The Art of Dying

by Peter Fenwick, Elizabeth Fenwick

The Art of Dying is a contemporary version of the medieval Ars Moriendi--a manual on how to achieve a good death. Peter Fenwick is an eminent neuropsychiatrist, academic and expert on disorders of the brain. His most compelling and provocative research has been into the end of life phenomena, including near-death experiences and deathbed visions of the dying person, as well as the experiences of hospice and palliative care workers and relatives of dying people. Dr. Fenwick believes that consciousness may be independent of the brain and so able to survive the death of the brain, a theory which has divided the scientific community. The "problem with death" is deeply rooted in our culture and the social organization of death rituals. Fenwick believes that with serious engagement and through further investigation of these phenomena, he can help change attitudes so that we in the West can face up to death, and embrace it as a significant and sacred part of life. We have become used to believing that we have to shield each other from the idea of death. Fear of death means we view it as something to be fought every step of the way.

Aimed at a broad popular readership, The Art of Dying looks at how other cultures have dealt with death and the dying process (The Tibetan "death system", Swedenborg, etc.) and compares this with phenomena reported through recent scientific research. It describes too the experiences of health care workers who are involved with end of life issues who feel that they need a better understanding of the dying process, and more training in how to help their patients die well by overcoming the common barriers to a good death, such as unfinished business and unresolved emotions of guilt or hate.

From descriptions of the phenomena encountered by the dying and those around them, to mapping out ways in which we can die a "good death", this book is an excellent basis for helping people come to terms with death.

Genres: Psychology, Death, Science, Nonfiction, Neuroscience, Spirituality

251 pages, Paperback

First published June 30, 2008

About the author

Peter Brooke Cadogan Fenwick was a British neuropsychiatrist and neurophysiologist who is known for his studies of epilepsy and end-of-life phenomena.

Reviews

[Lynne King · Rating 3 out of 5]

Is there an art to dying? What can we do to achieve a good death? We have few special rituals to prepare for death, or to mark it and we often fail to help the dying prepare for death.

I don’t want anyone reading this review to think that I have a morbid slant on life. My only excuse is that since I lost a loved one two years ago, I have become philosophically involved in trying to find a meaning between our life on earth and death and whether there is anything afterwards. But then this issue has been debated since time immemorial and will no doubt never cease as we just don’t know what, if anything, happens after death.

I have read several books on dealing with death and mourning and they all seem to repeat the same mantra of certain progressive stages and so I will not dwell on that too much.

I had become concerned though that for the last two years, I have been having nocturnal visits outside my bedroom window; they are normally around 2 to 5 in the morning. Each visit lasts briefly ten or so seconds and it is always the same, i.e. the sound of heavy, clunking footsteps. I was frightened out of my mind the first time I heard them but I was determined to find out what it was. So at the time, I think it was 3.10 am, I got hold of a large, heavy stick (decided not to take a knife in case someone attacked me with it) and crept out into the dark with my Labrador, Chloé. There was nothing, of course. The only odd thing is that Chloé sat down and just stared at my bedroom window and I did find that spooky.

Anyway, I have discussed this with friends and they thought I was either hallucinating or was “on the bottle”. Certainly neither of these. I then discussed it with our local French priest and he said that it was my husband visiting me, which I thought was a lot of nonsense. There is certainly no scientific evidence to suggest this.

So when I was in England over Easter in Cambridge, whilst at the Easter Sunday service in the local church, I was watching the vicar and he seemed an approachable person. I asked the girl who was sitting next to me if he would mind if I spoke to him after the service and she said no problem. So Charles, who, I found out afterwards, taught Theology at one of the local colleges, upon hearing my tale suggested this book. He knew Dr Peter Fenwick, who had written this book with Elizabeth Fenwick.

Well it transpires that Dr Fenwick is an internationally renowned neuro-psychiatrist and a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. He is Britain’s leading clinical authority on near-death experiences.

The eagerly awaited book finally arrived the other day. I always try and obtain second-hand hardbacks because I feel that they have a history. I also buy many books from an online company that takes ex-library books and their sale proceeds go to a charity which is rather splendid. It’s evident that this book was obviously not very successful with the public as from 27 December 2008 to 19 May 2015 it was only taken out six times.

As for this book, well it really didn’t tell me much. There are many experiences, for example, accounts by the dying, and those who have been with the dying in their final hours, thus demonstrating and helping us to understand that death is a process; hallucinations, etc. but nothing, and the sole purpose of acquiring this book, about footsteps. Nevertheless I’m glad I read this and it may prove to be of benefit to someone who has lost a loved one.

Finally, it is said that when you dream you are dreaming, you are waking up. Well, all I can say about that is now I have the most vivid dreams where there are many people in different rooms and there’s a lot of action. I’m not aware of any noise though. So if there is another world after death, it must be somewhat crowded!

[Randy Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just before turning sixty, on Christmas Day, I suffered a brain event. If I call it a TIA which gets attached to the frightening word, 'stroke,' I scare myself and others unnecessarily. I provide this personal information as way to setting the stage for why I would be reading books on death and dying.

