In this Book
- Consolation: The Spiritual Journey Beyond Grief
- Book
- 2004
- Published by: Jewish Publication Society
summary
For most of us, mourning is something to be endured. We are often merely passive spectators of our own pain, and we see our grief period as a grim mountain that we must climb over. But Maurice Lamm tells us it can be much more.
Bereavement, he says, can often be an enriching experience, even as it is a sorrowful and often tragic one. Our faith in a higher power can move us to not only live through the present but also to stride into the future with renewed energy and a revitalized outlook on life.
In this, his sequel to the best-selling The Jewish Way in Death and Mourning (over 350,000 copies sold), Rabbi Lamm helps mourners not just get through their grief, but also grow through it. He gently steers mourners on the path that allows their sorrow to teach them important lessons about life. And he shows consolers how to listen and speak with their hearts so that they can provide real comfort to others.
His marvelous insights on the days of shiva, the year of kaddish, and the lovingkindness of others reveal the richness and true purpose of Jewish mourning rituals and customs. They prepare us to receive consolation and ready us for the journey that will take us beyond grief.
His "Words for a Loss When at a Loss for Words" is a treasury of readings for finding and giving comfort by transforming the spiritual ideas of an ancient faith into contemporary language. Here there are stories and fables that illuminate our complicated lives, meditations from the depths of human experience, and a gallery of unforgettable images that speak to our souls during times of loss.
Rabbi Lamm's words will help all who walk the path of grief to find their way to consolation--and then beyond, to an appreciation of the blessings and opportunities that present themselves to us when we confront loss. And they can even take us further, to discover the celebrated Jewish art--of wringing blessing out of tragedy.
Table of Contents
Download Full Book
- Acknowledgments
- pp. xi-xii
- Introduction
- pp. xiii-xvi
- Part One: THE GRIEVING HEART
- pp. 1-2
- Chapter 1: The Night Raiders
- pp. 3-16
- Chapter 2: The Wounds They Inflict
- pp. 17-30
- Part Two: REGENERATING THE HEART
- pp. 41-42
- Chapter 6: The Healing Rituals
- pp. 81-102
- Chapter 7: Man Comforts; God Consoles
- pp. 103-116
- Chapter 8: Unconventional Truths of Mourning
- pp. 117-136
- Part Three: MAKING WHOLE THE FRAGMENTED SOUL
- pp. 137-138
- Chapter 9: A Cosmic Specialness
- pp. 139-150
- Chapter 11: The World Beyond the Grave
- pp. 161-186
- Chapter 12: Searching for a Usable Future
- pp. 189-210
- Words for a Loss, When at a Loss for Words
- pp. 257-318
Additional Information
ISBN
9780827609587
Related ISBN(s)
9780827608153
MARC Record
OCLC
698184753
Launched on MUSE
2012-01-01
Language
English
Open Access
No