http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4807-9489
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ABSTRACT
A significant number of bereaved people report experiences of the continued presence of those who have died—whether through dreams, visions, conversation, or simply a sense of presence. For some cultures, including Māori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, spiritual connections with those who have passed on are an accepted part of life. This article offers a case study, based on conversations with a Māori man, and argues for the importance of maintaining a respectful, open and dialogically engaged stance in relation to people’s stories of continued presence. This case study also highlights the need for spiritual carers and researchers who work with indigenous people to be aware of the effects of colonisation and to approach their task with a preparedness to have their assumptions challenged and their perspectives changed.
Notes on contributor
David Crawley lectures in spirituality at Laidlaw College, an ecumenical theological college in New Zealand. He is also engaged in the training and supervision of spiritual directors and serves as a non-stipendiary priest in his local Anglican church.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
ORCID
David R. Crawley http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4807-9489
Notes
1 All names have been changed.
2 In this article I generally refer to experiences of a person who has died as experiences of ‘continued presence’ or ‘continuing presence.’ Other terms used in the literature include ‘sense of presence,’ ‘continuing bonds’ and ‘post-death contact.’
3 This article is an expanded version of a paper presented at the joint conference of BASS and ECRSH in Coventry, UK, in May 2018. Permission to expand that paper for publication has subsequently been granted by Frank.
4 I gratefully acknowledge the help of Dr Moeawa Callaghan in this regard.