Our society seems to approach grief as though it were another name for depression. This probably stems from our association of negative emotions with depression. The conflation of the two together does both grief and depression a disservice because they are not the same. Grief 101 Grief appears with loss, contains sadness associated with loss,Continue reading "Grief 101: Is Grief the Same as Depression?"
Monday Meditation: Free to Walk Away
"Our freedom can be measured by the number of things we walk away from."-Vernon Howard Grief can make us feel confined, stuck, frozen in place. The restrictions put upon us during this pandemic may exacerbate those feelings, especially while grieving. Rather than look at the way in which grief (and life) have shrunk because ofContinue reading "Monday Meditation: Free to Walk Away"
Book Review: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck (Mark Manson)
This is not the book I expected. Nor did I expect to list this on my website as a helpful book for reevaluating your life after a loss. I thought this book was going to be about not caring so much about anything and letting everything go. It is not. (Warning: lots of f*cks (noContinue reading "Book Review: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck (Mark Manson)"
Monday Meditation: A Calming Place
"A calming place, where you can go to escape it all and just focus on your body, is so wonderful to have."-Mary Helen Bowers To focus on yourself, on your self-care, and on your body's needs, you must have a calming place to which you can retreat. However, ongoing pandemic restrictions make this difficult. ThisContinue reading "Monday Meditation: A Calming Place"
Monday Meditation: Open Your Focus to Compassion
"Too much self-centered thinking is the source of suffering. A compassionate concern for others' well-being is the source of happiness."-The Dalai Lama, The Book of Joy When we focus on ourselves while suffering, when we wallow in our despair, it is easy for us to shut out other people's experiences and other events in theContinue reading "Monday Meditation: Open Your Focus to Compassion"
Father’s Day 2020
As those of us who have lost our fathers and father-figures celebrate relationships with loved ones no longer present, let us remember the lessons and love they gave us. Photo by Rahul on Pexels.com On this Father's Day, let us also keep a vigil for those African American fathers who were struck down by anContinue reading "Father’s Day 2020"
The Privilege of Dying
Breanna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd. Three martyrs were born between February and May, 2020. Their deaths graphically highlighted the system of oppression and weak peace that exists in the United States of America. Their deaths have torched the veil of White American ignorance concerning inequality, police brutality, and institutionalized racism. The resulting protests andContinue reading "The Privilege of Dying"
Monday Meditation: What’s Going On?!
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. Press play. Listen and watch.Think: how can YOU help create change. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5TmORitlKk
Monday Mediation: Set Goals
"Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible."-Tony Robbins The last thing that may come to mind when thinking of grief is the prospect of setting goals for yourself. Rather, grief seems to be a time when there are no goals to be found. Grief, in fact, is a chanceContinue reading "Monday Mediation: Set Goals"
Monday Meditation: Keep Breathing
"You took it all, but I'm still breathing."-Sia, "Alive," This is Acting After I lost my mother, I started driving from home to work (Richmond, VA to Washington, DC) instead of taking the train. I found driving and listening to music very therapeutic. I would put on my Pandora radio and still as loudly andContinue reading "Monday Meditation: Keep Breathing"
8 Ways to Take Life Slowly While Grieving During a Pandemic
Social distancing slows life down for us and changes what we consider normal. We may feel lazier and more unproductive than usual when we actually aren’t. During isolation, there aren’t many chances for big or impulsive decisions, like job changes or moves. Financial matters may become more urgent, deliberate, and purposeful, especially if you’re unemployedContinue reading "8 Ways to Take Life Slowly While Grieving During a Pandemic"
Monday Meditation: Interconnection
"True self is non-self, the awareness that the self is made only of non-self elements. There's no separation between self and other, and everything is interconnected."-Thich Nhat Hanh Loss is a point where we realize that, despite our penchant for independence, we are massively interconnected. Life becomes drastically different when one person is missing fromContinue reading "Monday Meditation: Interconnection"
The Joy of Coloring
In the aftermath of his professional split from Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung began an experiment of writing and reflection on his life and career. Jung wrote of visions and fantasies he had as he opened himself to a confrontation with his unconscious during his personal struggles. Later he added complementary imagery, mostly in the formContinue reading "The Joy of Coloring"
Monday Meditation: The Promise (Tracy Chapman)
RememberingYour touchYour kissYour warm embraceI'll find my way back to youPlease say you'll be waiting-Tracy Chapman, "The Promise" I listened to "The Promise" the other day while playing with my daughter. I hadn't heard it in years. Amidst pandemic uncertainties, my first Mother's Day as a motherless mother, and missing my mom, the lyrics touchedContinue reading "Monday Meditation: The Promise (Tracy Chapman)"
Monday Meditation: May the Fourth
"Well, the Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together."-Obi-Wan Kenobi It is May the Fourth, and Star Wars Day offers a helpful meditation on life and our place in it. Every living thing isContinue reading "Monday Meditation: May the Fourth"