Tru here.

Blog REVISION of 2016 Dec 15:  Four years ago, on Dec 15, 2012 finished reading (after many stops and starts because reading is progressively becoming more dificult for me) book about dementia titled “Deeper into the Soul” by Nader Shabahangi, PhD, and Bogna Szymkiewicz, PhD. …  It was an EXCELLENT suprise; a distinct challenge to the current de-humanizing paradigm.  One thing which facilitated my reading was the many illustrations included in the book.  My first time reading the book, I merely read the graphics, giving me an idea of where the book was headed, and giving me a bit of a foundation for somewhere to put my thoughts, as I began reading the text.  This has become my “go to” book, when folks ask me for my favorite book about dementia.

Nader received his doctorate researching basic philosophical assumptions underlying present-day psychotherapies.  He has worked extensively with elders, and dislikes the term “dementia”.  He prefers term “forgetfulness”, which he employs in text.  I would disagree on that point, because forgetfulness is actually such a small part of the dementia picture for those who have diagnosis such as Lewy Body Dementia or Frontal-Temporal Dementia.  — Forgetfulness is an important element, but for me the hallucinations were a much more important element for the first several years.

But I strongly appreciate some of the techniques this book suggested to me as a person with dementia symptoms: sitting with person (no words necessary), finding new meaning and purpose AFTER diagnosis, Where do most frequent brain changes occur, and what can I do to maximize use of the areas of brain which are most usually retained longest (like art & music) in my strategies for work-arounds in my daily routines?  List some of my own communication hints (Part3 of book), as I encounter complications, that I can provide for others.  Thoughts on the role of bereavement from loss of abilities, in my own progress with dementia symptoms.  Nader definitely had a role in triggering not only this particular blog entry … but my decision to create a blog at all.  THANK  YOU !!

Some excerpts from introduction are quoted below:
“In this book we highlight a basic attitudinal shift:

• Dementia is our teacher.
• Rather than simply a disease, dementia has purpose and meaning.
• Rather than being people simply in need of our care, people who forget can teach us about life and living.
• Rather than a burden, people with dementia offer us an opportunity to deepen ourselves, to go deeper into our souls.” …

And later: “Being with forgetfulness indeed takes us deeper into the soul.  Whether we experience forgetting in others or glimpse it in little moments within ourselves, forgetfulness offers us a gift, if only we are capable of seeing it as such.  Perhaps loss is always a gateway to the real gains …”

And last but not least, this excerpt; “For those who can truly lay aside their aversion or discomfort and learn to accept what is, the gifts of the soul await; equanimity, intimacy with the dream-world and its magical ways, slowing down to the speed of soul essence.”

It took several tries for me to understand the text of this book, but even on the first try I could understand the brief blurb-balloons for the cartoon explanations that go with each page. VERY much appreciated the positive perspective offered by this book. Publisher http://pacificinstitute.org/eldersacademy.php#deeper still has it available $14 (softcover) and $20 (hardcover).

Related Links

https://truthfulkindness.com/2016/01/19/impact-terrors-dreams/ ;

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