Chapter 13 "Spiritual Help for the Dying" Summary

Sogyal begins this chapter by noting the right for individuals to die with spiritual assistance. He stresses that while one cannot guide another into a spiritual path, one can help him or her find spirituality and help him or her to find healing and awareness within the self. Since all beings have the true potential to be a Buddha, all are lovable and forgivable. One should practice assisting the dying prior to the experience in order to inspire the self beforehand. Only then, can one open his or her heart and find compassion and inspiration. This not only helps the dying, but also the self, in that one's faith can be deepened through practice and invocation.

Sogyal singles out two areas of assistance one can provide to the dying, those of...