Satan's World, XXII.
Nicholas van Rijn and Adzel face the possibility of imminent death:
"Van Rijn said to Adzel, 'You do what you like for an hour. I will be with St. Dismas. Got to confess to somebody.' He could not refrain from adding, 'Ho, ho, I bet he never heard a hotter confession than he's going to!'
"'I shall relive certain memories and meditate upon certain principles,' Adzel said..." (p. 563)
Even in these circumstances, a touch of humour from van Rijn. Quiet agreement from Adzel. If possible, a Catholic confesses to a priest. Otherwise, like other Christians and theists, he deals directly with God although van Rijn adds the intermediation of a patron saint. Having been brought up, in this respect, like van Rijn but moved in a direction similar to Adzel's, I can empathize with both. Adzel mentions discursive meditation but not zazen, just sitting: "Neither trying to think nor trying not to think, just sitting, with no deliberate thought..."
I have had occasion to visit St. John's Hospice in Lancaster. A comrade died there yesterday. Once, seeking admission late in the evening, I was accompanied by a Catholic priest who had been called to minister to a patient. I heard of one patient who, because his paperwork identified him as "Catholic," was asked whether he would like to see a priest for Last Rites. Instead of responding either "Yes, please," or "No, thank you" - either of them an acceptable answer - he freaked out at the suggestion that he was so close to death! (Unprepared.) My comrade who died yesterday was one of the many who did not see any need for spiritual preparation. A monk visiting our mediation group this past week said that zazen is preparation for death - the ultimate letting go. That is what Plato said about philosophy although on a rather different basis.
We all live and die. How do we respond?
8 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Somebody erred at the hospice. That person who "freaked out" should have been warned a week or two earlier he did not have much time left.
It's safe to say some of us are likely to die badly or well. I hope to be among the latter.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
I think someone who is in a hospice with cancer should have known he was approaching the end. People are at different stages of preparedness whatever they have been told by doctors.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
True, altho I had not known that was this person's illness.
Ad astra! Sean
Anyone woo goes into a hospice and stays there is there because they are dying.
who
A doctor told CS Lewis' brother that Lewis probably would not regain consciousness. A clergyman administered Last Rites. Then Lewis woke up and asked for a cup of tea.
The British actor, John Le Mesurier said, "It's all been rather lovely."
BTW, that type of disengagement of the discurdive consciousness has a number of practical uses. It can make you very hard to detect, for sone reason; hunters and soldiers use it for that.
Kaor, Paul and Mr. Stirling!
Paul: I seemed unsure in some of my comments because I was uncertain if "hospice" was used with the same meaning in the UK as in the US.
Mr. Stirling: My condolences for your mother's death even if it was long ago. And I respect your mother's attitude and manner of dying.
IIRC, the dying Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius was asked by the officer of the watch for the password of the day, after Antoninus said it was "Tranquility" or "Equanimity," he fell asleep and soon died.
There are far worse ways of going!
Ad astra! Sean
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