Phyllida Anam-Áire, a former Irish nun, writer, and therapist, who trained with Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, has worked extensively with the sick and dying. She offers Conscious Living, Conscious Dying retreats and gives talks to nurses and palliative care workers. The author of The Last Ecstasy of Life, Phyllida lives in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Glossary of Gaelic Words and Expressions

Introduction
How I Met with the Teachings -- My Own Story: In Grief Did My Mother Conceive Me ---Brigit, Stirrer of the Cauldron

PART ONE
Death and Dying in the Celtic Tradition Opening the Heart to Death -- Life Is Not Threatened by the Loss of Form --Never-Ending Life --Death as Mystery in the Celtic Tradition -- A Time for Change -- Death, the Great Catalyst -- A New Language --The Áite, or Passages of Birth and Death -- The Áite of Birth --The Áite of Death

PART TWO Dealing with Your Personal Death and Dying Process Natural Transformation as Death Approaches -- The Paths Home -- Slip Away --After the Death of the Body --How Can We Live and Die Consciously? -- Celtic Festivals of Transformation -- Death Is Simply the Next Step -- Lessons in Tough Love -- Learning to Receive Love

PART THREE
Helping a Dying Person and Their Relatives How Can We Help a Dying Person Make a Happy Transition? -- “I Am Afraid of Pain” --The Stages of Releasing into Healing --The Power of Music: Medicine for the Heart --The Work of an Anam-Áire -- The Service of a Traveller with the Dead --Care of the Environment When a Person Is Dying -- How Can We Best Support the Dying? -- Guidelines for Helping the Dying -- Technology Can Help People Suffering Alone in Hospital -- Sacred Ritual of Watching with the Dead --- Blessing the Body -- Disposing of Water and Bedclothes -- Burial of Rings --Letting Go of the Past -- Distant Help for the Dying through Imaging and Meditation -- Prayers for the Dead -- Do What Is Natural -- The Ethics of Assisting Another in Their Desire to Die

PART FOUR
Being With the Bereaved Supporting Bereaved People -- The Golden Breath of Love -- Sacred Ritual for Bereaved People -- Other Rituals Celebrating Transitions in Life

PART FIVE
Lessons from the Heart of Nature Nature Is Our Guide -- The Seasons Are Our Teachers

PART SIX
Stories from the Heart of Death “Do This for Each Other Often -- Don’t Wait until You Die” -- Fear Versus Love

Appendix
The Alchemy of Love -- The Court of Love

Overview of Exercises and Practices

Index

Acknowledgements

About the Author