Death and Dying for the Non-Religious begins with a simple reality - there are many beliefs about what happens at the end of life, and they cannot all be true at the same time. I came to recognise this while working in hospice. Some people believed they would meet loved ones and religious figures after death, while others believed they would simply pass, their bodies returning to the cycle of the earth’s matter.

I learned that the most important thing was not to impose a belief, but to meet people where they were. This, I found, was the most loving thing to do. It allowed people to die in peace, on their own terms. 

Supporting people in this way, and helping them find a sense of grounding as they faced death, is why I wrote this guide. Its aim is to help readers understand where their beliefs about the end of life have come from, and where needed, to gently support a shift toward something that brings peace. 

To avoid overwhelming the reader, the guide is written in short reflective pieces and includes readings from The Book of Liberty, along with a questionnaire designed to help people explore their own beliefs.