06/26/2025
Grief is the feelings and physical & psychological pain we experience after loss
Mourning is how we culturally express it - it differs
Grief is a response to love, & a response to loss. Grief can follow a death, any loss, losing pets, faith transition, a breakup, coming out as q***r late in life, grieving your past, friendships ending, no contact with family, letting go of a career that you see no longer serves your peace and wellness, infertility, so many things.
Some ideas of rituals for healing through grief. These are not necessarily just for when someone has passed, but rather ideas to help hold your grief in a symbolic way.
Grief acts like an arrow with no target, & personal rituals help give it a target.
There are a few different kinds of rituals:
1. Rituals of Continuity – These rituals establish that the loss is still a part of life, that the bond is still there.
2. Rituals of Transition – This type of ritual marks a significant change that has occurred in the grief response, such as cleaning out a room or donating belongings.
3. Rituals of Affirmation – In this ritual, you can discharge any built-up regret by writing a letter or a poem, thanking them for their love and support.
4. Rituals of Intensification – These rituals connect people and reinforce their common identity; a group of friends may gather to remember someone they’ve lost, or survivors of an act of violence may revisit the site and place flowers, a family may visit a place where their pet died and build a memorial.
Smaller, everyday rituals can also be helpful for those grieving a loss; these are called Rituals to Commemorate, and include things like lighting a candle and thinking of the loved one, watching home videos or going through old pictures of the loved one, traveling to a place the loved one always wanted to visit, or visiting the burial site and leaving a tribute or symbolic item, like flowers or a balloon.
What helps you mourn when you’re grieving?
I learned long ago… grief rises in my throat and if I catch it I simply have to say “feel it” and it works 💜
Get my free “pandemic grief” course & free “how to support a loved one with grief” at Tiffanyroe.com
