The death of someone we love is a full-body experience that
rocks the foundations of the life we’ve carefully built over many
years. Our normally rational mind struggles to process the
whirlwind of tasks that once seemed so simple to manage. Even
our bodies seem to give up on us—with aches and weakened
strength taking over our once vibrant energy for life.
What do we do when death robs us, not only
of our beloved friends and family, but of our
own spark for living?
Focus on soul, mind, and body practices that can be beneficial
during grief and mourning.
For your soul, the inner core of your being, focus on two key
goals during your grief work.
-
Experience the love of people who truly support you. These
may be childhood best friends or mentors who listen to you
without judgment and only offer advice sparingly.
- Balance these relationships with healthy times of positive
reflection. Your grieving soul has been in mourning and
now is the time to feed it with simple visioning exercises of
what life could look like as you move from grief to healing.
To give your mind a grief break, many people will tell you to “take
things one day at a time.” Another approach is to consider taking
life moment by moment to ease the mind’s burden.
- Write down lists of what you must do and then delegate
many of these tasks to people in your support system.
- Take time to engage in activities completely unrelated
to your present grief—whether it’s a television
comedy you never got to watch or relaxing guided
meditation.
Finally, your body may be feeling worn down. Check
in with your primary care physician who can help
with physical pain and sleep issues that often
accompany grief.
- While you may not feel motivated, take short
walks outdoors. It can help to balance these
active times with short naps.
- Eat when you are hungry and depleted but be
mindful of both under and overeating.
There are no quick fixes for the grief you feel but taking good
care of yourself is essential. For more grief healing and education
resources and support, call 269.983.2707 or visit the Lory’s
Place website at lorysplace.org