Life, Loss, and Legacy Resources
Grief, Death & Dying
“Being with Dying: Cultivating Compassion and Fearlessness in the Presence of Death” by Joan Halifax
“How We Live Is How We Die” by Pema Chödrön
“In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss” by Amy Bloom
“The Five Invitations: Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully” by Frank Ostaseski
“The Gifts of Imperfection” by Dr. Brené Brown
“The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying” by Sogyal Rinpoche
“The Ultimate Journey (2nd Edition): Consciousness and the Mystery of Death” by Stanislav Grof
“The Wild Edge of Sorrow: Rituals of Renewal and the Sacred Work of Grief” by Frances Weller
“When Breath Becomes Air” by Paul Kalanithi
Website: “Coping with Grief and Loss”
Novel: “Black Water Sister” by Zen Cho
Novel: “The Year of Magical Thinking” by Joan Didion
Non fiction memoir: Light in Blue Shadows: Transforming Grief by Edie Hartshorne
Article (New York Times): “How Long Should It Take to Grieve? Psychiatry Has Come Up With an Answer”
For Kids: Sesame Street on Grief
Finding Community
KitforLiving: Online Small Group Course, Check In Before You Check out: Conscious Legacy
The Practicalities of Death and Dying
“A Beginner's Guide to the End: Practical Advice for Living Life and Facing Death” by Dr. BJ Miller
“Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End” by Atul Gawande
“Extreme Measures: Finding a Better Path to the End of Life” by Dr. Jessica Nutik Zitter M.D.
Advanced Directives
After Someone Dies
Memorials
Memorial Songs Playlist by Dr. Bernie Siegel
Poetry options for Memorial Services
Remote/hybrid Memorials
How to Deal with Someone’s Stuff
Book: “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing” by Marie Kondo
Article (The New Yorker): “How to Practice: I wanted to get rid of my possessions, because possessions stood between me and death.” by Ann Patchett
Consider hiring a personal organizer like Candi Rose (based in the Bay Area)
Now that I have sorted it all , what do I do with it? New Yorker article : A Guide to Getting Rid of Almost Everything
Additional resources on getting rid of things from DoIneedThis.org
Article New York Times: “How to Responsibly Donate and Repurpose Your Old Clothes”