Finding Strength Through Grief: How Community and Rituals Help in Mourning

Introduction

Losing a loved one is never easy, but it can be especially difficult when there is more than one loss. The death of two children has to be incredibly unbearable, leaving a parent questioning their identity and purpose. But grieving doesn’t have to be done alone. Here we’ll explore how community, rituals, and loving support can help the pain of grief. To provide insight into these topics, we recently spoke with Colin Campbell who shared his experience of mourning the loss of his two children and how he was able to find strength in his grief.

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Community Support

Colin shared that while mourning the loss of his children, he found that having people from their Jewish community was incredibly helpful. His belief was you have to grieve alone and why would you want others in your home??He quickly discovered the comfort he received from them.?So much so that he wanted it to continue.?He found solace in being able to share stories with them and this provided a sense of understanding and acceptance that he wouldn’t have had if he’d been alone in his grief. Colin also emphasized the importance of allowing yourself to be open to others’ offers of help. Especially if you may not feel like asking for assistance right away, it can eventually become an invaluable source of comfort and support during this difficult time.

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Rituals for Healing

In addition to community support, Colin highlighted the healing power of rituals in helping cope with grief. For example, sitting Shiva for seven days is a Jewish tradition where friends and family gather around the bereaved family as they grieve together over a week. ?He’d begun to wonder how other families who weren’t of that faith coped. Furthermore, reciting the mourner’s Kaddish, a prayer he found brought him comfort during times of mourning.?Again, it was saying the prayer in the company of 9 others he found so comforting. These well-known rituals allow mourners to connect with each other in their grief while finding strength in their faith or traditions at the same time. ?This ultimately helps them move forward after such a difficult loss.?He discovered the healing power of rituals and community.

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Channeling Grief into Action?

Another way that Colin was able to cope with his sorrow was by channeling it into action.?Specifically writing a play about his experience that would help others understand what it’s like going through such an immense tragedy. ?He began writing this in his early days of grief and this helped him process his emotions in a constructive way.?He learned to sit with his grief and not run away from it.?In doing so he could begin moving forward from such an overwhelming event in his life without ever forgetting what happened or letting go completely. Instead, he allowed himself time to reflect on what had happened while also looking toward the future the family had dreamed of.

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Grieving is never easy nor should it ever be taken lightly — no matter how many losses you’ve experienced or how long ago they occurred.?Having access to community support and rituals can make coping with such an immense tragedy more bearable over time.

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From attending religious services or cultural gatherings centered around mourning to channeling your pain into something creative, there are countless ways you can honor your loved ones while still finding peace within yourself as you begin your journey down the path toward healing. It may take some time before things start feeling like you again but remember: you are never alone on this road back home!

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Reach out please as a bereavement coach, I’ve supported others to find that glimmer of hope in their darkest of moments

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By connecting with me [email protected], your journey of support can begin.