Endorsements of Facing Death and Finding Hope

“Life’s final phase is too important to be left to chance.  Wise guides are arising in our culture who can teach us about this crowning event. Christine Longaker brings deep wisdom to this task, and her views span all religious traditions.  This is a fine, gentle, and deeply compassionate work.  Highly recommended.”  

— Dr. Larry Dossey, author of Prayer is Good Medicine

“This book is not about generalities, wishful thinking, good intentions, or eastern mysticism.  It is an intensely practical book with sound clinical advice, sensitive to the pitfalls of trying to provide quick fixes or solutions to existential or spiritual problems. The book opens up the reader to a new understanding of the suffering of the dying while providing repeated examples of methods that readers can try for themselves to be more effective caregivers.  It is strongly recommended for all who are working or interested in improving care of the terminally ill.” 

 — J. F. Seely, MD, Professor of Medicine. University of Ottawa Institute of Palliative Care, review in The Journal of Palliative Medicine.

“An honest book about that which requires of us honesty above all else.”     

— Jacob Needleman, author of A Little Book on Love 

“Christine shows us a way of approaching the fulcrum issue of our lives.  It is a remarkably compassionate and contemporary guide to both life and death.  It will be recommended reading for our hospice volunteers and I hope for caregivers everywhere.”  

— Frank Ostaseski, author of The Five Invitations: Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully.

“Drawing on her wide experience of working with the dying, and on her studies and practice in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Christine Longaker has written a much needed and moving book on emotional and spiritual preparation for death.  It is illustrated by many inspiring case histories and gives a clear exposition of spiritual practices relevant to all those facing death, whatever their religious tradition. Its practical tone will be invaluable to professional care givers, opening a door to a dimension of care beyond the purely physical.”  

—  Dr. Louis Heyse-Moore, Medical Director, St. Joseph’s Hospice, London

“An extraordinarily wise and helpful book.  Christine offers us a manual filled with the treasures and courage she’s discovered; profound meditations, compassionate forgiveness, and the heart’s riches in the face of death.”

— Jack Kornfield, author of Seeking the Heart of Wisdom: The Path of Insight Meditation

 “Facing Death and Finding Hope is one of the greatest books of our times, and will help guide me and my loved ones on the great journey of the meaningful life, as well as the meaningful death.”

— Professor Charles T. Tart, PhD, author of Living the Mindful Life

Paul Burrell, writing about Princess Diana in his book “A Royal Duty”: “To understand what this moment meant to her is to understand the princess. It was when she discovered her inner self, the meaning of commitment, how people faced death, the journey of a soul, she said. If her sense of spirituality came from anywhere, it came from that hospital room when Adrian passed away shortly after midnight on August 23, 1991. Then, as she always did in hospitals, the princess went on a private walkabout and visited the baby unit on another wing, while Angela stayed with Adrian’s body. The princess had seen a life end; she wanted to witness a new one beginning. After that night, she often spoke about death and the courage of Adrian Ward-Jackson. She bought a book called Facing Death and Finding Hope, billed as ‘a guide to the emotional and spiritual care of the dying.”