About the Book

Like a warm blanket on a chilly night and a compass for a wandering soul, Honoring the Mystery is a collection of inspiring and insightful stories that explore the mystery of death.

Reading Honoring the Mystery provides a healing balm all its own. The reader will discover better ways to support themselves and others during this very tender time of transition.

This book is for you if you are:

• supporting someone who is dying;
• facing your own mortality through illness and a life-limiting prognosis;
• grieving the death of someone you love;
• a health professional who works with the dying and bereaved;
• wanting to learn more about the dying process.

This heartfelt book encourages the reader to adapt the attitude of an explorer venturing into unknown realms while listening and absorbing all that is being shared by the dying and bereaved.

Barbara Morningstar has lived at the frontier of death both personally-through the death of her husband to cancer-and professionally in the hospice field for more than twenty years. Her hands-on hospice and palliative care experience presents us with compassionate context for some of the more sensitive turning points witnessed during the dying phase of life.

Barbara highlights key themes within the transcendent realm of mystery that are important to be aware of when companioning those nearing death or grieving. In turn, these make the journey less clinical, more approachable, less threatening, softer, and more loving. When embraced, these moments can help with healing and aid in a more peaceful passing.

Important touch stones that are explored within the chapters are:

• Metaphoric Language-When approaching death, language can become poetic or metaphoric. Understanding this can lead to greater communication and awareness.
• Visual-The dying and those who are bereaved speak of loved ones who have passed on coming to greet them; they also speak of an inspirational presence or a bright light that offers guidance and reassurance.
• Auditory-A range of sounds that are soothing-such as music, wind, or the voice of a loved one-may aid in the journey at hand.
• Kinesthetic-The sensation of feeling the inspirational presence of a departed loved one can be incredibly comforting.
• Dreams-A wealth of insight can come from dreams for both the dying and bereaved.
• Love and Compassion-To hold genuine space with these qualities can aid in a more peaceful death for the one who is facing the end of their physical life. These essential ingredients are similarly much needed by those who are grieving and integrating the loss of a loved one into their lives.

Being open to and embracing these transcendent experiences can aid in healing and support a greater comfort for all engaged in the journey at end of the physical life.

Please take a peek at the "Look Inside" feature to have a greater understanding of the themes that are explored.

About the Author: Barbara Morningstar began serving in the hospice field over twenty years ago. During that time she worked on staff at three different hospice societies within the province of British Columbia, Canada. The most notable was at a hospice society where she held the position of program director for twelve and a half years. While there, Barbara oversaw their palliative and bereavement programs, counseling staff, and hospice volunteers. Her teams worked with palliative patients and their loved ones in the twenty-bed hospice residence, the eleven-bed Tertiary Palliative Care unit in the local hospital, and with people who were being supported to die at home in the community. The hospice also provided one-to-one grief support and grief groups to bereaved of all ages. Over her many years in the hospice field, Barbara has supported thousands of people during this tender life transition. Her husband of twenty years died of cancer in 2008. She founded In Autumn's Cocoon Education in the fall of 2017 and is a key note speaker at major hospice and palliative conferences. Barbara is presently offering her skills and years of experience in end-of-life care as an educator in the form of talks, workshops, and writing. More information can be found on her web site: inautumnscocoon.com. She would love to hear your stories of mystery, love, and healing around end-of-life transitions.