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Dealing With Grief and with Loss:
Tribute to 9/11
Show Notes can be found:
http://54.214.102.151/featured/podcast-9-grief-and-loss-show-notes/
Grief is a multi-faceted response to loss, particularly to the loss of someone or something to which a bond was formed. Although conventionally focused on the emotional response to loss, it also has physical, cognitive, behavioral, social, and philosophical dimensions. While the terms are often used interchangeably, bereavement refers to the state of loss, and grief is the reaction to loss.
Grief is a loss being related to something that the individual can touch or measure, such as losing a spouse through death, while other types of loss are abstract, and relate to aspects of a person’s social interactions
Grieving Process
Every step of the process is natural and healthy. It is only when a person gets stuck in one step for a long period of time that the grieving can become unhealthy, destructive and even dangerous. Going through the grieving process is not the same for everyone, but everyone does have a common goal; acceptance of the loss and to keep moving forward.[2] This process is different for every person but can be understood in four or more stages, depending upon the theory that is being used. In the four step model there are:
Shock and Denial
Shock is the initial reaction to loss. Shock is the person’s emotional protection from being too suddenly overwhelmed by the loss. The person may not yet be willing or able to believe what their mind knows to be true. This stage normally lasts two or three months.
Intense Concern
Intense concern often manifests by being unable to think of anything else. Even during daily tasks, thoughts of the loss keep coming to mind. Conversations with one at this stage always turn to the loss as well. This period may last from six months to a year.
Despair and Depression
Despair and depression is a long period of grief, the most painful and protracted stage for the griever (during which the person gradually comes to terms with the reality of the loss). The process typically involves a wide range of feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. Many behaviors may be irrational. Depression can include feelings of anger, guilt, sadness and anxiety.
Recovery
The goal of grieving is not the elimination of all the pain or the memories of the loss. In this stage, one shows a new interest in daily activities and begins to function normally day to day. The goal is to reorganize one’s life, so the loss is an important part of life rather than its center.
This is the western perspective: obviously this involves a great deal of pain. There is not lots of information on what happens to the the relationship and the social interactions.
Yogic perspective:
Yoga is non-dualistic: it is silent to whether there is a God and whether there is a common source. If there is such a thing as a spirit, everyone’s is unique and there are no direct answers as to whether they unite. Different than most religions
Purusa: Eternal, all Knowing and divine; it is unaffected by time, it always has your best interest and is does know fear and it is totally unique on to itself.
Prakriti: all things that fluctuate and are not purusa: this includes your preferences and even your personality.
The goal of yoga is to get closer and closer to purusa. To truly live from purusa and use prakriti for Purusa’s purposes. This is what we describe as enlightenment. Important to know that purusa cannot exist without prakriti. Once we are living truly from Purusa you no longer need the human body.
So what does loss really mean: if we are eternal, all knowing and divine do we ever really die? What do you really have a connection with (What is the full meaning of namaste: the divine light in me recognizes the divine light in you; I see your truth without attachment and without projection only the deepest truth.
If that is true, then the physical really isn’t real and the relationship that we have is infinitely deeper than a superficial relationship. But you must believe