Good Grief!
If tears are an indication of how special my relationship with my mother was, I cry with pride! I've come to see grief as pain with a purpose. Interestingly enough, as I cared for my mother in my home the last several weeks of her life, much of what I had learned through spiritual teachings about death had gone out the window. It seemed as though I were losing her forever! At times, I wallowed in sadness and self-pity.
Living life in slow motion, I gazed off into my own inner space, sobbed, and occasionally argued with that part of my mind that did not want my mother to go. Even what I had learned about self-care was not accessible to me since I seemed to exist 'in a fog.' I wasn't getting enough sleep and I felt scared and alone; but not for long!
I finally came to rest on the spiritual foundation that has carried me this far in life. What a respite those teachings became as I was able to see my grief as a journey of spiritual unfoldment. Grief is a normal and natural reaction to loss yet our society seems to hurry along the feelings around transitions that take time to heal. We grieve what could have been and what we feel 'should' have been, along with not being able to see our loved one again, on Earth anyway!
The grief that I felt was really just me focusing on the idea that her life was ending. Using Spiritual principles, I was able to then focus on the truth, which is that Spirit, which is who we really are, is eternal! She too, would live on?
I feel like a large part of me died along with my mother. Maybe it was a part of me that was ready to be put at rest. Her death has created a void in me that I can choose to fill as I'd like. As I open up even more to greater spiritual understanding, I am learning to trust the whole process of life, including death.
I have come to see this "mourning after" as a time to heal, to heal unprocessed sadness in my life, including disappointments from relationships, jobs ending sooner than I would have liked, losing beloved pets, and moving from town to town as I grew up. There are opportunities inherent in life's changes that are a gateway to greater personal and spiritual growth. The dynamics of change can be stepping stones to open up to the fullness of God's love.
I received a card from a friend that said, "When the sea recedes, many treasures and gifts appear that otherwise never would have been noticed." From a metaphysical or symbolic perspective, I can look at my mother's death as being the sea receding. Her death, part of the natural ebb and flow of life, brought me many gifts.
Grieving the loss of my mother involved surrender. There came a point where I had to let go and let God, and what a blessing that was! I gradually remembered all that I had been taught around eternal life and the truth that she reemerged into pure positive energy as she "went home" to God. Another gift I was reminded of when, through "coincidence" I ended up in the office of a wonderful spiritual therapist, is that we are always being guided and we are never alone. Perhaps my grief is just God's love washing over me. I can't seem to get away from God's goodness!
It is her death that inspires me to move forward and get clear about what I would like to experience in the next stage of my life. Similar to her spiritual ascension, I feel that I am reemerging into the rest of my life with a more grounded belief in the idea that the Loving Intelligence that created us and all of life is ever present, guiding and directing our ways.
God, you are the love that washes away what no longer serves me. During this time of grief, I ask that you wash away any limiting belief I have that would hold me back.
Diana Kennedy is committed to assisting others in transforming their lives from the inside out! She is an inspirational speaker and writer. Diana is the author of Living from Spirit website and E zine. She is the Ministerial Assistant at Unity of Tallahassee where she leads the early service, classes and workshops. Diana is a licensed massage therapist working at All About You! Massage where she specializes in Relaxation/Deep Tissue massage and spiritual energy balancing. Diana also leads TeleClasses for the Mind*Body*Spirit community. To register or to contact her, call 850-878-2130, visit http://www.dianakennedy.com, or email living_from_spirit@yahoo.com. To subscribe to Living from Spirit ? A Breath of Inspiration, email Living_from_Spirit-subscribe@yahoogroups. com.
 Google News Updated : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:08:20 GMT US MBA's Mortgage Applications Index Increased 7.5% Last Week - Bloomberg
Bloomberg - By Shobhana Chandra July 9 (Bloomberg) -- Mortgage applications in the US rose for a second straight week, a sign that falling home prices are attracting some buyers. Mortgage applications up 7.5% last week: MBA US mortgage applications increased last week-MBA Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 11:38:08 GMT Polygamist sect leader swaps jail for hospital - MSNBC
MSNBC - Warren Jeffs, the head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, has been hospitalized. Douglas C. Pizac / Pool via Getty Images FILE July 2: Michael Sean Winters, author of "Left at the Altar," joins the "Morning Joe" crew to ... Jeffs was taken to the Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center in Las ... Warren Jeffs Remains In Local Hospital Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 10:48:40 GMT G-8 Conference Tackles Global Warming Treaty - Washington Post
Washington Post - By Michael Abramowitz RUSUTSU, Japan, July 9-- The leaders of the countries most responsible for greenhouse gas emissions pledged Wednesday a shared effort to combat global warming, but developing countries like China and India continued to balk at the ... Bush: 'Significant progress' on climate change Emerging Nations Join G-8 on Climate Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 11:20:59 GMT Iraq Wants Withdrawal Timetable In US Pact - Washington Post
Washington Post - By Ernesto Londoño and Dan Eggen BAGHDAD, July 8 -- Iraq's national security adviser said Tuesday that his government would not sign an agreement governing the future role of US troops in Iraq unless it includes a timetable for their withdrawal. Maliki's Withdrawal Card Iraqi Officials Still Insisting on Timetable to Withdraw Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 04:41:08 GMT German shares up midday as financials rebound - Forbes
