• “The Top Five Regrets of the Dying”A book exploring the lessons learned from those facing their final moments, and how their regrets can inspire a more intentional life

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    “The Top Five Regrets of the Dying”
    A book exploring the lessons learned from those facing their final moments, and how their regrets can inspire a more intentional life



  • Our Weekly Tip: Use the Hierarchy of Needs to Overcome Grief
    Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs pyramid helps you handle the basics first

    Our Tip of the Week: When you’ve experienced a loss, it can be difficult to take care of yourself in the aftermath. Failing to take care of your own needs may lead to depression and loss of self-identity in the long run. Taking a moment to pause and consider your own needs is not a selfish…

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  • “Final Gifts”In this book, two hospice nurses explore the awareness and communication of those nearing death

    “Final Gifts”
    In this book, two hospice nurses explore the awareness and communication of those nearing death

    Maggie Callanan and Patricia Kellley, the authors of “Final Gifts,” are hospice nurses with years of experience in the care of dying patients. In the course of their experience, they noticed that people close to death began to communicate their feelings and needs using metaphors and references to things in the past. For instance, one…

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  • “Old people at weddings always poke me and said ‘you’re next.’ So I started doing the same thing to them at funerals.”
    – Anonymous

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  • Annang Funeral Tradition as Rite of PassageThe Annang people of Nigeria understand "good death" as transition to status of ancestor

    Annang Funeral Tradition as Rite of Passage
    The Annang people of Nigeria understand “good death” as transition to status of ancestor

    The Annang people of Southeastern Nigeria consider death to be natural only when someone dies of old age, according to Dominic Umoh, Ph.D., a lecturer at the University of Agriculture in Makurd, Nigeria. If someone dies young from disease or violence, they are considered to be “killed” by an evil force. Because these individuals did…

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  • Ayurvedic Perspectives on Death and DyingA hospice nurse and student of Ayurveda shares her thoughts

    Ayurvedic Perspectives on Death and Dying
    A hospice nurse and student of Ayurveda shares her thoughts

    As a student at the California College of Ayurveda, Renee Traub wrote a paper investigating death and dying through an Ayurvedic lens. She brought to her Ayurvedic studies 28 years of experience as a neonatal ICU nurse and three of years of experience as a hospice nurse, so her perspective is rooted in a great…

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  • The Right to Die on Your Own TermsIn some states, physician aid in dying is an option for the terminally ill

    The Right to Die on Your Own Terms
    In some states, physician aid in dying is an option for the terminally ill

    In the United States, there are currently four states that allow the practice of physician aid in dying — Washington, Oregon, Vermont and Montana. On June 9, 2016, California will become number five, with the enactment of the state’s End of Life Option Act. Often referred to as “death with dignity,” physician aid in dying…

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  • Monday Hearts for Madalene
    Page Hodel creates the most beautiful hearts in an ongoing celebration of love

    My Heart Overflows With Love For You It’s an honor for SevenPonds to share with our readers the story of the Monday Hearts for Madalene project, a true account of the power of love in the midst of death. The project’s origins take us to 2005: the moment Page Hodel encountered Madalene Rodriguez and fell “instantly, dizzyingly in love…

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  • Artist Depicts Transformative Nature of Death in Visionary PaintingsAutumn Skye Morrison finds beauty in the big picture

    Artist Depicts Transformative Nature of Death in Visionary Paintings
    Autumn Skye Morrison finds beauty in the big picture

    Autumn Skye Morrison has been called a visionary artist, but it could just as easily be said that she simply sees the bigger picture of our time on Earth. Her paintings are saturated with themes of birth, death and transformation, finding a luminous mystery behind human suffering. In “Wisdom of the Ages”, we see clearly…

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  • Our Weekly Tip: How to Find Low Cost Grave MarkersMemorializing your loved one with a tasteful headstone

    Our Weekly Tip: How to Find Low Cost Grave Markers
    Memorializing your loved one with a tasteful headstone

    Our Tip of the Week: Headstones, sometimes called grave markers or tombstones, are usually purchased from the funeral home. The funeral home then orders your marker. You pay not only what the other company charges the funeral home. You also pay a hefty mark up added by the funeral home. This increases your out-of-pocket costs…

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