​

SUGGESTED BOOKS

​

CARDS AND GAMES TO OPEN THE CONVERSATION

​

The Go Wish Game–from the Coda Alliance (a card deck of prompts to encourage dialogue about end-of-life concerns; suitable for families and groups.) https://codaalliance.org/go-wish/

​

The Death Deck-"A Lively Game of Surprising Conversations" (suitable for 2 - 10 players, ages 13+; 30 - 90 minutes per game.)

https://thedeathdeck.com/

​

Dyalogues' Geode Cards and Guidebook Toolkits https://www.dyalogues.com/experience 

​

 

BUDDHIST DHARMA

 

Choying Dzod–The Precious Treasury of the Basic Space of Phenomena

published by Padma Publishing

​

Natural Liberation Upon Hearing - The Instructions on the Source Concerning the Intermediate States from the cycle of Peaceful and Wrathful Deities: Stirring the Pit of the Hells from Its Depths by Gochen Tulku Namchak Sangak Tenzin Rinpoche (in Tibetan and English)

 

Peaceful Death, Joyful Rebirth–A Tibetan Buddhist Guidebook by Tulku Thondup

 

Dying with Confidence by Anyun Rinpoche

 

The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche

 

The Tibetan Book of the Dead by Fremantle and Trungpa

 

Natural Liberation by Ven. Gyatrul Rinpoche, trans. B. Alan Wallace

(Padmasambhava’s Teachings on the Six Bardos)

 

Transcending Madness by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche (on the Six bardos)

 

The Bardo Guidebook by Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche

 

Phowa Commentary by Chagdud Khadro

​

A Sacred Compass: Navigating Life through the Bardo Teachings by Anam Thubten Rinpoche

 

Embracing the Unknown by Pema Chodron (on the bardos - SoundsTrue audio book)

 

Living in the Face of Death ~ The Tibetan Tradition by Glenn H. Mullin

(An overview of nine short Vajrayana teachings on preparing for death.)

​

The Tibetan Book of the Dead ~ Illustrated Edition by Glenn H. Mullin and Thomas L. Kelly

​

Being with Dying: Cultivating Compassion and Fearlessness in the Presence of Death by Joan Halifax

​

One Year to Live by Stephen Levine

 

Preparing to Die by Andrew Holecek

 

Graceful Exits ~ How Great Beings Die–Death Stories of Hindu, Tibetan Buddhist, and Zen Masters by Sushila Blackman

​

A Beginner’s Guide to the End, Practical Advice for Living Life and Facing Death by BJ Miller MD and Shoshana Berger

​

Making Friends With Death: A Buddhist Guide to Encountering Mortality by Judith L. Lief

 

No Death, No Fear: Comforting Wisdom for Life by Thich Nhat Hanh​

​

​

HOSPICE

 

Gone from My Sight (known as "The Little Blue Book" - over 30,000,000 copies have sold) by Barbara Karnes (aka "The Queen of Hospice".) Many other titles by Barbara Karnes related to the end of life can be found by clicking here

​

Awake at the Bedside: Contemplative Teachings on Palliative and End-of-Life Care by Koshin Paley Ellison and Matt Weingast

​

​

SUPPORT FOR BEREAVEMENT AND LOSS

 

Living Beautifully with Uncertainty and Change by Pema Chodron

 

The Zen Path Through Depression by Philip Martin

 

Bearing the Unbearable~Love, Loss, and the Heartbreaking Path of Grief by Joanne Cacciatore

 

It's OK That You're Not OK by Megan Devine 

​

The Wild Edge of Sorrow by Francis Weller

​

Navigating Grief and Loss: 25 Buddhist practices to Keep Your Heart Open to Yourself and Others by Kimberly Brown

​

The Four Points of Letting Go in the Bardo by Pema Khandro Rinpoche

 

Meeting Pain With Awareness by Jon Kabat-Zinn​

​

The Threshold Between Loss and Separation by Francis Weller

​

A Book of Hours by Kevin Young (A personal account of his father’s death.)

​

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

 

 

ADVANCED DIRECTIVES / END OF LIFE PREPARATION

 

My Dying Wishes: How I Want to be Treated As I Go and After I'm Gone by Richard T. Beeman (Advance Care Advice) and

Advance Directive Essentials by Richard T. Beeman (Advance Directive Forms)

​

The Five Wishes from Aging With Dignity (an Advance Directive document)

​

 

COMPASSIONATE CAREGIVING

 

Leaning into Sharp Points: Practical Guidance and Nurturing Support for Caregivers by Stan Goldberg 

 

Final Gifts by Maggie Callanan & Patricia Kelley

 

Contemplative Care by Lama Willa Harvard

 

The Art and Science of Caregiving–Stories of Inspiring Elders with an End of Life Handbook by Annelise Schinzinger

 

Dandelions Blooming in the Cracks of Sidewalks–Stories from the Bedside of the Dying by Amita Lhamo 

​

Wisdom Moon: Presence in Dying by Amita Lhamo

​

​

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND MEDICAL GUIDANCE 

 

The Five Initiations: Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Fully Living by Frank Ostaseski

 

Living in the Light of Death: On the Art of Being Truly Alive by Larry Rosenberg 

 

Being Mortal by Dr. Atul Gawande 

​

Extreme Measures by Dr. Jessica Zitter

 

Putting Your Priorities First at Life’s End (SECOND EDITION) by Barbara Coombs Lee

 

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanitha

 

Changing the Way We Die by Fran Smith and Sheila Himmel

 

When Someone Dies by Scott Taylor Smith

 

The Grace of Dying by Kathleen Dowling Singh

​

Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant? by Roz Chast

​

Japanese Death Poems ~ Written by Zen Monks and Haiku Poets on the Verge of Death ~ Introduction by Yoel Hoffman

​

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes & Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty

(advocating for the reform of Western funeral industry practices)

 

From Here to Eternity by Caitlin Doughty (death practices around the world)

 

Graceful Passages (gracefulpassages.com) – 2 CD audio book

​

Transcendent Kingdom (novel) by Yaa Gyasi

​