What is *Making Friends with Death* by Judith L. Lief about?

*Making Friends with Death* explores Buddhist approaches to mortality, blending mindfulness practices, contemplative exercises, and insights from the *Tibetan Book of the Dead*. It teaches readers to embrace death as a natural part of life, offering tools to reduce fear, cultivate compassion, and support others facing terminal illness.

Who should read *Making Friends with Death*?

This book is ideal for caregivers, healthcare professionals, and individuals seeking to confront their own mortality. It’s also valuable for Buddhists or mindfulness practitioners interested in applying contemplative traditions to end-of-life challenges.

Is *Making Friends with Death* worth reading?

Yes—its pragmatic blend of spiritual wisdom and actionable advice (like mindfulness exercises and caregiver guidelines) makes it a unique resource for reframing death constructively. Reviews highlight its compassionate tone and practical relevance.

How does Judith L. Lief’s approach differ from other books on death?

Lief focuses on integrating death awareness into daily life through Buddhist practices, unlike memoirs or clinical guides. Her methods emphasize moment-by-moment mindfulness and loving-kindness meditation rather than abstract philosophy.

What are the key mindfulness practices in *Making Friends with Death*?

- **Awareness exercises**: Observing impermanence in everyday moments. - **Loving-kindness meditation**: Cultivating compassion for oneself and others. - **Caregiver slogans**: Simple reminders like “Meet suffering with openness”

How does *Making Friends with Death* use the *Tibetan Book of the Dead*?

Lief adapts Tibetan Buddhist teachings on the afterlife to address modern anxieties about dying. She emphasizes preparation through mindfulness rather than literal rebirth concepts, making ancient wisdom accessible.

Can secular readers benefit from *Making Friends with Death*?

Yes. While rooted in Buddhism, the exercises and insights (e.g., accepting vulnerability) are framed for broad applicability. Non-religious readers appreciate its psychological and emotional pragmatism.

What criticisms exist about *Making Friends with Death*?

Some reviewers note its Buddhist framework may limit appeal to non-practitioners. Others desire more diverse cultural perspectives beyond Tibetan traditions.

Making Friends with Death Summary, PDF, EPUB, Audio

Making Friends with Death

Judith L. Lief

4.25 (122 Reviews)

Mindfulness Health Inspiration

Overview

Key Takeaways

Author

FAQs

In "Making Friends with Death," Buddhist teacher Judith L. Lief transforms our greatest fear into a profound teacher. This workbook-style guide has helped readers confront mortality with humor and grace. Ever wonder why facing death might be the key to truly living?

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Deep Dive42min

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Fun20min

Enjoy the book in a fun and engaging way

Best quote from Making Friends with Death

We stop postponing our happiness for some future achievement.

Explore Your Way of Learning

Making Friends with Death isn't just a book — it's a masterclass in Mindfulness. To help you absorb its lessons in the way that works best for you, we offer five unique learning modes. Whether you're a deep thinker, a fast learner, or a story lover, there's a mode designed to fit your style.

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108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

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@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

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"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco

BeFreed Brings Together A Global Community Of 1,000,000 Curious Minds

See more on how BeFreed is discussed across the web

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

1.5K Ratings4.7

Start your learning journey, now

Download This Summary

Get the Making Friends with Death summary as a free PDF or EPUB. Print it or read offline anytime.

Making Friends with Death

Judith L. Lief

4.25 (122 Reviews)

Mindfulness Health Inspiration

Overview

Key Takeaways

Author

FAQs

Explore Your Way of Learning

Quick Summary10min

Feel the book through the author's voice

Deep Dive42min

Turn knowledge into engaging, example-rich insights

Flash Card7 insights

Capture key ideas in a flash for fast learning

Fun20min

Enjoy the book in a fun and engaging way

Best quote from Making Friends with Death

We stop postponing our happiness for some future achievement.

