thanatology Archives

Posts tagged "thanatology"

Our Final Moments & Things That Matter When Dying

A poignant, moving, and beyond insightful presentation, Executive Director at Zen Hospice Project & palliative care physician, BJ Miller, offers a clear-eyed view of mortality & things that matter to us all when dying: grace, dignity, respect, existential peace, wonder, comfort, feeling unburdened (and unburdening), enlightenment and love…those spaces in…

Caregiving in the New Era

America is facing a new reality. Americans are living longer than ever. Soon, elders will outnumber the young. What does this mean in terms of how we care for our loved ones (and ourselves)? How we manage our finances & juggle work and personal obligations? How we structure our healthcare,…

Stories We Tell Ourselves About Death

Philosopher Stephen Cave begins with a dark but compelling question: When did you first realize you were going to die? And even more interesting: Why do we humans so often resist the inevitability of death? Cave explores four (largely western) narratives that we tell ourselves in order to help us…

Let’s Talk About Death & Dying

We can’t control if we’ll die, but we can “occupy death,” in the words of Peter Saul, an emergency doctor. He asks us to think about the end of our lives — and to question against the modern model of slow, intubated death in hospitals. Two big questions can help…

5 Practices for Planning a Good End of Life

Thinking about death can be a frightening thing. But planning ahead is not only practical it also leaves more room for peace of mind (for us and others) in our final days. In a solemn and thoughtful presentation, Judy MacDonald Johnston shares five solid practices for planning for a good…