Wisdom Publications
Lessons from the Dying
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Lessons from the Dying
Author(s): Rodney Smith
Rediscover the mystery and wonder of life through gentle reflections on death and dying.
What can death teach the living? Former monk and hospice worker Rodney Smith teaches us that through intimately considering our own inevitable end we can reawaken to the sublime miracle of life we so often take for granted. A well of stories, personal anecdotes, and direct advice gleaned from years of working with the dying in their final moments, Lessons from the Dying helps us redefine our conception of what it means to truly live. Each chapter contains guided reflections and exercises that allow the reader to integrate the wisdom in its pages more fully into their lives. With a sense of compassion, Lessons from the Dying provides all the tools of mind one needs to rediscover, in this very moment, the mystery and wonder of a lifetime.
From the foreword by Joseph Goldstein: “Lessons from the Dying could also be called “lessons for the living” because of the courageous honesty revealed in so many of the stories told here. These accounts reflect back to us our own attitudes toward death and love, and they prompt us to examine the way we are living our lives right now. In the busyness of our lives we rarely take time to consider our mortality and the implications that it might have for the choices we make. Yet when we do cultivate this awareness it becomes a powerful force for wise discrimination.”
Review(s):
"Smith communicates such a deep trust in death that we, too, as readers, start to regard death as a friend."
"In Lessons from the Dying, Rodney Smith shares with clarity and compassion 15 years of insights and skillful means learned from working with the dying. Schooled in Buddhist meditation, Rodney brings clarity and a straightforward approach to these 'lessons' which makes them quite practical for the deepening of the mind as well as the broadening of the heart. He offers to the dying first, and the rest of us by association, an increase in loving presence."
"Filled with his wise and rich experience, this is a valuable book of practice, stories and meditations."
"In this book, the richness of Rodney's years of meditation practice combine with his years of working with those dying and those left behind. It is a clear, practical and compassionate combination. The book rests on Rodney's profound dedication to the truth, which shines through in the text, the stories, the reflections and the exercises."
"Lessons From the Dying could also be called 'lessons for the living' because of the courageous honesty revealed in so many of the stories told here....Rodney skillfully guides us through the subtleties and nuances of our own assumptions, hopes, and fears, and shows the possibility of living and dying with an open heart. [This book] is a wise and gentle reminder of what faces us all, a reminder that death is the great mystery that illuminates life."
"Lessons from the Dying is a personal and heartfelt exploration of the human spirit and our inevitable encounter with death."
"Many will find Smith's heartfelt exploration of the human spirit intriguing and comforting. The book is not so much about dying, but how to live fully, embracing the inevitability of change and loss."
"Smith writes compellingly on the nature, value, and connection between life and death. [The dying] have much to teach us about the manner in which we could begin to lives our lives anew. This book is an eloquent, sensitive testimony by an individual who has deeply considered this important, life-altering event."
"Keeps coming back persistently to the wisdom the dying have for us."
"In this extraordinary volume, Rodney Smith opens our hearts, minds, and souls to the great mystery we all must face."
ISBN: 9781614291947
Author(s): Rodney Smith
Rediscover the mystery and wonder of life through gentle reflections on death and dying.
What can death teach the living? Former monk and hospice worker Rodney Smith teaches us that through intimately considering our own inevitable end we can reawaken to the sublime miracle of life we so often take for granted. A well of stories, personal anecdotes, and direct advice gleaned from years of working with the dying in their final moments, Lessons from the Dying helps us redefine our conception of what it means to truly live. Each chapter contains guided reflections and exercises that allow the reader to integrate the wisdom in its pages more fully into their lives. With a sense of compassion, Lessons from the Dying provides all the tools of mind one needs to rediscover, in this very moment, the mystery and wonder of a lifetime.
From the foreword by Joseph Goldstein: “Lessons from the Dying could also be called “lessons for the living” because of the courageous honesty revealed in so many of the stories told here. These accounts reflect back to us our own attitudes toward death and love, and they prompt us to examine the way we are living our lives right now. In the busyness of our lives we rarely take time to consider our mortality and the implications that it might have for the choices we make. Yet when we do cultivate this awareness it becomes a powerful force for wise discrimination.”
Review(s):
"Smith communicates such a deep trust in death that we, too, as readers, start to regard death as a friend."
"In Lessons from the Dying, Rodney Smith shares with clarity and compassion 15 years of insights and skillful means learned from working with the dying. Schooled in Buddhist meditation, Rodney brings clarity and a straightforward approach to these 'lessons' which makes them quite practical for the deepening of the mind as well as the broadening of the heart. He offers to the dying first, and the rest of us by association, an increase in loving presence."
"Filled with his wise and rich experience, this is a valuable book of practice, stories and meditations."
"In this book, the richness of Rodney's years of meditation practice combine with his years of working with those dying and those left behind. It is a clear, practical and compassionate combination. The book rests on Rodney's profound dedication to the truth, which shines through in the text, the stories, the reflections and the exercises."
"Lessons From the Dying could also be called 'lessons for the living' because of the courageous honesty revealed in so many of the stories told here....Rodney skillfully guides us through the subtleties and nuances of our own assumptions, hopes, and fears, and shows the possibility of living and dying with an open heart. [This book] is a wise and gentle reminder of what faces us all, a reminder that death is the great mystery that illuminates life."
"Lessons from the Dying is a personal and heartfelt exploration of the human spirit and our inevitable encounter with death."
"Many will find Smith's heartfelt exploration of the human spirit intriguing and comforting. The book is not so much about dying, but how to live fully, embracing the inevitability of change and loss."
"Smith writes compellingly on the nature, value, and connection between life and death. [The dying] have much to teach us about the manner in which we could begin to lives our lives anew. This book is an eloquent, sensitive testimony by an individual who has deeply considered this important, life-altering event."
"Keeps coming back persistently to the wisdom the dying have for us."
"In this extraordinary volume, Rodney Smith opens our hearts, minds, and souls to the great mystery we all must face."
ISBN: 9781614291947