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SUGGESTED BOOKS

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CARDS AND GAMES TO OPEN THE CONVERSATION

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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.)

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

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BUDDHIST DHARMA

 

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

published by Padma Publishing

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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

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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.)

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Being with Dying by Joan Halifax

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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

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

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SUPPORT FOR BEREAVEMENT

 

Living Beautifully with Uncertainty and Change by Pema Chodron

 

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 

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The Wild Edge of Sorrow by Francis Weller

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The Threshold Between Loss and Separation by Francis Weller

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

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The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

 

 

COMPASSIONATE CAREGIVING

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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 

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Wisdom Moon: Presence in Dying by Amita Lhamo

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ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND MEDICAL GUIDANCE 

 

The Five Invitations by Frank Ostaseski

 

Being Mortal by Dr. Atul Gawande 

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Extreme Measures by Dr. Jessica Zitter

 

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

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

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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

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Transcendent Kingdom (novel) by Yaa Gyasi

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