“If we love, we grieve”
– Nick Cave
People often say that time heals. To some extent that’s true, the intensity of loss lessens with time. However, grief and loss reside in the body, in places where we might no longer feel them. We carry our sadness in our chests, sinking inwards and closing the heart space. With each loss, we can lose the capacity for feeling joy.
It’s sad that grief and loss can be taboo, as this can contribute to people feeling even lonelier than they should have to. Pain or loss can show up in the body long before these emotions are understood cerebrally or expressed with words. At different times in my life I have felt frozen, bereft, disconnected, in deep pain and unsure of how to process this. Subsequent losses have felt like they have built layers on top of this deep hurt. This gathering of stuck feelings limits the flow of life energy.
In many cultures there are traditional ways of expressing loss, through chanting, singing, drumming circles and dance. Today’s modern world is faster and more digital, and we may feel increasingly disconnected from our inner worlds. We need to reconnect to our shared humanity.
For this reason, I created a workshop called Moving Through Loss, with the aim of offering a safe space for people to be with their grief. In the workshop, we use mindful movement, journaling and guided relaxation to feel and move grief through the body. The practices are simple and gentle and can be carried on at home, in your own space and time.
The approaching winter festivities are a time for reflection and a time that many spend with loved ones. If you’ve experienced losses in recent years, the holidays can exacerbate difficult feelings. Moving Through Loss is a place to be and move forward.
