Grieving is a natural response to loss of a loved one. Our culture has not expanded and allowed each person to grieve as long as they need to. But we can give ourselves the time we need without the approval of others who don’t understand. Each of us need to allow ourselves to grieve in our own natural way. In the natural world, we can observe other creatures grieve openly. For them, it is a deep cleansing to allow an “re-set” to occur. Humans need to take the time we need and to honestly feel what we feel and to slowly release that energy. It takes as long as it takes.
In older traditions, there were grieving rituals that allowed energies to be moved through personal expressions, like sound, keening, drumming, or dancing. Sometimes there were rituals of silence and seclusion to help the grieved come closer to themselves. We know ourselves best when we know pain and pleasure as two sides of the same coin. Never feel you are limited to the way you can express your grief or loss. Just act spontaneously and intuitively. There is no plan or process for this healing journey.
After a loss, it still hurts for a while when we think of our loved ones and remember they are no longer with us. It is natural to shed tears when we feel the void in our lives, but we must keep their memories alive in us so we can continue to feel their profound influence on our lives. For a while we will cry, but in a while, those memories will bring a smile and illuminate amazing joy in our heart. Cherish your memories. Strength comes from knowing we have been given great gifts of their human presence and have left us with everything we needed from them. When we are in a vulnerable space it helps to remember the gifts. Call on love when you feel doubt or fear, or loneliness. Infinite Love always lingers within us and delivers us to a greater place where we can heal and live on.