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(More customer reviews)Death is not an easy Passage. Seventeen years years of caring for hospice and hospital patients have taught me that. While the dying process has the potential for tremendous meaning, beauty, and sacredness, it is also deeply human. This Companion is an illustration of each of those qualities.
For myself as a professional caregiver, this selection of words, music, and printed pages continually stirs my heart. The package includes a book that features text from several wisdom and faith traditions. The text is read with accompanying beautiful - indeed, haunting - music on CD1. The second CD has just the instrumentation. These CDs are masterfully produced: the music, the readings, the production itself. No sacrifice was made in quality or in meaning.
MIchael Stillwater and Gary Malkin have done an enormous service in preparing this deeply human and humane collection of words and music. It is well worth the money spent on it.
I have had the privilege of hearing Michael speak twice at seminars for the health care system of which I am part. He has an amazing sense of intuition about what will speak to people and what touches them. On both occasions, staff spoke of his giftedness and blessing to each of us.
It should be noted that there are numerous traditions represented on the CD, as well as styles of music. While I consider myself a fairly inclusive person, I initially found myself really wanting to hear readings from traditions more familiar to myself (just being honest here). But, as I listened, I began to take increasing levels of comfort from these other Wisdoms. Indeed, they were quite rich in their meaning. I can see though, that someone at the time of life's end might not want to be "dipping their feet into new waters." Particularly those of more fundamentalist traditions may find this harder to embrace. One can always listen to the instrumental CD, though.
Of the two CDs, I find myself missing whichever CD I don't have on at the moment. The instrumentation along with the voices of those from other geographies and traditions offers it's own solace, so I want on the Reading CD. But, then I want on just the instrumentation CD because I can work well with just the music playing.
Of the media that this occasionally soul-tired old chaplain values, this package is the most frequently turned to. Not a week passes by that it isn't on in my office. If I need something to lift my heart, this is what I listen to. That's been true for a year now. And, I'm moving into my second year...
Click Here to see more reviews about: Graceful Passages: A Companion for Living and Dying (Wisdom of the World Series)
In words and music, Graceful Passages provides an atmosphere of relaxation, fresh insight, and a renewal of faith for anyone exploring the challenge of dealing with grief from the loss of a loved one. Cofounders of the Companion Arts Foundation, the authors have gathered Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Native American, Confucian, and Buddhist sages to create a truly broad-ranging multifaith resource. From many perspectives the themes of letting go, closure, expressing love, forgiveness, appreciation of life, and the continuity of spirit are reviewed. We hear the words and voices of Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, Thich Nhat Hanh, Ram Dass, Arun and Suranda Gandhi, Sam Keen, Dr. Ira Byock, Kathleen Dowling Singh, and others. A customized musical score composed by an award-winning composer and pioneering healing music artist, stunning still-life color photographs, and a handsome design make this set a gift to treasure in both good times and bad.
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