Grief sometimes leaves us without words. Yet narrating our feelings, thoughts, and experiences can be so helpful in relating to our inner world. These cards are an invitation to begin that process.

From the bestselling author of Bearing the Unbearable, here are 52 cards with prompts for exploring grief and starting conversations about those whom we’ve lost. These cards can be used as part of a contemplative practice, as journaling prompts, by or with therapists, or used in community with family, friends, or with a grief support group. They can be read aloud, alone or with others. You can read one card prior to meditation, or simply take one in and reflect deeply on what arises. However you use these cards, please take the time to really be with each one, dive deeply—and do so with a spirit of love and compassion for all beings, including yourself.

Now available as an online course from the Wisdom Academy and as a journal in Bearing the Unbearable: A Guided Journal for Grieving.

About The Author

Joanne Cacciatore

Dr. Joanne Cacciatore is a Zen priest, the founder of the international NGO the MISS Foundation, author of the award-winning best seller, Bearing the Unbearable: Love, Loss, and The Heartbreaking Path of Grief, professor at Arizona State University, and a bereaved mom since the death of her daughter in 1994. She is also the founder of Selah Carefarm, the first carefarm for the traumatically bereaved in the U.S. and a haven for animals rescued from abuse, neglect, and torture. She is an acclaimed public speaker and provides expert consulting services in the area of traumatic loss. Her research has been published in peer-reviewed journals such as The Lancet, Social Work and Healthcare, and Death Studies, among others.

Product Details

Publisher: Wisdom Publications (September 19, 2023)
ISBN13: 9781614298748

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Raves and Reviews

"In this beautiful deck, Dr. Jo distills the essence of her tender inquiry process and offers a potent series of contemplations to help us cultivate intimacy with the reality of our most profound losses, allowing them all the space they need to ripen and flower inside us, to ignite and awaken our hearts.”

– Mirabi Starr, author of Caravan of No Despair and Wild Mercy

“The gentle prompts on these cards may serve as conversation starters for couples, families, or peer support groups who are grieving a loved one, or—equally well—for individuals wanting to explore, journal, or simply ‘sit with’ their loss and grief.”

– Donna L. Schuurman, Sr. Director of Advocacy & Education, The National Grief Center for Children and Families

“Dr. Cacciatore's teachings get right to the heart, and they’ve helped me with my own grieving. The simple direct practices in her cards are a beacon and a buoy in what can seem like an overwhelming murky sea of loss and sorrow. It feels like she’s with you, a kind voice that is gentle, curious, and respectful. We all face loss, and we all need the help she offers.”

– Rick Hanson, Ph.D., author of Resilient: How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness

“Emotions do not come easy for me, as I have a tendency to dissociate, so having the cards to come back around to as I gently eased into exploring where I was emotionally was very helpful. The Relationships section helped me to see and really affirm where I am with my spiritual practice.”

– Michellanne Bradley, The Tattooed Buddha

"Dr. Joanne Cacciatore has created an inspiring and pragmatic tool for exploring our grief. It can help us heal and move from the experience of fragmentation to wholeness.”

– Frank Ostaseski, author of The Five Invitations: Discovering what Death Can Teach Us about Living Fully