Preparing to Die · Practical Advice and Spiritual Wisdom From the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition by Holecek, Andrew -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Title Page Copyright Dedication Contents Foreword by Tulku Thondup Rinpoche Introduction Part One: Spiritual Preparation

1. What to Do for Yourself Before You Die

Living a Good Life, Learning to Let Go Practices and Teachings to Prepare You for Death

Shamatha Meditation Vipashyana Meditation The Four Reminders Doctrinal Preparation Tonglen Reverse Meditations Pure Land Practice Preparation for Sudden Death Noble Truths Devotion The Bardos and the Trikaya Mind Leads All Things Phowa Shitro and Vajrasattva Practice Working with Passion Insurance Dharma Dharma Wills and the Dharma Box Final Advice

2. What You Can Do for Others Before They Die 3. What to Do for Yourself As You Die

Letting Go Dissolution and Signs Outer Dissolution What Is Happening? Inner Dissolution Tukdam The Peaceful and Wrathful Visions The Hourglass Conclusion

4. What to Do for Others As They Die

The View Sacred Listening Hopes and Fears of the Dying Holding Environments Creating the Environment Looking Forward Advice from Sogyal Rinpoche

Telling the Truth Fears about Dying Unfinished Business Giving Hope and Finding Forgiveness Saying Goodbye Toward a Peaceful Death By the Bedside of the Dying Dedicating Our Death Letting Go of Attachment The Grace of Prayer at the Moment of Death The Atmosphere for Dying

Esoteric Practices

5. What to Do for Yourself After You Die

The View First Step After Remembering Other Practices Advice from The Tibetan Book of the Dead

Blocking Bright and Soft Lights Choosing

6. What to Do for Others After They Die

The View When to Help The Power of Merit Reading The Tibetan Book of the Dead Sur Offering Commissioning Monasteries Monastic Rituals and Ceremonies for the Dead Gelugpa Rituals Summary

Part Two: Practical Preparation

7. Before Death Approaches

Legal Issues More on Living Wills and Advance Directives Legal Concerns Before, During, and After Death, by Alex Halpern, JD

Wills Disposition of Property Trusts The Living Will and the Medical Power of Attorney

Demystifying Hospice: An Underused Service at End of Life, by Beth Patterson, MA, LPC, JD

The History of the Hospice Movement The American Hospice Movement and the Medicare Hospice Benefit Buddhism and the Hospice Movement The Services of Hospice What Does Hospice Care Look Like? The Importance of Managing Pain Conclusion

8. Caring for the Dying

The Needs of the Dying, by Christine Longaker The Five Psychological Stages of Dying and Medical Issues Around Death, by Mitchell Gershten, MD

The Five Psychological Stages of Dying The Five Stages in Loved Ones Biological Changes Hydration, Nutrition, and Pain Control

Physical Signs and Symptoms of Dying, by Andrew Holecek

Spiritual Matrix Empty the Disease

9. After Death

After-Death Care, by Karen Van Vuuren

Caring for Our Own Dead—Is it Legal? Funeral Directors First Steps Following an Expected Death Care of the Body After Death

Rigor Mortis Don’t Do It Alone A Sacred Space A Suggested Checklist of Items for Physical Care of the Body Bathing Dressing Temporary Preservation Methods Dry Ice Caskets

Unexpected Death Odors and Changes at Death Options for Final Disposition—Cremation or Burial

Burial at a Conventional Cemetery Green Burial in an Established Conventional Cemetery Green Burial at a Conservation Burial Site or Green Burial Preserve Home Burial Cremation in a Conventional Crematory Open-Air Cremation What to Do with the Cremains Other Options for Final Disposition Donation

Exposing Children to Death

Working with Grief, by Kim Mooney Working with Grief from a Buddhist Perspective, by Andrew Holecek

The Relative Approach The Power and Peril of Pain Anticipatory Grief Compassion and Devotion The Absolute Approach The Joy of Inter-being Conclusion

10. Difficult Issues

Organ Donation Euthanasia Suicide Abortion and Miscarriage Death of a Pet Conclusion

Part Three: Heart Advice from Spiritual Masters

Heart Advice from Spiritual Masters

Anam Thubten Rinpoche Anyen Rinpoche Bardor Tulku Rinpoche Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche Dilyak Drupon Rinpoche Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Jetsun Khandro Rinpoche Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche Lama Tharchin Rinpoche Mingyur Rinpoche Namkha Drimed Rinpoche Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche Tenga Rinpoche Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche Thrangu Rinpoche Tsoknyi Rinpoche Tulku Thondup Rinpoche

Acknowledgments Appendix 1: Checklists

Spiritual Checklist Farewell Checklist Bardo Package Practical Checklist Other Contacts to Be Made After Someone Dies Financial Responsibilities After Death In the Event of Sudden Death Be Aware

Appendix 2: Things You Can Write to Prepare for Death

Letters of Forgiveness, and Saying Goodbye Writing Your Own Eulogy and Obituary

Appendix 3: Depression and Grief

Symptoms That Suggest a Bereaved Person Is Also Depressed Who Is at Risk for Depression After a Loss? Treatment for Grief and Depression Depressive Grief vs. Depression What Might I Expect When I Am Grieving?

Notes Selected Bibliography Contributors Index E-mail Sign-Up

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