Symbolisierungen des ultimativen Abschieds: zum Bilderleben Sterbender

Symbolizations of final parting. On the imagery of the dying Empirical studies show that those nearing death are commonly overtaken by intense imagery. They require appropriate spiritual support during this experience. This paper lays out results from the research project entitled “Hermeneutic of trust at the end of life” and sponsored by the Swiss National Science Foundation as part of the national research program “End of Life” (NFP 67). This project entailed surveying clinical pastoral caregivers in terms of their observations and assessments regarding such occurrences. Besides quantitative results, the study yielded an abundance of qualitative data. Example vignettes in this article demonstrate that near-death imagery is wildly diverse and by no means adheres to a single pattern. That said, it appears essential for spiritual caregivers to recognize certain recurrent themes