliction) and more! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Most Significant Recent Death Exp was death of , Years ago. Aged: --Details: not somone specific, all the energies. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - T O P I C A L S - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --Death Is: when our bosy cant keep the soul inside no more because te human body is too fragile for a long time. so one day the soul separate from the body and this is death but it is only a stop in our soul way and the only one level in our life. --The first time I ever experienced someone's death, I though i was dreaming --That first time, how it happened was since I was a young girl I could see and feel energies around me of the dead. --The Most Vivid memory I have of this most recent death is: everybody went back to their lifes a few days after. --What I think my (israel) culture needs to better learn about death is: that they have to question themself what they know about it, and why there is so much ignorancy and fear from it whan it is a natural thing. --One gift for which I shall always be grateful is: that people stopped they daily life and thought. --What was of most support to me in my experience with death was: reading information --And the most difficult for me in my experience with death was: accepting it with a true hart - - - - - P e r s o n a l H i s t o r y - - - - - How'd I do? Well What Helped me most deal with death? Mystical Studies you dont have to deal with death you have to understand it. What Hindered me most in my dealing with death? Friends' Sensitivities ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ See Aug 07 contributions. See Jul 07 contributions. See Current contributions. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^