More information: I am a married gay man with no children. My career objectives and desires have grown less urgent in the last few years. I thoroughly enjoy creative writing but don't see it hitting the survival chords as does making a living or raising children. So as I drift into retirement, what should be the focus of my life? I know that I will die and also that I find this idea scary and anxiety producing. I remember being in the cafeteria at my parents assisted living center and feeling the desperation in the shuffling elderly as they ever so seriously foraged for their food. Did that desperation come from a fear that this is maybe their last meal?

This is my very long-winded way of saying that I desire to become more at peace with death and dying. Reading this book was my first foray into this effort.

For me, the book was more about the science of death than art of dying. The authors cite several studies they initiated which gathered interviews from people who have witnessed odd coincidences and experience from the dying. This leads inescapably to the conclusion that the study of death and dying may not only be the realm of doctors studying brain waves. There is a much more spiritual and rich meaning attached to the dying experience. Another point they make is that most reporting on this phenomenon make the dying and death experience appear a benign one. That this is likely to be a life experience full of love, companionship and light.

I'm glad I read the book and I do think it has a lot to offer but I just don't need to be convinced that there is a spiritual even magical aspect to death and dying. It was reassuring to know this is something many people have experienced but I am looking, right now, for wisdom on letting go. So the journey continues.

[Gabriella Alziari · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of the best books you will ever read, because it will forever alter your view of death if it is one of fear, and it will reinforce it if it is positive. I truly believe that our world would be a different place if everyone took the time to read this book. People would spend more time on love and learning because they wouldn't be so scared that their time is "running out." This book is filled with numerous personal accounts of people who have communicated with the dead and dying, and it even explains what the living person experienced in each moment. It shows how death is like "coming home," and analyzes each instance with a scholarly (but easily digestible) approach. If you read this you won't regret it... I promise!

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is fascinating. Since my father passed away I've been trying to get more in touch with my spiritual side and explore the question of 'what happens after?'. Fenwick has studied over 300 accounts of near death experiences in his lifetime and the accounts in this book are incredibly moving and sometimes shocking.

[James Koppert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book which looks at the experiences of those who have been around people who are dying and all the strange experiences that are seemingly commonplace. The books purpose is to teach that death is not to be feared and to stop stressing in life as we are only here for a short while.

[Marjan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arguably one of the most comprehensive book on the subject. The process of death and dying is segmented into characteristic phases which are then separately discussed and backed up with a number of first-hand testimonies (probably collected by the authors themselves). But the ending chapters, in which authors discuss their findings against a huge background of existing literature (from The Tibetan Book of the Dead to modern day philosophical and medical sources), are no less interesting. It is clear that the authors did both: an extensive field research as well as their reading homework. For anyone interested this is a book to have and read.

[Kayley Hartley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did really enjoy this book, but it went on a bit at the end, I was hoping it would end so that’s why I gave it 3 stars instead of 4

[evie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Today, mum in her gentle state of half sleep named some of her relatives that I recall from my childhood. Long gone now.

This book contains accounts of near death experiences both from the dying, and those who have been with the dying. Personally I found it comforting and totally interesting to discover that such joyful moments occurr at our life's end.

Reading this as my mother reaches the end of her life has been a positive experience.
Life in my book is mirrored in the life of my real world.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

En la actualidad la muerte es un tabú en nuestra sociedad. Se ha convertido en algo privado. Desterramos la muerte de nuestras vidas e intentamos mantenerla allí, lejos. Encerrada en hospitales y cementerios. El positivismo en el que vivimos hace que no paremos a pensar en ella. Todos sabemos que moriremos algún día, pero casi nadie está preparado o se está preparando para "morir adecuadamente". No nos han enseñado nada acerca de morir y este libro intenta cambiarlo.

[Diane Stavrum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Wonderful personal experiences! My mother shared with my sisters & me a wonderful awareness of beings & spoke with them the day before she passed away.

[Karen Slora · Rating 2 out of 5]

At first I thought it incredibly boring as the authors describe, in great detail, common experiences that the living claim to have had happen at the same time as the death of a loved one. The authors do indicate that about 10% of people they surveyed had these “coincidences “. What about the 90%? I do feel we shouldn’t just discard these phenomena because we can’t really measure them and that consciousness may exist separate from the brain. Scientific research is needed and the authors attempt to do so. Visions, two or more people feeling the passing, falling furniture, etc. These aspects are explained in overly detailed descriptions provided verbatim, with little or no editing. A few sentences or quotes would have gotten the point across as easily. In the third chapter, I discovered 30! paragraphs, in italics. I get it...these experiences exist, at least to some. They describe the observations of caregivers as important to their research. However, this is a self-selected sample of people who choose, and train, to be around the dying. I almost stopped reading in the middle of the book as this was ad nauseum. But I was mostly interested in how they tied this up into a scientific method in the last few chapters. They argue there is a consciousness beyond the medical definition of death. They cite end of life experiences and the apparent “waiting” of the dying to go to their death, They view death as a journey, They also critique the current scientific method that places great emphasis on the observable and measurable. They fail to note that scientists have developed scales and other measures from subjective reports,. It is difficult to study the consciousness as scientists discovered with the inability to “prove” Freudian and other psychoanalytical theories. The authors do mention the importance of a paradigm shift as described by Kuhn. However, a test of a theory is that it be falsifiable and replicable. Their research is mainly anecdotal, even when trying to graph the timing of cardiac death back to arousal of life. Perhaps in the ten years since the publication of this book more empirical data has emerged. I gave it two stars rather than one because it may be a useful book for those caring for the dying and what to expect during the dying process.