Forbes - FRANKFURT (Thomson Financial) - German shares were higher midday, led by financials, which rebounded from Tuesday's strong losses, and helped by soothing words from US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and easing oil prices. Fed ready to aid investment banks Fed Sees Turmoil Persisting Deep Into Next Year Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 11:46:08 GMT Coalition to lobby for US health-care reform - Reuters
Reuters - WASHINGTON, July 8 (Reuters) - A coalition of unions, think tanks and other groups launched an advertising campaign on Tuesday saying they want to ensure that health-care reform tops the US political agenda after the November elections. Coalition begins universal health care campaign Coalition launches push for health care reform Publ.Date : Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:09:32 GMT Google adds third dimension to online social relationships - NetworkWorld.com
NetworkWorld.com - By Mikael Ricknäs , IDG News Service , 07/09/2008 Google has entered yet another space with the launch of Lively, a tool for creating 3D social spaces on Web sites, which is now available in a public beta test. Virtual world tipping point: Is there an enterprise use? Google Introduces a Cartoonlike Method for Talking in Chat Rooms Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 11:04:08 GMT Work At Home |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... There are many experiences in life, which remind us that... Read More Remember the Eulogy projects we had to write back in... Read More As a small business owner we have to deal with... Read More In 1969, Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross published her famous book; On... Read More I've always waited for the perfect moment to be happy:... Read More Although many of us carry some form of emotional trauma... Read More Let's talk about Terry Schiavo, since her death illustrated for... Read More Justin was a typical ten year old boy. He liked... Read More My dearest Grandma, I will never forget you & sorry... Read More Pippin needed assistance from his owner to get to his... Read More For most people life is a fairly ordinary existence -... Read More I believe that major change and loss in our lives... Read More Overcoming death and beginning once again to live is the... Read More If you have ever lost someone dear to you it... Read More October makes me think of Halloween, and Halloween makes me... Read More One of the areas where I seem to be placing... Read More Suicide is a nightmare for survivors of loved ones. Death... Read More Oh, we can talk about the best cold medications and... Read More Life has always been a journey, a journey of finding... Read More For those who have deeply loved and lost their animal... Read More Recently, several suicides have occurred right here in my own... Read More Consumed by my loss, I didn't notice the hardness of... Read More Why We Fear Death"Men fear death as children fear to... Read More If we were to organize a list of the thorniest... Read More When I was born in 1962 I thought life was... Read More
Adsense
websites
Loss Involves Change - The Transformative Power of Loss and Change
Dying? Not Me! Why You Should Plan for Transition
How to Deal With A Death in the Family and Still Run Your Small Business
Anticipatory Grief and Ongoing Sadness for Caregivers
Present Moment Awareness: Lessons From My Dog
Physiological Consequences of Carrying Emotional Trauma
Lessons We Learned From Terri Schiavo
Why Does God Allow Suffering?
GoodBye GrandMa
Euthanasia: How Will I Know When its Time?
Whats It All About?
Graceful Grief: Angelic Help is on the Way!
Learning to Live Again
Grief
Grief Masks
The Creative Side of Healing
Suicide Survivor
You Can Help A Grieving Heart
Online Memorial ? A Dedication of Love for Your Departed Loved Ones
Pet Loss: Significant and Profound Loss or Much Ado about Nothing?
Suicide in the Church Part 1
Made in Heaven
Cultivate a Friendship with Death
Miracles?
The Twists and Turns of Life
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
Suicide in the Church, Part 3
Suicide strikes...AGAIN!This may wind up being the most important article... Read More
The Twists and Turns of Life
When I was born in 1962 I thought life was... Read More
GoodBye GrandMa
My dearest Grandma, I will never forget you & sorry... Read More
How to Deal With A Death in the Family and Still Run Your Small Business
As a small business owner we have to deal with... Read More
An Unexpected Letter
It was a couple of weeks after Christmas, and I... Read More
How Long Does It Take to Mend a Broken Heart?
Julian Austin, Canadian country singer, released a song called Should... Read More
Traumas as Social Interactions
("He" in this text - to mean "He" or "She").We... Read More
Then and Now
Over one hundred years ago, during the Victorian era, death... Read More
New Tears [about Grievng--with commentary]
New Tears [about Grieving]If it rains or shinesLittle does it... Read More
Silent Tears - from a Norwegian Hospital
Silent tears hit hospital-white sheets. The young Pakistani mother holds... Read More
How My Four Your Old Son Reacted To The Death Of His Great Nanny Biscuits
My nan was called Margaret and lived until the age... Read More
Present Moment Awareness: Lessons From My Dog
I've always waited for the perfect moment to be happy:... Read More
Suicide - An Eternal Pain
Suicide is the one form of death that has quite... Read More
When Change Comes (Dealing With Grief and Loss)
Needless to say, the time after loss is volatile and... Read More
Physiological Consequences of Carrying Emotional Trauma
Although many of us carry some form of emotional trauma... Read More
Scared to Death of Dying and Denying Grief
When I invited Martha to the gathering at my house,... Read More
After Suicide: Returning to Life, Thanks to an Owl
Have you ever lost the ability to laugh? I did.When... Read More
Men and Grief
Men grieve differently from women. Our cultural roles make it... Read More
Grief
If you have ever lost someone dear to you it... Read More
Grief Support: The Dos
Helpers often ask questions such as: "What should I do?... Read More
Suicide in the Church Part 1
Recently, several suicides have occurred right here in my own... Read More
What this Rabbi Learned from Not being Re-hired
It's a familiar story, and I have been through it... Read More
You Can Help A Grieving Heart
Oh, we can talk about the best cold medications and... Read More
Suicide Survivor
Suicide is a nightmare for survivors of loved ones. Death... Read More
Why Dont We Talk About Anticipatory Grief?
I know anticipatory grief - a feeling of loss before... Read More
Dealing with Grief & Loss |