Stephen Levine

Date of Birth: July 17, 1937

Zodiac Sign: Cancer

Date of Death: January 17, 2016

Biography

Stephen Levine was an American poet, author, and teacher, renowned for his work on death and dying. Born on July 17, 1937, in Albany, New York, Levine dedicated much of his life to exploring themes of mortality, compassion, and the human experience. He collaborated frequently with his wife, Ondrea Levine, and together they provided spiritual support to those facing terminal illnesses. Levine’s poetry often reflected his deep understanding of life’s transient nature and his compassion for those in pain. He wrote several books, including “Who Dies?: An Investigation of Conscious Living and Conscious Dying” and “A Year to Live: How to Live This Year as If It Were Your Last,” which provided profound insights into living fully and dying gracefully. Stephen Levine passed away on January 17, 2016, but his legacy continues through his written works and the lives he touched.

5 Interesting Facts about Stephen Levine

1. Levine and his wife Ondrea spent years counseling people who were terminally ill and their families.

2. He was a close associate of Ram Dass, a spiritual teacher and author.

3. Levine’s work significantly influenced the hospice movement in the United States.

4. He and Ondrea lived a relatively reclusive life in the mountains of northern New Mexico.

5. Levine’s book, “A Year to Live,” inspired many to undertake a year-long practice of living as if it were their last.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Stephen Levine

1. “If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting?”

2. “What we have to learn, in both meditation and in life, is to be free of attachment to the good experiences and free from aversion to the negative ones.”

3. “Grief is an opportunity to open the heart.”

4. “Healing is not forcing the sun to shine, but letting go of that which blocks the light.”

5. “The way we meet the end of one thing often determines the way we begin the next.”