More Like This

Comparing Death and Afterlife Beliefs Across Cultures

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Key Takeaways

When Life Hands You a Deadline You Can't Negotiate

00:00

What if the greatest teacher you'll ever meet is the one thing you've spent your entire life avoiding? Death sits at the edge of every moment, yet we treat it like an awkward relative we hope won't show up to the party. We scroll past news of tragedy, change the subject when illness arises, and warehouse our elderly in places we rarely visit. But this avoidance comes at a steep cost: when we push death away, we inadvertently push away life itself. Buddhist teacher Judith Lief offers a radically different approach-not through platitudes or spiritual bypassing, but through clear-eyed investigation of what we spend so much energy avoiding. Her work draws from years of sitting with dying people, watching consciousness make its final transition, and discovering that befriending death doesn't make us morbid. It makes us awake. When Oprah highlighted this perspective on mindful living, she noted how confronting mortality transformed her relationship with each ordinary day. The question isn't whether we'll face death-we will. The question is whether we'll wait until the last possible moment or start learning from it now. You didn't ask to be born, yet here you are-reading these words, breathing this breath, inhabiting this particular moment in an unfolding journey you joined without permission. Try to trace your existence backward: you remember yesterday, perhaps your childhood, maybe fragments of your earliest years. But before that? Mystery. A boundary you cannot penetrate. Now look forward: somewhere ahead lies an equally impenetrable boundary. Between these two unknowns, you're suspended in a temporary arrangement that feels permanent until suddenly it isn't. We live as if we have endless time, filling our days with trivial concerns while the truly important questions sit untouched. Where did you come from? Where are you going? What is this strange experience of being alive? These aren't abstract philosophical puzzles-they're the actual texture of your existence right now.

The Vanishing Present and the Art of Letting Go

Transitions as Doorways to Transformation

The Process of Death and What Consciousness Reveals

The Stories We Tell Ourselves About Ending

The Nature of Suffering and How We Create It

Embracing the Whole Catastrophe

Explore Your Way of Learning

Quick Summary

Making Friends with Death Summary in 10 Minutes

Break down key ideas from Making Friends with Death into bite-sized takeaways to understand how innovative teams create, collaborate, and grow.

00:00

Flash Card

Top 7 Insights from Making Friends with Death in a Nutshell

Distill Making Friends with Death into rapid-fire memory cues that highlight key principles of candor, teamwork, and creative resilience.

Fun

Making Friends with Death Lessons Told Through 20-Min Stories

Experience Making Friends with Death through vivid storytelling that turns innovation lessons into moments you'll remember and apply.

00:00

Personalize

Experience Making Friends with Death in your own way.

Ask anything, pick the voice, and co-create insights that truly resonate with you.

From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco

BeFreed Brings Together A Global Community Of 1,000,000 Curious Minds

See more on how BeFreed is discussed across the web

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco

BeFreed Brings Together A Global Community Of 1,000,000 Curious Minds

See more on how BeFreed is discussed across the web

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

1.5K Ratings4.7

Start your learning journey, now

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Making Friends with Death by Judith L. Lief Summary

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Making Friends with Death by Judith L. Lief Summary

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Similar books to Making Friends with Death

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More Like This

Key Takeaways

When Life Hands You a Deadline You Can't Negotiate

The Vanishing Present and the Art of Letting Go

Transitions as Doorways to Transformation

The Process of Death and What Consciousness Reveals

The Stories We Tell Ourselves About Ending

The Nature of Suffering and How We Create It

Embracing the Whole Catastrophe

Quick Summary Mode - Read or listen to Making Friends with Death Summary in 10 Minutes

Flash Card Mode - Top 7 Insights from Making Friends with Death in a Nutshell

Fun Mode - Making Friends with Death Lessons Told Through 20-Min Stories

Personalize Mode - Read or listen to Making Friends with Death Summary in 0 Minutes

Download Making Friends with Death PDF

Download Making Friends with Death EPUB

More Like This

Key Takeaways

When Life Hands You a Deadline You Can't Negotiate

The Vanishing Present and the Art of Letting Go

Transitions as Doorways to Transformation

The Process of Death and What Consciousness Reveals

The Stories We Tell Ourselves About Ending

The Nature of Suffering and How We Create It

Embracing the Whole Catastrophe