[Joel Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

'The only basis for disbelieving is the strict adherence to the belief "that it could not happen"' - a paraphrase I feel sums up the book.

This book has had a profound impact on me.

Death... nobody wants to think about it, no one wants to talk about it and yet in fiction it's hard to find a single book where at least one character does not die. Before reading this book, all aspects of dying affected me, even in fiction. I'm not saying now I'm cured and that I will never again fear the end. Though, given the amount of evidence in this book and research I've done aside it, I am pretty convinced death is a journey, rather than an abrupt ceasing to exist. I didn't realise the weight that dying held on me everyday of my life.

This is not a book of wishful thinking and misleading arguments. This combines research from different different professionals in the field over many decades and only focuses on solid facts, although some of it does rely on questionable human experience. Maybe you can discredit ten, maybe even fifty of these "spiritual experiences" but there are thousands (not just in this book) all with a similar pattern.

The art of dying is split up into short sections I could dip in and out of, so it wasn't emotionally overwhelming. I started reading this a sceptic, but finished feeling very optimistic.

[Gregory Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I lost my mother two weeks ago. She was my first love and an incredible influence on the person I am. So naturally, the subject of death has been on my mind a lot. In the last several years, I've read a number of books on death and dying, including some on near-death experiences. When you dive into an issue like this, you begin to see cross-references to other books you need to read to gain mastery of the subject. This book - The Art of Dying - was referenced by many others in the field. So, I had started reading this book several months ago, trying to find some sense of relief of what I was experiencing as I knew my Mom was slipping away.

As the time grew nearer, I found myself not wanting to read, think, study, or learn anything. I just wanted things to be different. The raw emotionality of the time occupied far too much of my physical and mental energy. So finally, today I picked it back up and finished. The authors present a large number of stories, studies, and cross-cultural references to make this is very balanced, fair and well-written publication. I appreciate the time and attention by the authors to create this resource, to help us understand, assuage our grief and illuminate the possibilities that may exist when we and our loved ones depart.

[Ambar · Rating 3 out of 5]

"It is not faith, but the texture of a life lived that allows one to give oneself into the arms of death."

I first saw this book at a random bookstore about six years ago and, just by looking at the title, I believed it would help me fear death a little less. Mission accomplished.

Interesting read about the process of dying and the different experiences the living have regarding death. Even though the firsts chapters are somewhat repetitive, they still provide plenty of anecdotes and testimonies of all the ways people seem to experience death. Sounds morbid but I promise it's not.

I truly believe we, as a society, would be so much more at peace with the whole concept of death and grief if we could talk openly about it. I'm now more curious and less afraid of the answers to my questions in regards to everything death related. Who knows, it could just be a wonderful journey.

[Oto Sampedro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uno de los libros más interesantes sobre la muerte porque tiene un enfoque imaginativo y de empatía. No pretende llegar desde un enfoque meramente racional sino que utiliza toda una serie de experiencias cercanas a la muerte para analizar las posibilidades que tenemos de conocer lo que sucede después de la muerte además de tener una ayuda para comprender y superar la muerte de nuestros seres queridos. Es un libro muy interesante.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well-written book that covers all the common elements of the dying process and communion with the afterlife.

My only reason for the 3-star rating is that there is nothing new in this book that hasn't been written multiple times in multiple other books. If you haven't had exposure to or read any other works then this is an excellent starting point on your journey into life after death.

[Janetzi Molina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hermoso libro lleno de relatos y experiencias, incluye información sobre cada tema (algo breve) pero lo incluye, una nueva perspectiva de la muerte y el proceso liberador al finalizar el libro y como cambia la imagen que se tenía de morir he ahí el título "El arte de morir" 💙

[Jane Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the history and studies presented. It could be a little dry at times, but happy I continued reading. I really enjoyed the chapter that discussed how to treat people who are passing because many books skip that part. Overall it was a great read.

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

enlightening part of the jigsaw puzzles in my life

[Mike & Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating book, particularly the idea that consciousness is non-local and is broadcast to the brain from the universe

[Akash]

I want to read it

[Charlie Bynar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great research information about the end of life and the afterlife.

[Alexandros · Rating 5 out of 5]

Challenging to pick a book with a title like this but it is written from an great author with a scientific approach based on a large study,
It is one of the books along with Alexander Eben’s one that besides knowledge might give you some comfort especially if you have lost a loved one.
I am dedicating this to my sweet princess Nataly I will miss you greatly

[Faye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always looking for Hospice-related books-this had LOTS of personal anecdotes.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has wonderful personal experiences and I loved reading them. I did not like how the author kept analyzing every story, that got a little boring. But overall, it was a good read.

[Juan Carlos Portero · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://madrid.lecool.com/inspirations...

[Cristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*