Jackie Bailey Funerals, Spiritual Care, Death and Dying, Author

15/01/2026

15/12/2025

I thought I would share this resource. I am not Jewish, but these are two Jewish prayers I have been saying for the people affected by the Bondi tragedy.

Taken from EOL multi faith resources.
🙏🏽

Text:

Mi Sheberach: May the One Who Blessed (Traditional Prayer for the Sick)
May the One who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and our foremothers Sarah, Rebecca, Rachael, and Leah, bless and heal [Name]the son/daughter of [Name]. May the Holy One blessed by G-d, be merciful and strengthen and heal him/her.
Grant [Name] a complete and speedy recovery - healing of body and healing of soul, along with all the ill.
And let us say Amen.

Viduy
When death is near an individual may be encouraged to say a set of prayers called Viduy (confession). These are prayers that invoke God’s mercy. It is important to know that saying Viduy does not mean that death is imminent, in fact it is best if the prayers can be recited with a clear mind.
If the person is unable to pray, others may pray Viduy on the older person’s behalf.
“Upon you, O Lord my G-d and G-d of my ancestors, I acknowledge that my life and recovery depend upon you.
“May it be Your will to heal me. Yet, if You have decreed that I shall die of this affliction, may my death atone for all sins and transgressions which I have committed before you. Shelter me in the shadow of Your wings, grant me a share in the world-to-come. Protector of orphans and Guardian of widows protect my beloved family, with whose soul my own soul is bound.
“Into Your hand I commit my soul. You have redeemed me, O Lord G-d of truth. Hear O Israel: The Lord our G-d. The Lord is One.”

14/12/2025

Things we can do:
- give blood
- donate to mental health charities in Bondi eg Headspace Bondi and Lifeline Bondi
- send love and light this Hanukkah and Christmas season
- advocate for anti racism and anti semitism and stronger gun laws

(These ideas for action from 🙏🏽)

16/11/2025

Why me? Why evil? Why God?

Learning to understand my departure from religion through a trauma lens. In today’s , link in story 💛

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/nov/17/i-dont-believe-in-god-but-as-a-trauma-survivor-im-learning-to-forgive-myself?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

06/10/2025

A line from Henry Miller’s Tropic of Cancer has always stayed with me - in the US, “every man is Presidential timber.” When I was at high school I wanted to become the UN’s first female Secretary General. Anything less would be a failure of vision on my part.

My article in today’s Guardian is me accepting I will never speak French.

Image description:
Picture of a bishop and a couple of ladies chatting.
Making sense of it
Positive thinking can make success feel like the only acceptable option. But humility allows for grace.
Jackie Bailey

Link in bio and story

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/oct/06/positive-thinking-can-make-success-feel-like-the-only-acceptable-option-but-humility-allows-for-grace

08/09/2025

Amusing to see my article on virtue come up next to this article about Putin and Xi. Maybe they should read it?

Image ID: screenshot of the guardian app, on left “Jackie Bailey
Al Aristotle and Confucius agree: virtue is good in moderation”
On right “Ageing
Does science back up Putin and Xi’s longevity claims?”
Link in story
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/sep/08/across-cultures-and-centuries-aristotle-and-confucius-agree-virtue-is-good-in-moderation

04/06/2025

Book YES. ‘A Prayer for the Crown-Shy’ and ‘A Psalm for the Wild-Built’ by Becky Chambers.

These books are a hopeful parable for a post-apocalyptic universe. Here is the passage I most want to share, in a conversation between the human Dex and the wild robot Mosscap. Dex asks,

“…how does the idea of maybe being meaningless sit well with you?”

Mosscap considered. “Because I know that no matter what, I’m wonderful.”

03/06/2025

Book yes - FLESH by David Szalay

Very compelling lit fic set in Eastern Europe and UK. Had me staying up late, even though (or maybe because) I never seemed to really get to know the lead character (as the title suggests, the reader sees what the flesh does, not what it thinks…)

…opening chapter is a gut punch. Phwoar.
thanks Deb and Amanda for the recommendation

19/05/2025

Here is me quoting myself: “Spiritual surrender is not the same as doing nothing.”

My article in today’s (link in bio and story and also below)

Title: My sister was diagnosed with cancer - and it taught me the meaning of surrender
Jackie Bailey
Image: illustration of open palm up hands and a woman wearing a head veil with hands in prayer position



https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/may/19/my-sister-was-diagnosed-with-cancer-and-it-taught-me-the-meaning-of-surrender?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

16/04/2025

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/apr/16/my-sister-died-10-years-ago-heres-what-i-wish-i-had-known-about-dementia-when-she-was-alive

I think back to my 20-year-old self and my sister, lost in her imagined worlds, and I feel compassion for us both

07/04/2025

My piece in The Guardian today, about waiting as a spiritual act

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/apr/07/waiting-for-godot-can-boredom-be-a-kind-of-spiritual-practice

Image description: Making sense of it
Waiting for God(ot): can boredom be a kind of spiritual practice?
Jackie Bailey
Illustration collage of hand holding and cups of tea

No one likes the discomfort of doing nothing. But as a pastoral carer, it’s my job

25/03/2025

After you watch the Budget speech tonight, switch over to SBS and watch Insight at 8.30pm. 'Navigating Widowhood.' Some beautiful stories of how people live and love, after their person has died. SBS On Demand SBS INSIGHT