10/30/2022
Ahhh… big sigh of satisfaction… as this week we put a wrap and a bow on the latest 7-week Best 3 Months journey. And it’s with deep gratitude to my students that I share some of their reflections (and a few of my own 😊) on what it’s been like to create a Best 3 Months vision for their end of life.
What I’ve observed is a beautiful blossoming within each one. When they started they were at different levels of comfort in talking about death. But even when there was some degree of comfort around the general subjects of death and dying, there were still some expressions of anxiety and feelings of being overwhelmed by the enormity of how best and how much was needed to prepare for our own personal end of life story.
But these feelings of discomfort gave way through the process of time and gentle coaching to help them see more clearly why we use all 7 weeks for this program. It’s because to really process the content well, it’s best to think of this journey as a 7-course meal. A meal that is more easily digested if we focus on 1 course (or domain) and ultimately 1 bite (or wish) at a time.
Through the 7-week journey, they experienced both a transformation and an evolution, and all reported they now feel several degrees more comfortable (near a level 10 and beyond!) talking about death than they did at the beginning. They now understand more clearly what happens to the body when we die and how that time can be made more peaceful and less fearful by having a clear picture of what we want and by communicating that picture with the loved ones who will be by our side to make sure our wishes are fulfilled.
Some of the feedback shared in the final two weeks was:
• “It (this class) made me consciously aware of how much detail it actually takes and how much preparation it takes (for my wishes) to be done right and not burden the family.”
• “The main thing I learned in taking this course is communication. It’s huge… communicating what you want.”
• “So many things require thinking & rethinking and examining feelings.”
• “It was an awesome class.”
• “It’s been really nice… it’s been really lovely.”
• “I was very surprised at all there is to do to make your end of life journey a peaceful one for you and your loved ones. I now have a platform to make that happen thanks to Karen and others in the class.”
Along with this and each cohort I facilitate, I too keep expanding and finding a new layer for my own end of life vision. During this class, I saw more clearly who I want to advocate for me when I’m unable to do it for myself… and where I want to be when I’m unable to care for myself.
Even though I had already taken action steps to prepare for the vision I want, I found yet another deeper level where I want to take more steps to create a more stable environment for myself where no one in my family will be burdened with the day-to-day physical caregiving if I become bed-bound at the end of life. And if we live a long enough life, it is quite common to become bed-bound for a minimum of a few days, but sometimes it can also last for weeks or months depending on the illness we face.
I want my family to be there for emotional support, but not physical. So, I’ve gotten much clearer that I need to put some additional pieces in place to make that happen. If we don’t want our families facing and making these decisions about how we’ll be cared for, we must plan and research now, while we’re healthy, which people and organizations would potentially be a good fit for us.
That is the step I am on now, researching which organizations, such as care managers and fiduciaries, that can best support me.
Getting to a level of comfort in talking about death is a process… and the first step is being able to talk to ourselves about it. The Best 3 Months program is the perfect place to begin this self-talk in an environment where we are supported by our fellow travelers using safety and kindness as foundational principles.
If this level of comfort is something you long for, two new journeys are starting soon, and it’s not too late to buy your ticket for the cruise of a lifetime. 😊 There’s still room in these last 2 boats setting sail this year:
• Tuesdays, November 1, 2022 – December 13, 2022 @ 6:00 – 7:30p MT
• Saturdays, November 5, 2022 – December 17, 2022 @ 10:30 – Noon MT
Please Note: Sign-up is at www.GoldenHeartTransition.com/classes, and these will be the last Best 3 Months programs offered at the current 2022 pricing of $150!
If you think others in your circle could benefit from this program to reduce their discomfort around the topic of their own (or a loved one’s) future death, please share this email widely. The information gained in this class is designed to not only help us with our own deaths, but also help us prepare for and support the death of other loved ones, such as our parents, siblings or friends. When a conscious death is created for anyone in our circle, it ripples out and ultimately becomes the seed of a wise death planted with everyone in the circle who bore witness.
My wish for you is to fulfill your destiny. Be a seed and plant your seeds. It’s part of who you are to share your light with others.
Gratefully yours in love & light, Karen 💛