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Sarah

Healthy Ways to Support the Journey of Processing Grief…


Every single human at some point will experience some type of grief. Grief is essentially the physical, emotional, and mental readjustment to a loss. We can experience grief from many different types of losses. You may experience a loss of an item such as a television that you worked so hard to save up for and your child threw a toy into it and destroyed it, loss of a wedding ring, loss of a job, a planned vacation, a relationship, a pet or a loved one. We often experience small levels of grief daily that we don’t even realize but the emotions are still present to some degree and then we will experience loss that takes a very long time to process and accept.


When we experience grief from a loss, we in a sense feel that we have lost part of who we are or who we want to become. Especially when we lose a relationship either through an earthly separation or through death. Our relationships and the souls of the people and often animals that are part of our lives become a part of who we are and are sacred to us. Through the processing of grief, we need to learn how to take that physical loss and basically imprint it upon our souls so that we can get used to that experience or person not being with us physically but allowing them to become part of us and remain with us on a spiritual and eternal level. Because we are in a physical or mortal world our minds are connected to the physical and it can be hard for us to let that go and trust our spiritual realm within and around us.


There are many that have labeled several different grief steps and emotions that can be experienced in various orders or levels by each individual. It becomes very clear that there is not one answer on how each person handles grief, especially with grief experiences being so distinct. Every person is so different with diverse life experiences so each person’s process will look unique. The most important part is to recognize some of the emotions that might be experienced so that one can be prepared to work through them. Many may experience feelings such as denial, anger, pain, depression and eventually acceptance and hope. The important thing to remember is that if the grief is processed correctly joy will be experienced again. Let’s look at a few ways we can work to process grief in a healthy and productive way…


After the shock begins to wear off, it could be a few seconds or even a few weeks depending on the loss, we begin to feel pain. The actual pain from the emptiness of the physical space where the item, perceived experience or person once was. Because we are physical beings, we feel pain during physical loss. At this point it can feel painful to do anything including think or just exist. Our minds can feel that the pain has taken over and nothing else can come in. At this point a release needs to happen. Often some people will feel compelled to cry. This is so good. Allow the tears to come because they are literally draining the pain out of you. It may seem like a tiny pin hole leak at first but at least that leak has begun. For those that don’t feel a release through crying another release will be necessary such as listening to music that resonates with you or your experience. Music can be very powerful. Others may find an ability to release through dance, art, exercise or even a punching bag. When the pain gets overwhelming it is important to find how you are going to begin that leak for the pain to escape.


Once enough pain has been released so that there is room for other emotions and thoughts distraction can be a helpful tool. Though, using means of distraction as an ongoing way to avoid processing can be dangerous, proper amounts of distraction can be extremely helpful for becoming accustomed to the loss from physical to spiritual. Allowing for moments of distraction like watching a movie, reading, listening to a podcast, playing games, and especially service to others can be fantastic ways to allow the mind breaks as the process goes forward.


As the process continues expression is very important to human beings. Everyone has a need to feel understood, whether by other humans or their Creator. This can be done through talking to a trusted person in your life and sometimes even an animal. Expression through writing, such as a journal, letter or typing, can release so much. Taking moments of quiet to ponder, meditate and just let the mind be still allows for a balance of positive energy to be created within the soul.


As we more fully understand grief and what we are experiencing and then using these positive methods to process in a positive way we will become stronger for the experience and receive even greater joy for who we have become. If you want to experience further support, you can join Whole Life Mind and Body as a member and take part in unlimited access to yoga and meditation sessions including my latest session on processing grief. It will take you through physical poses and guided meditation with emotional release to help you more fully and quickly work through unnecessary baggage and pain. I hope to connect with you through your Whole Life healing journey.

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