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Are Rituals a Part of your Grieving Process?

6/9/2016

 
The gentle Healing for Grieving Hearts program will help you to navigate through your unique grieving process.

This summer (and it is still continuing) was beautifully warm, sunny, and humid. We had many guests that stayed with us to enjoy Nova Scotia.
This is the reason why I wasn’t updating my blog. I hope you understand. (smile)

A good friend of mine from Switzerland visited in August and I experienced my surroundings through her eyes. The awe that she had for natures beauty just resonated lovingly with my soul. I am so lucky to live here.

The first week of August also marks the anniversary of my mother’s death. It was special to have my friend with me going through my annual ritual of visiting a site at the Ocean that my mother had loved so much when she visited.

My plan was to reconnect with my mother by embracing the stillness and the view over the Ocean like I did in the last two years.

It was an absolute different experience this time.

My friend is very intuitive and can hold space for others wonderfully. That day however, she was very bubbly (smile) and I wasn’t able to feel the calm that I had felt in other years.

Soon I gave up on my expectations. We both talked about our memories of my mother and had some great laughs. It was a great day but in the end I was still missing that calm connected feeling from years past. A part of my ritual with my mother is that I tell her in letter form what has happened over the last couple of months. It always gives me new insights and clarity. I was missing that.

What it taught me again was, that we have to be careful how we plan our rituals.

I know now that I need this time to myself and will plan better next year. (smile)

Do you have any rituals to reconnect with your loved ones that have died?
If so, do you prefer to be alone or with a friend?
Please let me know. I always like to hear what works for others. 

Let me know if I can help you in any way to become more clear or find gentle healing strategies to help you navigate your grieving process. You can schedule a Free call here.


​I am here for you.

Take good care,
Jacqueline

Celebrating my Mother

23/3/2016

 
Find a ritual to celebrate your loved one. - HealingForGrievingHearts.com

Today I celebrate my mothers Birthday with yellow roses and chocolate cake.

​She would love it. (smile)
​

Nature is ready for new growth

13/1/2015

 
Nature is a wonderful teacher when we want to step out of our grief.
The world has turned white overnight and it is a sunny but very cold day here in Nova Scotia. 

I love winter, when it is really cold and the snow squeaks under my boots when I go for a walk. 

While wandering around in the new snowy landscape this morning bundled up to my nose I realized once more how much nature has already prepared for a new growing season. 

I found many buds on our Rhododendrons and trees hidden under the snow and ice seemingly oblivious to the cold temperatures of up to -30 degrees Celsius (around -22 Fahrenheit).

Nature reflects back to us what could be waiting inside our soul. We might experience a winter inside when we feel cold and disconnected to the world because a loss is overshadowing everything else. 

But like in nature there might already be some buds waiting for the season to change, for the soul to heal, for the support to arrive. Those buds of warmth, memories without pain, love, and moments of new adventures might just be waiting for you to be discovered. 

I hope you will find time today and in the coming weeks to keep an eye out for those buds of growths and healing inside and out. 

Take good care,
Jacqueline

Rituals help Heal

26/10/2014

 
Rituals help Heal. - http://www.healingforgrievinghearts.com/relieve-grief.html
The end of October and the start of November bring Halloween, All Saints, All Soul’s Day, Samhain, Day of the Dead. This darker time is celebrated in many cultures in their own unique way but all of them remind us of our loved ones that have died.

A few years back I was introduced to the tradition of the Mexican ‘Day of the Dead’ and was first shocked to see all those skeletons and the sugar skulls but fascinated by the artistry of the paper cuttings and the love that goes into those crafted altars to celebrate family members and friends that have died. 

It inspired me to make my own little altar every year for the people I am missing in my life. I put pictures of them on my altar and little nicknack that remind me of their special personalities. Like a plush whale that my mother bought when we went whale watching, a CD with songs by my nephew, a pair of old glasses that belonged to my grandfather, stones, shells and glass beads that remind me of special times together. There are always flowers and candles.

This week, I will create my altar on Halloween and leave it up for a few days. The candles will be lit from October 31 through November 2. I find that cleaning the altar is as important as setting it up. I take special care to put all the little pieces back in their usual place. 

Every time I create the altar I feel the warmth and love of my loved ones around me and comforted by the notion of celebrating their lives. 

Rituals are important. They help us heal and stay in the present moment. They give our feelings a voice and by creating it we give our soul permission to deeply connect with what we have lost. 

Healing is not about forgetting. Healing is acknowledging what we had and taking stock of dreams, hopes and wishes we have lost. Through creating we heal and are able to find new purpose. 

What are your rituals that help you heal?
Share your rituals here or at www.facebook.com/healingforgrievinghearts

Take good care,
Jacqueline
Forward>>

    Author

    Jacqueline Steudler is an Art Therapist and Grief Recovery Specialist®.
    ​
    Her program 
    Healing For Grieving Hearts enables you to move from overwhelming grief to a new sense of purpose. The program includes mindful action steps and therapeutic art interventions. Jacqueline facilitates the program in person or by Zoom. 
    http://www.healingforgrievinghearts.com

    Book a FREE 30-minute call.

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