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Befriending Grief in 2021 ~ Session 5

Silence and Solitude: the House of our Aloneness

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Many myths tell us that we will find ourselves, from time to time, alone and separated from all that is familiar. How we use these times will affect the richness of our return. We can come back to the world thickened, deepened, and opened by our time in silence and solitude. Those who undertake the full journey into their grief come back carrying medicine for the world. 

The Wild Edge of Sorrow, pg 93

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Welcome to Session 5 of Befriending Grief in 2021: Cultivating Our Resilience with Loss. I am gratefully looking forward to meeting you once again in our communal landscape of grief. 

 

On this page you will find instructions and guidance for our session. If you have any questions once you have read through it, email me at marygrace372@me.com. 

 

 

How to prepare for the session

  • If you are using The Wild Edge of Sorrow along with the sessions, read Chapter 5.

  • During the days leading up to Session 5, contemplate the passage from the book shared above. What does it bring up in your body and in your awareness?

  • Come to the session ready to share (if you are willing) something that you discovered, or feel surprised by, from your reading so far. 

 

 

What to bring to the session

  • Your journal or pad of paper, and pen

  • The Wild Edge of Sorrow by Francis Weller (if you have it)

  • An unlit candle, and a lighter or matches. Perhaps you have a candle you can dedicate to this process, and make use of between our sessions

  • Water to drink, and a warm beverage if you wish

 

 

Agreements

For our time together, I am asking us all to align with these intentions:

  • I allow others their tears, their anger, and their complexity by offering them my respectful attention and witness.

  • I offer myself and others deep compassion, even if I experience challenge or disagreement with another’s sharing.

  • I hold what is shared in our sessions with confidentiality; what is said in the group stays in the group.

  • I refrain from giving feedback or advice, unless it is requested from me specifically.

 

 

Logistics

Plan to arrive to the Zoom room 5-10 minutes ahead of time to settle in. This session will last three hours, with a 15 minute break in the middle. Commit yourself to being in the session for the entire time. It helps to build a strong container for our exploration if we start together and end together. 

 

This workshop is designed to be experiential & interactive, so plan to participate with video and audio on.

 

Set up in a quiet, private space with as little distraction & interruption as possible. Have a comfortable space nearby for a 20 minute guided meditation. You can sit or lie down, as long as you can hear my voice, and feel relaxed and supported during the meditation. 

 

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One last note…

Our grieving selves are being asked to reveal themselves, and it is an act of courage & trust to step further into these waters. If you find you are feeling anxious about attending the session, wondering if you are up to it, constructing ways to cancel… know that this is all really common and very natural. If this is happening for you, see it as an opportunity to notice & name what is coming up for you, offer yourself gentleness and compassion, and invite yourself to stay in. Reach out to me if you would like support in navigating this part of the workshop experience.

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