The Art of Living and Dying


Book Description

“Death cannot be denied by repeating that death does not exist. Death will have to be known, it will have to be encountered, it will have to be lived. You will have to become acquainted with it.” —Osho Why are we afraid of death? How do I relax in the certainty of death? Is the theory of reincarnation true? How can I celebrate death as you suggest? With depth, clarity, compassion, and even humor, Osho answers these questions and many others, shedding new light on this most sacred of mysteries and providing practical guidance for meditation and support. In The Art of Living and Dying, Osho not only reveals that our fear of death is based on a misunderstanding of its nature, but that dying is a tremendous opportunity for inner growth. Death is not an event but a process—and one that begins with birth. Each exhalation is a small death; each inhalation, a rebirth. When life is lived consciously and totally, death is not a catastrophe but a joyous climax.




The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning


Book Description

*The basis for the wonderfully funny and moving TV series developed by Amy Poehler and Scout Productions* A charming, practical, and unsentimental approach to putting a home in order while reflecting on the tiny joys that make up a long life. In Sweden there is a kind of decluttering called döstädning, dö meaning “death” and städning meaning “cleaning.” This surprising and invigorating process of clearing out unnecessary belongings can be undertaken at any age or life stage but should be done sooner than later, before others have to do it for you. In The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, artist Margareta Magnusson, with Scandinavian humor and wisdom, instructs readers to embrace minimalism. Her radical and joyous method for putting things in order helps families broach sensitive conversations, and makes the process uplifting rather than overwhelming. Margareta suggests which possessions you can easily get rid of (unworn clothes, unwanted presents, more plates than you’d ever use) and which you might want to keep (photographs, love letters, a few of your children’s art projects). Digging into her late husband’s tool shed, and her own secret drawer of vices, Margareta introduces an element of fun to a potentially daunting task. Along the way readers get a glimpse into her life in Sweden, and also become more comfortable with the idea of letting go.




The Art of Life and Death


Book Description

The Art of Life and Death explores how the world appears to people who have an acute perspective on it: those who are close to death. Based on extensive ethnographic research, Andrew Irving brings to life the lived experiences, imaginative lifeworlds, and existential concerns of persons confronting their own mortality and non-being. Encompassing twenty years of working alongside persons living with HIV/AIDS in New York, Irving documents the radical but often unspoken and unvoiced transformations in perception, knowledge, and understanding that people experience in the face of death. By bringing an "experience-near" ethnographic focus to the streams of inner dialogue, imagination, and aesthetic expression that are central to the experience of illness and everyday life, this monograph offers a theoretical, ethnographic, and methodological contribution to the anthropology of time, finitude, and the human condition. With relevance well-beyond the disciplinary boundaries of anthropology, this book ultimately highlights the challenge of capturing the inner experience of human suffering and hope that affect us all--of the trauma of the threat of death and the surprise of continued life.




This Too Shall Pass


Book Description

JULIA SAMUEL'S LATEST BOOK, EVERY FAMILY HAS A STORY, IS AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW 'One of the most valuable books I've ever read' Adwoa Aboah ______________________________________________________________________________________ If change is the natural order of things, why do we struggle with the huge milestones in our lives? At a time when even the most certain things feel disrupted, acclaimed psychotherapist Julia Samuel provides an antidote to the chaos we are all feeling. In this Sunday Times bestseller, Julia draws on hours of conversations with her patients to show how we can learn to adapt and even thrive during our most difficult and transformative experiences. From a new mother struggling with the decision to return to work, to a father handling a serious medical diagnosis, from a woman deciding whether to leave her husband for a younger lover, to a man struggling to repair his marriage after the trauma of suffering with COVID-19 in the ICU, this book unflinchingly deals with the hard times in family, love, work, health and identity. Illuminated by the latest social and psychological research, these 19 powerful, unforgettable and deeply intimate stories about everyday people will inform our understanding of our own unique response to change and improve the way we approach challenges at every stage of life. ______________________________________________________________________________________ 'Examines the power that comes from dealing effectively with change' Elizabeth Day




How to Live When a Loved One Dies


Book Description

In this comforting book that will offer relief to anyone moving through intense grief and loss, Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh shares accessible, healing words of wisdom to transform our suffering. In the immediate aftermath of a loss, sometimes it is all we can do to keep breathing. With his signature clarity and compassion, Thich Nhat Hanh will guide you through the storm of emotions surrounding the death of a loved one. How To Live When A Loved One Dies offers powerful practices such as mindful breathing that will help you reconcile with death and loss, feel connected to your loved one long after they have gone, and transform your grief into healing and joy.




