* Disintegration. The person confronts the proposition that life will never be the same.
* Sifting. The person looks for signs of life in the aftermath of change.
* Reconstruction. The concreteness of reconstructing becomes internalized in a more authentic self.
* Reintegrating. A reliance upon external sources is shifted to a new trust of the self. There is an opening up into a higher consciousness.
* Transcendence. Guidance from the true self becomes central to living. People trust themselves and they trust their higher consciousness.
Out of the Ashes assists the reader in walking through the five processes and then applying them in a personal way. Stories, illustrations, and examples make the personal application easier. The reader is invited to explore a spirituality based on self-transcendence.
"Dreams turned into nightmares. Ambitions crushed by life's injustices. Relationships disrupted by death, divorce, or waning interest. Opportunities stolen by another person. Integrity blown apart in the work- place. These are all losses, experiences that rip out our hearts, and rip us to shreds. Losses come and go, and sometimes, in their aftermath, it feels that everything else is 'gone'. The McDonalds offer a very rare glimpse of the broad sweep on life's canvas from the brush of loss, but with a tenderness and strength that enable us to transition to newness while cherishing what we must from all that has gone before." Rev. Richard Gilbert Founding Director, Connections-Spiritual Links
