Author Archive for: Judith

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Talking to Doctors About a Terminal Diagnosis

If you receive a terminal diagnosis, you may be shocked or not, but one thing is very clear, you have some important decisions to make. Others can advise you and/or express their concerns, but ultimately it is you, and only you, who must decide what course of action to take. Do you want to try […]

6 Ways To Talk About Death And Dying

In response to my 8/9/10 post entitled “The Importance of End of Life Preparation,” Valencie Bathe wrote: How I want to die needs to be dinner table conversation… not whispered and forgotten. There is no shame in dying and planning to die only makes sense. But owing to undue medical and legal intervention in America, […]

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The Power of Bearing Witness

There are times in life when the highest honor, the greatest love is paid to another by simply bearing witness to his or her experience. Bearing witness is largely nonverbal. It is the choice to give the gift of a pure expression of love and respect — being a compassionate observer to the unfolding of […]

Honoring the Memory of a Deceased Loved One

This post was inspired by an email I received from a reader regarding last week’s blog, “The Power of Bearing Witness.” He wanted to know how to bear witness to a friend who had died. When bearing witness to the living, it is essential to take our cues from them. However, when bearing witness to […]

How to Handle Family Dynamics Around a Dying Loved One

While there are times when the motivations of family members for asserting their particular point of view regarding the “well being” of a critically ill loved one are self-serving at best, more often the motivation is love. Yet, terrible things are done in the name of love and the dynamics of power and influence that […]

5 Keys to Living from the Inside Out

Essentially, mental and emotional health involves living from the inside out rather than the outside in. This is a cherished outcome of engaging in the process of evolving one’s consciousness. In her new book, The Age of Miracles, Marianne Williamson reminds us: The outer kingdom is not our real home. The inner kingdom is our […]

What Gives Your Life Meaning?

What sustains you? What puts a smile on your face and lights up your heart? What keeps the embers of your soul on fire? What really matters deeply to you? It is so easy to get caught up in the ongoing activities and demands of our lives, often forgetting or losing track of what is […]

6 Ways to Say ‘Yes’ to Your Life

“If I am not for myself, then who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, then what am I? And if not now, when?” –Hillel Learning to embrace the fullness of life and to bear personal responsibility and accountability for one’s own life are precious life lessons. I was recently listening […]