Living with Grief Since COVID-19


Book Description

A comprehensive review of grief and loss issues facing professionals and families due to the COVID-19 pandemic.




It's Your Loss


Book Description

Go on a journey of exploring the different approaches to grieving loss and discover the one that’s right for you Written by two women who experienced loss at a young age, this incredible grieving book will help you navigate any kind of loss, whether it’s the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship or the loss of your job. Living with grief is hard. Let It's Your Loss help you find your new normal. It includes: • 10 chapters that focus on a different step of the journey through loss. • Topics reviewed by each of the authors in turn — one taking a more thoughtful, introverted approach, the other more practical and extroverted. • Five-minute fixes offer quick-and-easy practical coping suggestions. • Professional grief advice anchors the topics in sound psychological principle. Losing something or someone can be devastatingly painful, with far-reaching effects. But, loss is a natural part of life, one we all go through. This grief recovery handbook shows you how to recognize your grief and loss, take the time to sit with it, look at it and ultimately understand your reaction to it. Authors Emma Hopkinson and Robyn Donaldson believe that there is no right or wrong way to cope with loss. In this book about grief, they explore their own natural inclination to either keep their feelings in (Emma) or let them all out (Robyn), while offering key things they’ve learned along the way. By working through your emotions of shock, disbelief, guilt, anger and sadness, and taking time to heal and accept your loss, you’ll learn how to comfortably move through life after loss.




A Better Death


Book Description

A powerful, timely exploration of the art of living and dying on our own terms by one of Australia’s most respected voices Of all the experiences we share, two universal events bookend our lives: we were all born and we will all die. We don't have a choice in how we enter the world but we can have a say in how we leave it. In order to die well, we must be prepared to contemplate our mortality and to broach it with our loved ones, who are often called upon to make important decisions on our behalf. These are some of the most important conversations we can have with each other - to find peace, kindness and gratitude for what has gone before, and acceptance of what is to come. Dr Ranjana Srivastava draws on two decades of experience to share her observations and advice on leading a meaningful life and finding dignity and composure at the end. With an emphasis on advocacy, leaving a legacy and staying true to our deepest convictions, Srivastava tells stories of strength, hope and resilience in the face of grief and offers an optimistic meditation on approaching the end of life. Intelligent, warm and deeply affecting, A Better Death is a passionate exploration of the art of living and dying well. Dr Ranjana Srivastava OAM is a practising oncologist, award-winning writer, broadcaster and Fulbright scholar. See www.ranjanasrivastava.com




The Art of Death


Book Description

A moving reflection on a subject that touches us all, by the bestselling author of Claire of the Sea Light Edwidge Danticat’s The Art of Death: Writing the Final Story is at once a personal account of her mother dying from cancer and a deeply considered reckoning with the ways that other writers have approached death in their own work. “Writing has been the primary way I have tried to make sense of my losses,” Danticat notes in her introduction. “I have been writing about death for as long as I have been writing.” The book moves outward from the shock of her mother’s diagnosis and sifts through Danticat’s writing life and personal history, all the while shifting fluidly from examples that range from Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude to Toni Morrison’s Sula. The narrative, which continually circles the many incarnations of death from individual to large-scale catastrophes, culminates in a beautiful, heartrending prayer in the voice of Danticat’s mother. A moving tribute and a work of astute criticism, The Art of Death is a book that will profoundly alter all who encounter it.




Grief One Day at a Time


Book Description

After a loved one dies, each day can be a struggle. But each day, you can also find comfort and understanding in this daily companion. With one brief entry for every day of the calendar year, this little book by beloved grief counselor Dr. Alan Wolfelt offers small, one-day-at-a-time doses of guidance and healing. Each entry includes an inspiring or soothing quote followed by a short discussion of the day's theme. This compassionate gem of a book will accompany you.