What the beginning and end of life have in common

Preparation:

Clarify important things beforehand.
Things become unimportant that previously were important.
Select the place, the method of care, a companion.

Development:

Not controllable, difficult to plan, not predictable.
Privacy is required, to protect the vulnerable from onlookers.
Mental blocks should be prevented. Anxiety and psychological barriers lead to delay. The wish who may be present.
The child decides the time of birth - the soul decides the time of death.
A person is unequivocally here – definitely gone.
Every journey is different. Neither speed nor effortlessness is needed;
An “untidy” (tousled) outcome is allowed.

Borderline experience:

Being helpless, dependent; there is no possibility of bypass or escape.
Loss of autonomy causes anxiety. No one can be born or die without effecting others. The event is always perceived emotionally by the community.
It is an entry into a more multidimensional world.

Companionship /Help:

A companion’s services are essential; this cannot be postponed until tomorrow. The task of the companion is to facilitate the journey, to create a warm loving atmosphere in which the person taking the journey feels well cared for and understood. Time and space for individuality. Skilled and loving companionship.

A start is also always a goodbye.

Monika Windsor, SAPV Berlin, Germany