When You Die Film Trilogy Sparks Conversations
When You Die trilogy
In the Realm of Death & Dreaming: Does Consciousness Continue after Death?
Architecture of Death: The Inner World of Dying
Saying Goodbye: Preparing for Death
Joanna J. Lunn, project creator and director
Spring 2024
Available for home use: Vimeo
For public viewings: contact [email protected]
Reviewed by Dr. Michael Barbato
In producing the When You Die trilogy of films, Johanna Lunn has assembled 10 skilled palliative care practitioners and pioneering researchers to appraise a range of topics that include the process of dying, the forgotten art of midwifing death, and mysteries that frequently punctuate the dying process.
She seeks to evoke curiosity and encourage conversations around death and dying with a view to fostering a modern day Ars moriendi where those who are sick or dying are more informed and empowered about their choices and receive care that is holistic and person-centered. While directed more to health care professionals and "explorers’ of consciousness" there is much in this trilogy that would benefit the wider community and deepen people's understanding of the dying process.
Chapter 1 of the trilogy, In the Realm of Death and Dreaming: Does Consciousness Continue after Death?, jumps in at the deep end with an exploration of non-ordinary states of consciousness, near-death experiences, end-of-life visions/dreams, and experiences induced by hallucinogenic agents, like psilocybin. It emphasizes the healing potential of such phenomena and speculates on what these events tell us about reality, the nature of consciousness, and the possibility of consciousness surviving biological death.
Chapter 2, Saying Goodbye: Preparing for Death, takes a more utilitarian approach. It discusses the contentious issue of a "good death," and makes recommendations about how to be present for—and attentive to—someone during the process of dying. Recognizing the complexity and loneliness of the dying journey, the filmmaker skilfully draws on several speakers who emphasize that a good death depends not on comfort measures alone but also our capacity to listen deeply to what is being said. In so doing, we am reminded of Stephen Levine’s maxim, “The death of self is more painful than that of the physical body.”
Chapter 3, Architecture of Death: The Inner World of Dying, speculates about the lived experience of dying, the significance of meaning-making, and the nature of transcendence. It takes a deeper dive into end-of-life dreams and visions and the potential gifts they harbour. We are reminded that dying is a transitional state and, as such, contains intensely human experiences like grief and love as well as profound transcendent occurrences that can be as healing as they are mysterious.
This trilogy does not offer hard and fast answers but aims to stimulate discussions around the process of dying, the mysteries that surround dying, and how we can best journey with those who are dying. If your passion lies with any of these areas, this trilogy is for you and for you to share with colleagues and the community in which you live.
Those who are dying are our teachers. They teach us about the dying process, give insights into their lived experience, and reveal in subtle or explicit ways that non-ordinary states of consciousness are part and parcel to the dying process. It is this shoreline that the trilogy explores in some detail, hoping the clues left by those at the edge of death will help us to better understand what it may be like to die and how we can best facilitate that journey.
Joanna Lunn is a producer, director, and writer of documentaries with 30 years' experience in the film business. She is based in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Michael Barbato is a palliative care physician with 35 years' experience and author of Care for the Dying. In retirement, he and his wife now run a correspondence course for professional and community groups on midwifing death. He is based in New South Wales, Australia.
Read more of this week's issue of Pallinews
Years of advocacy pay off with 2 mentions of palliative care in United Nations decisions
Also: advocacy actions with global import, & upcoming IAHPC seminars on spiritual care (in September) & the state of care work (in October).
Plus
Government decision nourishes hope for action to establish palliative care in Cameroon's hospitals.
What's New in the IAHPC Calendar.
Abstract submissions are now open for the 2025 Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network conference. The deadline is November 14, 2024.