Death is not waiting for us at
the end of a long road. Death is always with us, in the marrow of every
passing moment. She is the secret teacher hiding in plain sight, helping
us to discover what matters most.
Life and death are a package deal. They cannot be pulled apart and we cannot truly live unless we are aware of death. The Five Invitations
is an exhilarating meditation on the meaning of life and how
maintaining an ever-present consciousness of death can bring us closer
to our truest selves. As a renowned teacher of compassionate caregiving
and the cofounder of the Zen Hospice Project, Frank Ostaseski has sat on
the precipice of death with more than a thousand people. In The Five Invitations,
he distills the lessons gleaned over the course of his career, offering
an evocative and stirring guide that points to a radical path to
transformation.
The Five Invitations:
-Don’t Wait
-Welcome Everything, Push Away Nothing
-Bring Your Whole Self to the Experience
-Find a Place of Rest in the Middle of Things
-Cultivate Don’t Know Mind
These
Five Invitations show us how to wake up fully to our lives. They can be
understood as best practices for anyone coping with loss or navigating
any sort of transition or crisis; they guide us toward appreciating
life’s preciousness. Awareness of death can be a valuable companion on
the road to living well, forging a rich and meaningful life, and letting
go of regret. The Five Invitations is a powerful and inspiring exploration of the essential wisdom dying has to impart to all of us.
