22-352 Grieving

Today’s Mandala
Grieving

“There is a sacredness in tears.
They are not the mark of weakness,
but of power.
They speak more eloquently
than ten thousand tongues.
They are the messengers
of overwhelming grief,
of deep contrition,
and of unspeakable love.”

— Washington Irving

“Grief can be the garden of compassion.
If you keep your heart open
through everything,
your pain can become your greatest ally
in your life’s search for love and wisdom.”

— Rumi

“The only cure for grief
is to grieve.”

— Earl Grollman

Today’s MotD encourages us to allow ourselves to grieve the losses we’ve experienced in our lives. Loss comes in many forms, from the loss of our keys to the death of a loved. Granted with the smaller losses the grieving process can take mere moments versus a loss through death which can take a lifetime, if even that. Our challenge becomes recognizing loss of any kind and allowing ourselves to grieve as we each see fit to do so.

While losing a loved one can be devastating, it’s considered normal and appropriate to grieve, but how about the loss of a job, the loss of our home, the loss of a sentimental object, the loss of our childhood, the loss of our health, the loss of a body part or function, or the loss of a friendship. We tend to skip the grieving process because we are rarely taught how to, or fail to realize that we need to grieve it.

The question becomes “Can I Grieve if Nobody Died?” as written about by Mary Bradley, LSCSW, LCSW on GoodTherapy.com. Mary states: “…experiencing a loss that doesn’t involve a death may feel like you’re doing it all on your own without the support of peers or loved ones.” She offers 5 tips on coping with non-death loss:

1. Name and validate your own emotions.
2. Be kind to yourself.
3. Remind yourself of that which makes you grateful. 
4. Engage in positive self-talk.
5. Talk to somebody who’s a good listener.

Ultimately, we’re encouraged to give ourselves permission to grieve any loss and to allow ourselves to acknowledge, honor, and grieve these losses (past or present); otherwise, over time that unprocessed grief will hinder our healing and keep us stuck.

One book on loss that I find of value and I can never keep because I’m always giving it away is “How to Survive the Loss of a Love” which addresses all levels of loss.

Blessings,

Maureen
The Mandala Lady

btw…started with this and a shimmer view: