Grief Rituals, Creating Them Will Help You Heal
January 26, 2010 by JoAnne
Filed under HOPE and INSPIRATION
For all of you who listened to my teleseminar last week, you know we discussed rituals and why they are important in the healing process. As a follow-up to that, I want to share the article below which gives some great examples of rituals and how they might apply to you.
Each society has its own rituals. These rituals connect us with support groups. Personal rituals also help you to heal. In fact, they may be more meaningful because you created them. What is a ritual? The dictionary defines it as “an established or prescribed procedure for a religious or other rite.” Another definition is “any practice or pattern of behavior repeated in a prescribed manner reminiscent of ritual.”
I am not a ritual kind of person. After four loved ones died in 2007, however, I created a few simple rituals to honor them. Each morning, when I awaken, I make a pledge to my daughter. This pledge, “I will not fail you Helen,” is for her children — the grandchildren I am raising. When I say the pledge tears come to my eyes.
We need rituals in order to heal. Rev. William Purdy, DD, Vice President or Provider Relations Continuum Hospice Care in New York City, makes this point in his article, “Giving Grief Ritual.” Despite the tragedy of September 11th, “for a significant number of people whose loved ones died unexpected deaths, ritual grieving remains unexplored,” he writes.
How Will The Haitians Grieve Their Loved Ones
January 23, 2010 by JoAnne
Filed under HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH GRIEF, death
The grief in Haiti is unimaginable; we have all seen the visual images of the death and destruction. CNN has reported that a government official said the death toll from the January 12th 7.0-magnitude earthquake may exceed between 100,000-200,000. The exact number is unknown and may remain unknown.
About 3 million people — one-third of Haiti’s population — were affected by the quake, the Red Cross said.
In addition to the physical suffering, there is the grief. Grief is the normal and natural emotional response to loss. I learned through some research* that the majority of the people are Catholics or Protestants, whose practice is to provide last rites to the dead and a proper burial. The main Cathedral in Port Au Prince has crumbled; there will be no prayer vigils and no funeral masses for the dead.
2010 Handbook of Life’s Best Reminders for Living
January 1, 2010 by JoAnne
Filed under HOPE and INSPIRATION
A friend emailed this to me and I thought it was worth sharing the ideas in the 2010 HANDBOOK
Sometimes we need to be reminded about simple and inspiring ways to live a more meaningful life, that what the following ideas do for me.
Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants..
4. Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games
7. Read more books than you did in 2009 .
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
9. Sleep for 7 hours..
10. Take a 10-30 minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile.
