On Healing

I would like to share an insight that has helped me cope with experiences of violence, and of hearing about the experiences of others.

In the book Healing into Life and Death, Stephen Levine wrote about helping parents whose children had been murdered. He talked about how the parents kept returning to the last moments of suffering that their child had experienced. They would agonize over this scene in their imagination again and again. Levine talked about how that experience was in fact over for their child. And he would draw the attention of the parents to the here and now.

Levine talks about bringing tenderness and mercy to our grief. About letting go and acknowledging things will never be the same. About forgiving ourselves.

I keep a gratitude journal to draw me to the good things in my life. Although I am not religious, I meditate a little bit every night. Especially I have a Buddhist loving kindness meditation that I lean on to help me through hard times.

You are welcome to share your thoughts on healing here, please do.

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Permalink Reply by ROSE on May 1, 2010 at 1:54pm

Hi from Pachuca Mexico, comment on healing.

Grief can be a terrible demon that never lets you live life to the fullest ever again. This is not to say that something can make grief release you completely.

My mother who was the center of my world as a child died at the age of 42. I was 9 years old and in an instant my world dissolved and there was no comforting soul or guide to help me understand the terror of loss. But the strength of grief did not last forever and slowly I realized my mother was always with me. I saw her in my talent as an artist. I saw her in my strength to survive. I felt her courage whenever I stood up for human rights. I felt her every time I ate rice and green tea in the morning and I knew I would never be alone without her throughout the rest of my life. Each person must find their way through sorrow to take up the challenge of moving forward and when it is the darkest ask for a helping hand to lift the chain of sorrow.

Haruko

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Permalink Reply by ROSE on November 29, 2010 at 1:43pm

Everything You Think You Know About Beating Stress is Wrong
Nov 28, 2010

Yesterday’s Wisdom: Turn to family and friends for support.
Today’s Smart Strategy: Cuddle up with your pet.

Hanging out with loved ones has long been touted as an instant mood-booster, but according to new scientific evidence, when it comes to managing stress, the calming effects of spending time with a furry friend trump those obtained by hanging out with friends and family. “Having your pet, whether a cat or a dog, with you during a stressful event turns out to be more soothing than a best friend or a spouse,” says James J. Blascovich, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Dr. Blascovich and colleagues asked volunteers to perform difficult math problems while in the company of their spouse, a friend, or their pet. Using heart rate and blood pressure as measures of stress, the researchers found that people strained the least and performed the best when in the company of their cat or dog. While spending time with a friend or spouse can be a great way to relax, sidle up to your pet when the pressure’s on.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/everything-you-think-you-know-abou...