the wheel of life
the wheel of life -or The Wheel of Life. A Memoir of Living and Dying, by its original English title, is a book of memoirs and reflections written by the late Swiss-American psychiatrist and author Elisabeth Kübler Ross. The work was first published by the publisher Simon & Schuster/Scribner in 1997. Later, it was translated into Spanish by B de Books. or
Of course, the book became so popular that it has gone through several more editions over the years. Through your walk through different shelves, the wheel of life It has received mixed reviews. Some claim that it is a sensitive and revealing book, and others simply say that many of the anecdotes the author relates are improbable.
Synopsis of the wheel of life
Chance does not exist
Beforehand, in the introduction to her book, Elisabeth Kübler Ross states the same thing as the subtitle of this paragraph: “Chance does not exist.” It is a brutal and a bit mystical statement, but, being a doctor in psychiatry who dedicated more than thirty years to research about death and the life after it, His words are not strange at all.
Having made the above clear, it is easy to find out that the wheel of life It's not exactly about living well. —which actually is, because the later depends on it—, but to die properly. This book is a journey through concepts such as the non-existence of death, the afterlife, the spiritual plane and, no less important, palliative care.
The only thing that heals is unconditional love
the wheel of life is full of concepts metaphysicians, and one of the most important and abstract is love as a driver of the human being. Of course there are scientific connotations within the description of love: like where in the brain it arises and why it might appear more times than it works. However, this book does not strictly follow the path of psychiatry.
The author herself stated on many occasions that most of her opinions were very controversial and unorthodox. In her work he refers to himself as “a little unbalanced,” and readers might think, “Well, what psychiatrist isn't a little crazy?” Elisabeth Kübler Ross explains that she believed in destiny, and that everything she had experienced had a reason for being.
Death is not the end, but the other part of the journey
In the first part of the book, titled “Death and Dying,” the author talks about the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Regarding the extensive experience of human beings in the world, few things are as universal as grief. In the initial meeting, Elisabeth Kübler Ross invites readers to embark on a path of introspection.
The reason seems to be very simple, but it is not at all. It is about studying, understanding and internalizing all the processes that are related to losing something or someone. Grief is that first chill, the thin layer of ice on which you cannot walk without it cracking under your feet. In an impressive effort to save us from that idea, the brain goes into denial.
What happens in the midst of chaos
According to the author, When a person is in the stage of denial, a small pacifying voice appears in the darkness., shaping the negotiation. This is the brain's way of returning to the status quo, of making sense of reality. That's when you start thinking things like, “If I act a certain way, things will be okay again.”
People often have the illusory idea that if someone leaves, the universe will give them back. what you have lost. However, that hope quickly falls to give way to depression, a dark and empty tunnel where there is nothing but gray days and endless nights. At this point, There is only one more thing left: surface and find acceptance.
Terminal patient experiences
It is from the second chapter of the wheel of life where Elisabeth Kübler Ross's narrative becomes a little strange. Here, The author addresses those situations and anecdotes that she experienced while being very close to people who did not have much time left in this world.. Some of the cases seem implausible and a little supernatural, which, of course, diminishes the scientism of their criteria.
However, This section also shows a very important fact: how the sick should be cared for.. In addition, there are truly moving stories that only emphasize how fundamental love is for those who are about to leave. While there is death, there is life, laughter, dreams, family, friends, and the entire spectrum of passing through this world.
About the author, Elisabeth Kübler Ross
Elisabeth Kübler Ross was born on July 8, 1926, in Zurich, Switzerland. From her birth, her life was determined to be different. It was the first of a multiple birth. She and her other two sisters did everything together, dressed the same and received the same gifts. This fact made Kübler Ross feel very attracted to people who were always original.
When she was a child she got pneumonia, and saw death up close as she watched her roommate leave the hospital. Later, witnessed the misfortunes of World War II, and was on several teams as a laboratory assistant at a refugee health center. She later became an activist for the International Voluntary Service for Peace.
His adolescence was marked by his experiences in France, Poland and Italy. People's different reactions to death—especially calmness and acceptance—made her want to create a new culture about this natural process. So He enrolled at the University of Zurich, completed a doctorate in psychiatry and collaborated with several hospitals in the United States. where he worked with terminally ill patients.
Other books by Elisabeth Kübler Ross
- On Death & Dying (1969);
- Questions & Answers on Death & Dying (1972);
- Death: The Final Stage of Growth (1974);
- Questions and Answers on Death and Dying: A Memoir of Living and Dying, Macmillan (1976);
- To Live Until We Say Goodbye (1978);
- The Dougy Letter – A Letter to a Dying Child (1979);
- Quest, Biography of EKR (1980);
- Working It Through (1981);
- Living with Death & Dying (1981);
- Remember the Secret (1981);
- On Children & Death (1985);
- AIDS: The Ultimate Challenge (1988);
- On Life After Death (1991);
- Death Is of Vital Importance (1995);
- Unfolding the Wings of Love (1996);
- Making the Most of the Inbetween (1996);
- AIDS & Love, The Conference in Barcelona (1996);
- Longing to Go Back Home (1997);
- Working It Through: An Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Workshop on Life, Death, and Transition (1997);
- Why Are We Here (1999);
- The Tunnel and the Light (1999);
- Life Lessons: Two Experts on Death and Dying Teach Us About the Mysteries of Life and Living (2001);
- On Grief and Grieving: Finding the Meaning of Grief Through the Five Stages of Loss (2005);
- Real Taste of Life: A photographic Journal (2003)