Death, Dying, and Mysticism: The Ecstasy of the End (Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Study of Mysticism)

Ars Moriendi after Kant's turn to the subject / Thomas Cattoi -- Lady Jacopa and Francis: mysticism and the management of Francis of Assisi's deathbed story / Darleen Pryds -- Mystical dying in contemporary autobiographies / Lucy Bregman -- Traces of resurrection : the pattern of Simone Weil's mysticism / Stuart Jesson -- Thoreau's religious response to death / Robert Michael Ruehl -- You create your own reality : the fallacy of death in Jane Roberts' Seth material / Cynthia A. Hogan -- Symbolic death of the subject in the structure of Jacques Lacan / Jin sook kim -- Anomalous experiences and the bereavement process / Callum E. Cooper, Chris A. Roe, and Graham Mitchell -- Heaven is for real and America's fascination with near-death experiences / Candy Guenther Brown -- Mystical knowledge and near death experience / Lee Irwin -- The experience of death as non-death / Jordan Paper -- Death visions of the Goddess Kali : the Bengali Shakta corpse ritual at the burning ground / June Mcdaniel -- Samdhi as true death in the yogas'tra / Lloyd W. Pflueger -- At our end is the beginning : death as the liminal real in the art of Frida Kahlo / June-Ann Greeley -- Modern requiem compositions and musical knowledge of death and afterlife / Martin J. Hoondert. "Cover" -- "Title" -- "Copyright" -- "Dedication" -- "Contents" -- "Acknowledgments" -- "Introduction Ars Moriendi after Kantâ#x80;#x99;s Turn to the Subject" -- "1 Lady Jacopa and Francis:" -- "2 Mystical Dying in Contemporary Autobiographies" -- "3 Traces of Resurrection: The Pattern of Simone Weilâ#x80;#x99;s Mysticism" -- "4 Thoreauâ#x80;#x99;s Religious Response to Death" -- "5 You Create Your Own Reality:" -- "6 Symbolic Death of the Subject in the Structure of Jacques Lacan" -- "7 Anomalous Experiences and the Bereavement Process" -- "8 Heaven Is for Real and Americaâ#x80;#x99;s Fascination with Near-Death Experiences" -- "9 Mystical Knowledge and Near-Death Experience" -- "10 The Experience of Death as Non-Death" -- "11 Death Visions of the Goddess Kali:" -- "12 Sama ̄dhi as True Death in the Yogasu ̄tra" -- "13 At Our End Is the Beginning:" -- "14 Modern Requiem Compositions and Musical Knowledge of Death and Afterlife" -- "Bibliography" -- "Notes on Contributors" Cover 1 Title 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 6 Contents 8 Acknowledgments 10 Introduction Ars Moriendi after Kant鈥檚 Turn to the Subject 12 1 Lady Jacopa and Francis: 26 2 Mystical Dying in Contemporary Autobiographies 46 3 Traces of Resurrection: The Pattern of Simone Weil鈥檚 Mysticism 60 4 Thoreau鈥檚 Religious Response to Death 76 5 You Create Your Own Reality: 98 6 Symbolic Death of the Subject in the Structure of Jacques Lacan 114 7 Anomalous Experiences and the Bereavement Process 128 8 Heaven Is for Real and America鈥檚 Fascination with Near-Death Experiences 144 9 Mystical Knowledge and Near-Death Experience 164 10 The Experience of Death as Non-Death 188 11 Death Visions of the Goddess Kali: 200 12 Sama炉dhi as True Death in the Yogasu炉tra 214 13 At Our End Is the Beginning: 230 14 Modern Requiem Compositions and Musical Knowledge of Death and Afterlife 246 Bibliography 258 Notes on Contributors 276 Index 280 Contemporary society tends to conceal death and the dying process from public view, seeking to erase them from our consciousness. This attitude of denial stands in great contrast to the approach of the great spiritual traditions of humanity, for which the dying process was an integral and often crucial part of our own spiritual practice. This volume offers a sample of reflections from scholars and practitioners on the theme of death and dying from scholars and practitioners, ranging from the Christian tradition to Hinduism, Lacanian psychoanalysis, while also touching on the themes of the afterlife and near-death experiences.