staring at the sun overcoming the terror of death

#STARING AT THE SUN OVERCOMING THE TERROR OF DEATH PROFESSIONAL#

This positive orientation has different implications for existential therapy. Positive existential psychology focuses on the daily human drama of passion for living in the face of death.

In Hemingway’s (1952/1981) The Old Man and the Sea, the protagonist tells himself that he could be destroyed but not defeated such a defiant human spirit can persist until one’s last breath. Even when the horizon of our world narrows and darkens, the basic human propensity for survival and hope still persists. Zest for life is also evident in all their heroic struggles to endure and overcome adversities. Also look at teens and marvel at how they can be totally engrossed in video gaming or skateboarding they, too, can be totally consumed by the challenges and exhilaration of the flow of the moment.Īdults have a longer time frame-they can be so preoccupied with pursuing their dreams of happiness and success that the idea of death seldom crosses their minds. They are so caught up with the sheer excitement of the moment that nothing else matters. Just watch how children play-how they pour themselves into play activities with total abandon. This positive existential given is stronger than the negative given of death anxiety in normal circumstances. In spite of the predominance of death in human existence, it is helpful to recognize that there is deep within us a reservoir of passion for life, a longing for meaning and happiness, no matter how dreadful the circumstances. Yalom focuses on ministering to our despair and overcoming the terror of death. Sooner or later, various events in life, such as terminal illness or the death of a loved one, will thrust us right in front of the stark reality of death. Another problem with death denial is that it is doomed to fail. Yalom discusses various ways of recognizing covert death anxiety with clinical case histories. The problem with these death-denying efforts is that no matter how hard we try to conceal and repress death, anxiety about our demise can still manifest itself in a variety of symptoms, such as worries, depression, stresses, and conflicts. Both cultures and individuals have developed elaborate mechanisms of death denials, such as religious beliefs and personal ambitions for success and happiness. Death awareness, no matter how vague, poses a constant threat and makes us uncomfortable because we can never escape from the long shadow of death. Our unique human capacity to reflect on our existence, anticipate our own demise, and imagine the horrible details of dying inevitably creates a sense of terror. In addition to pain and fear, we also experience the most terrible kind of loneliness and alienation when we find ourselves separated from all our loved ones by a widening, unbridgeable gulf. The dying process is often associated with the dark nights of the soul. There are numerous reasons for our instinctual aversion toward death-the spoiler of all the things we hold dear and the terminator of all our dreams and aspirations. Staring at the Sun begins with a description of the ubiquitous terror of death. The Terror of Death and the Passion for Life In contrast, the narrative of my past revolves mainly around the endless struggle to overcome obstacles and adversities with only a passing concern about personal death.

Looking back, he discovers “the persistence and clarity of so many memories associated with death” (p. For example, Yalom’s preoccupation with death anxiety is clearly related to his past. My questioning reflects an existential perspective shaped by a very different set of past experiences. In spite of my admiration for Yalom, I find myself wrestling with some of the ideas advocated in this book.

In his latest book, Yalom elevates death to center stage and provides a comprehensive guide to death acceptance based on his existential orientation. I thought that he had exhausted the topic. Since his 1980 publication of Existential Psychotherapy, Yalom has written several therapeutic stories, addressing the fundamental existential issue of death anxiety. To the extent that death attitude is a highly personal matter, my review of this book necessarily reflects an insider’s perspective.

#STARING AT THE SUN OVERCOMING THE TERROR OF DEATH PROFESSIONAL#

When Staring at the Sun: Overcoming the Terror of Death arrived at my desk, I was literally buried in death-related issues at both personal and professional levels. Never have I reviewed a book from so many perspectives: as a cancer survivor, an existential psychotherapist, a researcher in thanatology, the organizer of a recent international conference on dying well, and a mourner who has recently lost both of his older brothers.

Staring at the sun overcoming the terror of death