Books about death and dying

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SharonB
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Books about death and dying

Post by SharonB »

I have a family member who is somewhat hysterically afraid of dying some day. Does anyone know any good books on death, acceptance of death, life and death, etc...

Any help is appreciated.
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Jonah Bron
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Re: Books about death and dying

Post by Jonah Bron »

*gone*
Last edited by onion2k on Mon Mar 31, 2008 11:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: We have a rule that prohibits discussing anything religious. Sorry.
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onion2k
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Re: Books about death and dying

Post by onion2k »

I have nothing to add as it's something that (thankfully) I have no experience of, but I'd just like to reiterate the forum rules - No discussion of anything religious or political. We're not against those topics per se, but they tend to get a bit heated and fraught so it's easier all round to avoid them. Feel free to post suggestions that are of a secular nature though.
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califdon
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Re: Books about death and dying

Post by califdon »

onion2k wrote:I have nothing to add as it's something that (thankfully) I have no experience of, but I'd just like to reiterate the forum rules - No discussion of anything religious or political. We're not against those topics per se, but they tend to get a bit heated and fraught so it's easier all round to avoid them. Feel free to post suggestions that are of a secular nature though.
...especially if they have something even remotely connected to PHP or Web Development or even programming.

sheesh!!
alex.barylski
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Re: Books about death and dying

Post by alex.barylski »

Like dying from excessive programming in PHP? :P

Personally, I think my fingers will go first. :)
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flying_circus
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Re: Books about death and dying

Post by flying_circus »

SharonB wrote:I have a family member who is somewhat hysterically afraid of dying some day. Does anyone know any good books on death, acceptance of death, life and death, etc...

Any help is appreciated.

Sorry, no books come to mind. I am probably the least qualified person on the forums to be giving advice about people's phobia's. I personally cant comprehend other people's thinking methods.

With that said, do you know WHY they are afraid of death? Does it have anything to do with fears of not accomplishing what they wanted, living a meaningless life, just not knowing how much time is left, control, etc? For me, I used to think about it alot, not wanting to die, but atleast the fear of not knowing how much time is left. I have things I want to accomplish that are important to me like, start a family (someday), own a home, travel a little bit. I found that it was more a problem with my priorities than anything. I was actively worrying about not being able to do things, when I should have been doing them.

Perhaps one of the largest life changing experiences that made me forget about death (well, just think differently about it) and start thinking about life, was confronting my fear. I had a friend that I used to think was crazy. He rode motorcycles and was a skydiver. I couldn't fathom the idea of "gambling" with your life like that. He persuaded me to go to the drop zone a couple of times, and after actually watching it, it didnt seam that bad, in fact, after seeing how much fun everyone was having, I started to believe he wasnt so crazy. The following year, I signed up for a course, and began jumping regularly. He also taught me to ride his motorcycle, and a couple years later I began SCUBA.

All these things gave me confidence that I have control over my life and changed my perspective on taking "calculated risks." I know that every time I jump out that airplane door, I am 100% dead unless I save my life (by opening a parachute). Stuff like that brings you back to primal "survival" mode and alot of the stuff that I was worrying about seemed so insignificant from there on out. It was the stepping stone that kicked me to start living my life, rather than worry about losing it. I found that the only certain thing in this world is that you WILL die, so you can either die doing something you love, or die worrying about dying. For me, it was a motivation problem and not actually fear of death problem.
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Chris Corbyn
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Re: Books about death and dying

Post by Chris Corbyn »

Interesting post flying_circus, I enjoyed reading that :) I can't say I've ever had a fear of dying... maybe even the opposite. I look forward to getting old and knowing I've lived a great life. I'm only 24 (25 next month) but the thought of getting old is a nice one to me. I can't wait to retire and spend *my time* doing what *i want to do*.

Granted, there are heaps of things I still want to do. A lot of travelling I'd like to do (South America, New Zealand, a lot of Asia and even parts of Europe which is pretty close to where I'm from). Even at 24 I've done some stupid things (I still do stupid (recreational) things in my own time :P) but they're all experiences I'll not forget as I grow up.

Who'd want to live forever? Life can't just go on forever, dying is like that last experience you'll go through, and it's just that, another life experience!
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Bill H
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Re: Books about death and dying

Post by Bill H »

For most of my life I shared your friend's fear. Perhaps not as irrationally as you suggest your friend does, but I had a rather serious dread of death.

Then one day I jumped out of my sailboat and drowned. That is I had no pulse and was not breathing when they pulled me out of the water. A guy performed cpr for and got a heartbeat after several minutes but had to keep breathing for me something like half an hour until the ambulance came. The emt's got me breathing but my heart stopped again in the emergency room and I remember watching the doctors working on me from outside my body and feeling very peaceful about the whole thing. It's called a "near death experience" and, like almost everyone who has gone through it, I have had no fear of dying ever since. That was maybe 25 years ago.

There are quite a few books on the "near death experience" and perhaps one of those might help your friend.
alex.barylski
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Re: Books about death and dying

Post by alex.barylski »

Now that were on the subject of the paranormal -- whats everyone's opinion on teleconesis?

I watched a show the other day about this gang of Toronto students who fabricated some guy from England some 300 years ago. I want to say it was called the fake ghost experiment but apparently it proved that people in a group focusing on a single idea can cause enough energy that physical objets begin to move.

Weird you know, I thought about it the other day. I've tried millions of times in my life to move something with my mind and have never succeeded -- nor have I witnessed it with my own two eyes and been able to physically examine the process (thus ruling out Chris Angel, etc).

Then I thought about all those times as a kid me and friends would have a sayonce(spelling?). I would always get spooked and call it quits within 15 minutes or so. I wonder if it's those strange energies I don't like to feel (so I rarely ever do) that are what actually result in objects being moved -- in other peoples experiences anyways.

Maybe to become a Jedi I simply have to focus on something spooky and metal will begin bending around me, etc... :P

At one time I thought paranormal science was hogwash. However as I age, I find myself contemplating the possibilities more and more. After all Arthur C Clarke has some wild ideas in his day and look what happened. Todays fiction is usually tomorrows future.

I just want to be able to move things with my mind so I never have to move again, is that so much to ask for??? :P

Can you imagine, moving milk from the store to your house while typing, cutting the grass and watching TV -- holy Windows 98. :P

p.s-Bill H that was a trippy story BTW. :)
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Benjamin
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Re: Books about death and dying

Post by Benjamin »

You know, regardless of the circumstances... I really don't see this as an appropriate topic for this forum.
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Chris Corbyn
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Re: Books about death and dying

Post by Chris Corbyn »

astions wrote:You know, regardless of the circumstances... I really don't see this as an appropriate topic for this forum.
On what grounds? This is the general discussion forum so we can talk about anything within our rules really :)
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shiznatix
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Re: Books about death and dying

Post by shiznatix »

give them a bible, koran, and the tibetan book of living and dying. I you believe in any of the spiritual stuff then those 3 will cover basically any death questions.

Personally, I don't subscribe to that stuff (although the books are interesting reads). I prefer jumping out of airplanes and diving, if it kills me then at least it was fun.
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EverLearning
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Re: Books about death and dying

Post by EverLearning »

:D
journey.jpg
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John Cartwright
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Re: Books about death and dying

Post by John Cartwright »

EverLearning wrote::D
journey.jpg
I've removed the attachment. No profanity please.
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EverLearning
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Re: Books about death and dying

Post by EverLearning »

sorry :oops:
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