Brennan, Marcia2013-03-132014-03-192012Brennan, Marcia. "Four Butterflies: End of Life Stories of Transition and Transformation." <i>Pastoral Psychology,</i> (2012) Springer Science+Business Media, LLC: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11089-012-0477-5.https://hdl.handle.net/1911/70530In this article, the author discusses her experiences as an Artist In Residence in the Department of Palliative Care and Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. Emphasis is placed on the ways in which end of life images and narratives often unfold in the fragile yet powerful space where conceptions of aesthetics and spirituality intersect with critical issues in the medical humanities. Drawing on four vivid case studies, the author examines the ways in which end of life narratives shed valuable light on conceptions of the subtlety of human embodiment; issues of violation, sorrow, and forgiveness; the mystical dimensions of traditional cultural beliefs; and the capacity for perceiving the natural world as a living symbol of grace. In so doing, she explores how the themes of transition and transformation become invested with meaningful existential and symbolic dimensions in artworks that give voice and presence to some of the most vulnerable, and often invisible, members of our societyﾗpeople at the end of life.engArticle is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use.Journal articlepalliative medicinemedical humanitiesend of lifeaestheticsspiritualityhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11089-012-0477-5