Dreams at the edge of death

Margaret Bowater

doi:10.9791/ajpanz.2010.07

Margaret Bowater

DOI: https://doi.org/10.9791/ajpanz.2010.07

Abstract

Death is the great unknown that lies ahead for all of us, shaping the way we choose to live our lives. Is it the end of our being, or a transition to something different? Many people facing death, from Socrates to the present day, have had visionary dreams hinting at another level of reality beyond death, after which they lose all fear of death. This article presents a selection of visions from the edge of death, including some from New Zealanders, to invite consideration of how this perspective can make a difference to clinical practice. This topic was presented at the NZAP Conference in Nelson, 2010, as a basis for discussion with a group of practitioners, who all contributed thoughts and examples from their own experience, thus greatly expanding the range of material. Here is the skeleton for others to hold a similar discussion.

Author Biography

Margaret Bowater

As recorded in 2010.

Margaret Bowater is a registered psychotherapist in private practice in Auckland. She has worked with dreams in public groups of all sorts for nearly 25 years, and sees dreamwork as an essential component of therapy. Author of Dreams and visions: Language of the spirit, she has had dozens of articles published in professional journals, and recently opened her own website, www.Dreamwork.co.nz. She can also be contacted on email via Margaret@dreamwork.co.nz. Margaret is New Zealand's contact person for the International Association for the Study of Dreams. Dreams from her collection are quoted with written permission, and identifying details changed.