Yin Yoga and the Blessing

I decided early this morning to sign up for a Yin yoga and meditation class. I'd never done this kind of yoga before, so I didn't know what to expect. When I got in the studio, it was fairly dark, and quite warm. I hadn't realized this was going to be a hot yoga class. … Continue reading Yin Yoga and the Blessing →

Processing My Grief

I am still stuck in the words we use to classify grief and recovery. We have developed a whole culture around what grief should look like and by solidifying it with definitions, treatments, and diagnoses we have fenced ourselves and our pain into controllable, quantifiable confines. Complicated Grief has now been renamed Complex Persistent Grief … Continue reading Processing My Grief →

I’m a Survivor-Take 2

I have been thinking a lot about surviving grief and trauma. In my current status as recently widowed it has been a real challenge dealing with my own grief. This can be particularly problematic in my job as a nurse, because patients and their families often need the support of their medical team to cope … Continue reading I’m a Survivor-Take 2 →

Open Heart, Open Body, Open Life

In the last few years I had stopped expressing my deepest emotions, hopes and dreams. I even stopped journaling. My life was so entwined with my husband, that in some ways there was just no room for me. K. had very strong personal boundaries and views on what he wanted to share with other people, … Continue reading Open Heart, Open Body, Open Life →

Bits of Light

I had a really good day on Monday. I slept pretty well and I didn't have a headache when I woke up. I didn't feel nauseated or achy when I got out of bed. I wasn't feeling vulnerable and sad with the hang-over of dreams. Work was good, I got a lunch break and didn't … Continue reading Bits of Light →

Treasures from the Beach

When I was growing up my family used to go to the ocean on vacation. My dad would pack up the car with our suitcases, beach chairs, towels, coolers like some elaborate interlocking puzzle. Mom always brought along peppermint LifeSavers, Cheez-Its and drinks. We would all pile in and head east. My sisters and I … Continue reading Treasures from the Beach →

The Physics of Grief

I was pondering the concept of gravity today because I was feeling like I am having to try to break free of the force of some psychological gravity that wants to keep me tied to my comfort zone. Gravity is the force that draws all things with mass towards one another (like my butt being … Continue reading The Physics of Grief →

Bearing Witness

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, to bear witness is to show that something exists or is true. In the context of grieving a loss, bearing witness means to listen and validate that what I am feeling, and have experienced are real. Maya Angelou said "there is no greater agony that bearing an untold story inside … Continue reading Bearing Witness →

Holding the Pain

Since connecting with the grief community I have been hearing about the concept of holding your pain. It is given different names: leaning in, telling your story, sitting with your pain. Let me tell you that, for me, this is very uncomfortable at the least. I mean who wants to willingly hang out with the … Continue reading Holding the Pain →