Grieving Mindfully: A Compassionate and Spiritual Guide to Coping with Loss

Who would expect to come into contact with a Mindfulness Meditation Primer during a time of excrutiating pain and sadness? Probably only a handful of us - and the blessing is that in Dr. Kumar's gently paced grief guide, we find all that and more. It is written in short, easy digestable chunks with both "how-to's" and soul-methods to facilitate a never-simple process we all experience at some point in our lives. Highlights for me include the definition and application of radical acceptance and the 5 Steps to Facilitate Closure. These two nuggets contain gifts that will multiply many times over... and over again. This is a title that belongs on people's shelves because we will all grieve eventually - and chances are someone close to you is grieving right now. Your compassion may be called into duty (and privilege) right this moment.

My significant other of 11 years died from metastatic melanoma at the age of 50. My life has been turned up-side-down and this book has been very comforting. I believe it is one of the best grief books I read - and I read many. It is based on Buddhist principles that are far more effective in dealing with grief than any Christian denomination.

Dr Kumar has taken his years of practice in grief counseling, his Bhuddist belief in the importance of consciously living in the present, and the knowlege he as absorbed from other experts to beautifully write a gentle guide for those of us who are dealing with the loss of someone or something basic to our lives. There is not an unecessary word in this book perhaps because of the evident respect and compassion with which Kumar seems to have for his grieving readers and his desire to show them how to make their present lives manageable and even enjoyable. This book should be read by every person who had suffered an invaluable loss. I hope it is.

Dr. Kumar has presented the reader with tools, lessons, and goals for coping with grief that are not only compassionate and fulfilling, but also practical and realistic. His guidance can be applied to almost every aspect of life and its stressful times, not only the loss of a friend or family member. The book encourages ones ability to embrace change as an inevitable part of life, whatever the circumstances. I have already employed several of his mindfulness exercises and have found the results emotionally rewarding. This book has something to contribute to everyone's understanding of life and death. I have already recommended this book to many people I know.

My rabbi often talks about the goal of judaism as sanctifying aspects of our life. Dr. Kumar has done just that with his book. In fact, he has applied the principle to perhaps the most challenging of circumstances, dealing with the death of someone we love. This book helps us to cope with grace and compassion. Dr. Kumar's words capture the very essence of his message. I highly recommend this book!