At the abbey of Cluny, France, during the Middle Ages, a holistic approach to caring for the dying flourished that echoes to this day. This monastic medicine embraced prayer, science, art, and devotion to beauty, including the use of music. The hymns and sequences that reverberated through the abbey eight times a day in the singing of the Office of Hours were also heard in the infirmary, where monks at the threshold of death were comforted with song and prayer.

Today, over 800 years later, the infirmary practices of Cluny have been renewed in the harp and voice of Therese Schroeder-Sheker. Chalice of Repose is an intimate portrait, in images and music, of how Schroeder-Sheker learned from the insights of Cluny and developed a unique approach for prescriptive music as a clinical care practice for the dying.

Over the past two decades, her pioneering work in the field of music-thanatology (music for care of the dying) has helped bring spiritual and physiological comfort to a wide range of patients with diverse symptoms. Told through vivid, real-life footage, Chalice of Repose documents the efforts of the Chalice of Repose Project, illustrating the potential music holds for influencing both body and soul.

With only voice, harp, and a commitment to serve others, these contemplative musician-clinicians offer an "anointing of sound" that can help dramatically alleviate the pain of the dying without invasive technologies. Chalice of Repose brings into focus a historical spiritual practice through the lives and work of Therese Schroeder-Sheker and her colleagues - and the patients they serve through their music. Comes with informative guide booklet.

The Chalice of Repose Project is the world's only formal education program in music-thanatology. Founded by Therese Schroeder-Sheker, the Chalice Project is based at St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula, Montana. Schroeder-Sheker and teams of contemplative musician-clinicians serve the needs of the dying with prescriptive music 365 days a year. Working within palliative medicine, the teams focus on the alleviation of both physical and spiritual pain, mirroring the monks of Cluny who also attended to" care of the body, and cure of the soul" in their work. The Chalice approach has proven effective with pain associated with cancer, infectious diseases, respiratory problems, and degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and MS. For more information on the project, go to The Chalice of Repose Project

1 VIDEO

18 PAGE BOOKLET

44 MINUTES

1-56455-491-0