TLC Transitional Life Care
A Vajrayana Buddhist education and support program offering spiritual resources for the end of life transition.
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.)
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