Volunteer Newsletter - June 2022 |
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YOUTUBE: HOW TO HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DEATH
DR. SUNITA PURI (1:02 minutes)
Author and palliative medicine physician Dr. Sunita Puri believes that acceptance is the key to dying peacefully. She describes a beautiful death is one that’s imbued with acceptance and surrender, which are ultimately concepts that can free us from suffering. Watch this short clip. The End Well Team believes that death shouldn’t just be confronted in our final moments—it’s an experience that gains more meaning when intertwined with life. End Well’s goal is to create a cultural shift that supports making the end of life more human-centered for all. For more content visit the End Well website.
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GOOD QUOTES
“When my children were teenagers, I took them to meet the Sixteenth Karmapa. As they weren’t Buddhists, I asked His Holiness to say something that didn’t require any understanding of the dharma.
Without hesitating, he told them: “You are going to die; and when you do, you will take nothing with you but your state of mind.”
― Pema Chödrön
Becoming Bodhisattvas: A Guidebook for Compassionate Action
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YOUTUBE: THE MIDNIGHT GOSPEL - FREEDOM IN DEATH
(5:57 minutes)
The animated Netflix series “The Midnight Gospel” created by Pendleton Ward and Duncan Trussell interviews people about a host of profound topics -- meditation, philosophy, death, etc. The animation's dialogue is extracted directly from Trussell's Family Hour podcast interviews with scholars, authors, and others. Watch this “tribute” compilation by William Stephenson which offers a deep, thoughtful, and philosophical reflection on death. Mahalo Steve Morgan, long-time volunteer, for sharing the link!
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BLOG POST: WORDS WRITTEN TO EASE THE PASSING OF MY FRIEND'S DYING MOTHER
BY MITCH DITKOFF
A few days ago, I got an email from a friend of mine in Denmark, telling me that her mother was dying and would I be willing to email a few of my stories to her that she might choose one to read, bedside, to her mother. Whoa! This was not a request that had ever come my way before and I was not at all sure I had anything up to the task. Curious, I began looking through my stuff and, after a few minutes, found a few that seemed sort of possible and sent them on their way. Tina chose this one and read it to her mother on her death bed — her mom smiling upon hearing it, nodding, and squeezing Tina’s hand. Those three gestures — the gestures of a 96-year old woman on her way to the Great Beyond — a smile, a head nod, and a squeeze of the hand — is probably the most meaningful feedback I have ever received, enough for me to live on for quite a while, indeed, but the next morning, when I woke up, there was yet another message from Tina — this one explaining that her mother had, at most, only another 30 minutes left and… would… I… be willing to send another story? And so I did. And here it is: CONTINUE READING...
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CHILDREN'S BOOK: DUCK, DEATH AND THE TULIP
Written and Illustrated by WOLF ERLBRUCH
READ ALOUD (5:00 minutes)
How do you introduce a child to the esoteric concept of death? Without suggesting definitive answers, this allegory allows children to wonder -- to think about serious things without having to be told what they mean. In the story, we are left with the mystery unsolved, yet we need not be frightened. The author's gentle and exquisite representation of death gives the reader, whatever their age, the possibility of acceptance of the natural cycles of life. Enjoy this extremely touching book from the Virtual Children's Library.
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YOUTUBE: WHY DYING HAS BECOME TOXIC- AND HOW TO CHANGE IT
Dec. 1, 2021 (9:29 minutes)
For most of human history death was chemical free and biodegradable, and many cultures continue these practices. But, death in the US changed during the civil war when thousands of soldiers who died far from home were filled with carcinogenic chemicals for lengthy transport back to their families for local burial. When Abraham Lincoln died, his body was famously embalmed and taken on a train tour back to Illinois. This propelled the popularity of embalming and the industry grew, transitioning death care by families in their homes to professionals and mortuaries. Ultimately, it’s a very personal choice and for those who want to explore options for a greener death, this video presents an array of choices .
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ARTICLE: DEATH CLEANING - A RECKONING WITH CLUTTER, GRIEF AND MEMORIES.
These letters are among the more than 500 responses from readers to our request for personal stories about dealing with their own lifetime accumulation of possessions or that of a loved one. Click here to read...
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CONTACT: Rayne Regush, Volunteer Coordinator
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