Hospice work by / for / with / as a Pagan
Hello, Friends;
I could use some help.
I'm working on a research paper about Pagan practice with respect to Death and Dying. I haven't found much written material beyond The Pagan Book of Death and Dying put out by Starhawk, M. Macha NightMare, and others in about 1997. Which is a great source -- but one source does not a research paper make.
And of course, to make it more interesting, my deadline is fairly short. (sigh).
I know some of you are doing Hospice work, as am I. My own work doesna constitute 'research', though; so would you be willing to share a bit?
Here's my first cut at 'research' questions -- to serve as a jumping-off point.
* Does your Hospice agency or facility know you're a Pagan? Do they know which tradition? Do they care? How was that conversation for you?
* Do your patients know your Pagan affiliation or are you 'in the broom closet' with them -- or some third position? How is that for you? for them?
* Do you use techniques from your Pagan practice in working with people who are dying? or with their families? How has that manifested?
* Have you worked with dying patients who are themselves Pagans? Your own tradition? or another? How has that been different for you?
* Do you find yourself having skills, because of your Paganism, that your non-Pagan hospice peers don't seem to have? How is that for you? for them?
And please feel free to share anything else that occurs to you.
Also -- I realize this is a pretty public place. If I already know you in 3D space, we could do this by e-mail ... or if not, maybe we can figure out how to exchange e-mail addresses without sharing them with the whole world.
Thanks for reading -- and thanks in advance for any help you can give me.
Love and light and LOTS of laughter
:)
I could use some help.
I'm working on a research paper about Pagan practice with respect to Death and Dying. I haven't found much written material beyond The Pagan Book of Death and Dying put out by Starhawk, M. Macha NightMare, and others in about 1997. Which is a great source -- but one source does not a research paper make.
And of course, to make it more interesting, my deadline is fairly short. (sigh).
I know some of you are doing Hospice work, as am I. My own work doesna constitute 'research', though; so would you be willing to share a bit?
Here's my first cut at 'research' questions -- to serve as a jumping-off point.
* Does your Hospice agency or facility know you're a Pagan? Do they know which tradition? Do they care? How was that conversation for you?
* Do your patients know your Pagan affiliation or are you 'in the broom closet' with them -- or some third position? How is that for you? for them?
* Do you use techniques from your Pagan practice in working with people who are dying? or with their families? How has that manifested?
* Have you worked with dying patients who are themselves Pagans? Your own tradition? or another? How has that been different for you?
* Do you find yourself having skills, because of your Paganism, that your non-Pagan hospice peers don't seem to have? How is that for you? for them?
And please feel free to share anything else that occurs to you.
Also -- I realize this is a pretty public place. If I already know you in 3D space, we could do this by e-mail ... or if not, maybe we can figure out how to exchange e-mail addresses without sharing them with the whole world.
Thanks for reading -- and thanks in advance for any help you can give me.
Love and light and LOTS of laughter
:)