It’s never too soon to thoughtfully plan for the end of your life. In our society, this topic is often avoided as it can feel overwhelming or depressing, or it’s limited to estate planning and/or advance directives. However, purpose-full preparation for dying is much more and can actually be life-giving, healing, and deeply rewarding.

In this presentation, Susan Bauer-Wu offers insights and practical suggestions to cultivate inner resources and create concrete plans needed to approach mortality with clear eyes, thankful hearts, ease, and joy. This fresh take on end-of-life planning leads to a greater sense of what matters to you now, solid plans for your future, and lasting gifts for you and your loved ones.

Susan Bauer-Wu, PhD, RN is a nationally and globally recognized leader in contemplative science and end-of-life care and a celebrated author. As someone who has journeyed the last phase of life with hundreds of people over four decades, Susan transforms how we think about and prepare for the end — starting with the reality that death or serious illness can strike anytime, often when we least expect it. Susan previously served for eight years as the president of the Mind & Life Institute, an international non-profit founded by the Dalai Lama. Prior to that she was the Kluge Professor in Contemplative End-of-Life Care and director of the Compassionate Care Initiative at the University of Virginia. As an NIH-funded clinical scientist, Georgia Cancer Coalition Distinguished Scholar, and longstanding researcher and teacher of mindfulness meditation, Susan held leadership positions and taught at Emory University, Harvard Medical School, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. She is the author of two books, A Future We Can Love and Leaves Falling Gently; a revised and expanded version of the latter will be published by Shambhala/Penguin in Spring 2025.