Transcendence: Finding Peace at the End of Life

Description

Transcendence gently guides readers through the experiences that surround death through the lens of Eastern philosophy and the author's own experience as a hospice counselor. All of us die, and most of us are called upon to support loved ones or friends in dying or in grieving a death. We wonder about the nature of this universal phenomenon: Is dying only an uninvited tragedy or can it also be seen as a rite of passage? Can one's end of life journey be a time of finding inner peace, completion, and even growth? Transcendence views life as a pilgrimage culminating in the Great Transition at death. Rather than fearing our end, it invites us to reach once more for personal and spiritual growth in our sacred journey. Drawing on insights from the ancient sages of India as well as modern hospice experiences, the author explores a spiritual art of dying as the last and most powerful rite of passage. The Mandala Wisdom Series is an introductory collection on Eastern wisdom and spirituality, providing readers with the tools to enhance their health and well-being.

J. Phillip Jones, MA, LMHC, is a psychotherapist who served as an interfaith hospice spiritual counselor in Hawaii for over 13 years. Previous to his hospice work, Phillip travelled the country as a Hindu monk for six years, meeting teachers and practitioners of many faiths to learn about their traditions and host them at interfaith gatherings. Phillip has encouraged, counseled and guided over 2,000 hospice patients of all faiths and beliefs, including those more spiritual than religious, on the art of dying and finding peace at the end of their lives. He has trained over a thousand hospice staff and volunteers to understand the existential and spiritual issues that arise near the end of life and has served on the faculty of two National Hospice Conferences. Phillip is the author of an audio training CD entitled The Yoga of Living and Dying.