Forward by His Holiness The Karmapa

Awake at the Bedside

Contemplative Teachings on Palliative and End-of-Life Care

- By Koshin Paley Ellison and Matt Weingast

“The greatest degree of inner tranquility  comes from...

the development of love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. Awake at the Bedside supports this development of love and compassion.”

-His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Available for purchase!

This book isn’t about dying. It’s about life and what life has to teach us. It’s about caring and what giving care really means.

In Awake at the Bedside, pioneers of palliative and end-of-life care as well as doctors, chaplains, caregivers and even poets offer wisdom that will challenge, uplift, comfort—and change the way we think about death.

Equal parts instruction manual and spiritual testimony, it includes specific instructions and personal accounts to inspire, counsel, and teach. An indispensable resource for anyone involved in hospice work or caregiving of any kind.

Contributors include Anyen Rinpoche, Coleman Barks, Craig D. Blinderman, Bhikkhu Bodhi, Joshua Bright, Ira Byock, Sensei Chodo Robert Campbell GC-C, Rafael Campo, Ajahn Chah, Ram Dass, Kirsten DeLeo, Issan Dorsey, Mark Doty, Norman Fischer, Nick Flynn, Gil Fronsdal, Joseph Goldstein, Shodo Harada Roshi, Tony Hoagland, Marie Howe, Fernando Kawai, Michael Kearney, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, Stanley Kunitz, Stephen and Ondrea Levine, Judy Lief, Betsy MacGregor, Diane E. Meier, W. S. Merwin, Naomi Shihab Nye, Frank Ostaseski, Rachel Naomi Remen, Larry Rosenberg, Rumi, Cicely Saunders, Senryu, Jason Shinder, Derek Walcott, Radhule B. Weininger.

1 training
per
Month
In-Person and Online
2, four day residential retreats, 1 optional
July 27, 2024
to
June 29, 2025

The great matter of life and death

Koshin Paley Ellison and Robert Chodo Campbell discuss the intimate work of Contemplative Care and being present and curious in each moment, as well as the genesis of the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

PURCHASE NOW

Reviews

“This nourishing book should be required reading for any compassionate caregiver engaged in fostering healing in themselves, clients, loved ones and society. It envisions revolutionary change in how we care for ourselves and the world.”
Andrew Weil
Author of Healthy Aging
“Profoundly moving, inspiring and helpful, Awake at the Bedside is a real treasure.”
Jack Kornfield
Author of A Path With Heart
“Marvelous. A compilation of essential treasures exploring the face and feeling of utter engagement, compassion, and wisdom in turning toward death.”
Jon Kabat-Zinn
Author of Wherever You Go, There You Are
“Moving and informative—this is a much-needed book! Put into practice, the wisdom of Awake at the Bedside could transform end-of-life care in America.”
Sharon Salzberg
Author of Lovingkindness
“Awake at the Bedside brings together an extraordinary group of teachers who share their wisdom and insights into the great issue of our lives: how to understand the dying process in a way that allows for grace and peace.”
Joseph Goldstein
Author of Mindfulness
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Koshin Paley Ellison

Sensei Koshin Paley Ellison, MFA, LMSW, DMIN, is an author, Zen teacher, Jungian psychotherapist, and Certified Chaplaincy Educator. After many years as a chaplain and psychotherapist, Koshin co-founded the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care, which offers contemplative approaches to care through education, personal caregiving, and Zen practice. Today, New York Zen Center’s methodologies are internationally recognized—and have touched the lives of tens of thousands of individuals. Koshin is a world renowned thought leader in contemplative care. He is the author of Wholehearted: Slow Down, Help Out, Wake Up (Wisdom Publications, 2019). And the co-editor of Awake at the Bedside: Contemplative Teachings on Palliative and End of Life Care (Wisdom Publications, 2016). His work has been featured in the New York Times, PBS, CBS Sunday Morning, Tricycle among other publications.

Matt Weingast, MFA

Matt Weingast, MFA began his first experiences with meditation when he was twenty. After serving in the Peace Corps in Ghana, Matt traveled for a few years in Guatemala, Nicaragua, Thailand, and India. He studied and taught at UMass-Amherst, where he received his MFA in Creative Writing. He currently lives at Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, where he continues to work, study, and practice. After taking care of a dear friend at the end of his life, Matt experienced the depth of connection between meditation practice and caregiving.