How to Create a Holistic Advance Care Plan

Creating a Holistic Advance Care Plan is a sacred act of love—for yourself and for those who may one day walk beside you in your final chapter. It’s more than paperwork; it’s a soul-rooted map that honors your values, wishes, and the emotional, spiritual, and relational dimensions of your life and death.

Here’s a guide to help you shape one that feels complete, compassionate, and deeply aligned:

1. Begin with the Practical Foundations

These are the legal and medical documents that ensure your wishes are honored:

• Advance Directive / Living Will: Outlines your preferences for medical care if you’re unable to speak for yourself.

• Health Care Proxy / Power of Attorney: Names someone you trust to make decisions on your behalf.

• Will and Estate Planning: Clarifies how your possessions, assets, and responsibilities will be handled.

💡 Tip: Choose someone who understands your values—not just your medical preferences.

2. Include Emotional and Relational Wishes

Think beyond logistics.

• What emotional support do you want?

• Who do you want near you in your final days?

• What kind of atmosphere feels comforting—music, scents, lighting?

• Are there unresolved relationships you’d like to mend or messages you want to leave behind?

You might write letters, record voice messages, or create a legacy journal.

3. Honor Your Spiritual and Cultural Beliefs

Your plan should reflect your soul’s language:

• Do you want rituals, prayers, blessings, or sacred readings?

• Are there cultural traditions or ancestral practices you want included?

Would you like a spiritual guide, chaplain, or healer present?

4. Envision Your Ideal Death Experience

Create a “Good Death Vision” document:

• Where would you like to be—home, hospice, nature?

• What do you want to see, hear, taste, smell?

• What kind of care feels most aligned—gentle touch, silence, storytelling?

This vision helps loved ones create a space that feels sacred and true.

5. Plan for After-Death Care and Legacy

Consider what happens after you pass:

• Burial, cremation, green options, or body donation?

• Memorial preferences—quiet gathering, celebration of life, ritual circle?

• Legacy projects—donations, scholarships, creative works, or healing offerings?

You might even create a “Soul Legacy Box” with items, messages, or blessings for loved ones.

6. Share and Update Your Plan

A plan only works if it’s known and accessible:

• Share it with your proxy, family, and care team.

• Keep copies in a safe but reachable place.

• Revisit it yearly or after major life changes.

🌿 Holistic Advance Care Plan Template

A Sacred Map for End-of-Life Clarity, Comfort, and Legacy

🕊️Section 1: Legal & Medical Foundations

These documents help guide others in honoring your wishes.

•  Health Care Proxy / Power of Attorney

Name: __________________________________________

Contact Info: ____________________________________

•  Advance Directive / Living Will

Location of Document: ____________________________

Key Medical Preferences:

•  Estate Planning / Will

Executor Name: ___________________________________

Location of Document: ____________________________

Section 2: Emotional & Relational Wishes

What comforts you emotionally? Who do you want near you?

• People I want present:

• Messages I want to share before I die:

• Emotional needs I want honored:

☐ Quiet presence

☐ Gentle touch

☐ Storytelling

☐ Laughter

☐ Prayer

☐ Other: _________________________________________

Section 3: Ritual & Spiritual Preferences

What spiritual or cultural practices feel sacred to you?

• Spiritual or cultural traditions I want honored:

•  Rituals I would like included:

☐ Candle lighting

☐ Elemental invocation (Earth, Air, Fire, Water)

☐ Anointing with oils

☐ Singing bowls or sound healing

☐ Sacred readings or poetry

☐ Other: _________________________________________

•   People I’d like to lead or support these rituals:

Section 4: Vision of a Good Death

Imagine your ideal final moments—what surrounds you?

• Preferred location:

☐ Home

☐ Hospice

☐ Nature setting

☐ Other: _________________________________________

• Sights, sounds, smells I want present:

• Final foods, drinks, or comforts I’d enjoy:

• What I want to feel as I transition:

Section 5: Legacy Notes

What do you want to leave behind—tangibly or energetically?

• Messages or letters I want to write:

• Creative works, donations, or projects I want completed:

• How I want to be remembered:

• Optional: Create a Soul Legacy Box with items, blessings, or keepsakes for loved ones.

Section 6: Sharing & Storage

Where can this plan be found and who has access?

• Stored Location: __________________________________

• Shared With: _____________________________________

• Date Last Updated: _______________________________