re: Grief

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam!

 

I'm just wondering if there's a specific meditation or kriya for grief.

If say someone had a shock hearing the news about a death, what would be

the best or several helpful chants for that early shock of grief?

 

Thanks.

 

Blessings,

Yahara

[Guest guest]

Yahara Ji - Yes. Just go to www.kundaliniyoga.com and click the link

on the right that says: " Meditations to Cope With Grief and Stress. "

 

......G

[Guest guest]

>

> I'm just wondering if there's a specific meditation or kriya for grief.

 

Dear Yahara:

 

Grief is deep sadness, it is about interpreting something as a loss,

Death as something that has taken something away from oneself.

 

Sadness that lingers is the result of worrying about the past instead

of accepting things as they are.

 

So in the beginning, of course there can be deep sadness at the

announcement of someone's death, but if it lasts it is no longer about

that death, it is about holding on to the feelings so as not to be in

the present, so as to escape something about oneself.

 

When one is at peace with one's life, with one's purpose, there is a

sense of celebration when a friend dies. My friend John just passed. I

have learned so much about his path on Earth and his dedication to

service, his peace at the knowledge he was going to pass. I also know

that he is with God's light now. He deserves to rest after his

difficult and yet successful life. There is no grief for me. Just awe

at the way life works.

 

So grief comes from interpreting events. It can be let go.

 

I helped someone with grief. Her husband had died several months

earlier and her life was becoming more and more difficult. I tuned in

to her and realized there was no energy flowing through her heart. it

was all stuck. The pain she was feeling was not grief. It was blocking

all feelings. I tried to ask questions about her husband, about their

life but she remained very mental. I was not reaching her emotions.

Her heart remained closed. So I suspected she was afraid of something.

I looked at her numerology to figure out who she was and what she

could do with the rest of her life. When I discussed those things with

her she started to see that her life was not finished, she had

something to look forward to and she was starting to cry about her

husband.

 

The cure to grief is to open one's heart and to become aware of what

is going on, what we are letting go, what we don't want to let go,

what we fear, what we are grateful for...

 

Blessings,

Awtar Singh

Rochester, NY

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam,

 

Guru Terath Kaur's wonderful book, " Dying into Life - The Yoga of

Death, Loss and Transformation " has 2 meditations to consider:

 

" Meditation for Stress or Sudden Shock "

It maintains brain equilibrium under stress, and keeps the nerves steady.

*Straight spine with a light neck lock.Relax arms down with elbows

bent, draw the forearms in towards each other to meet in front of the

body about 1 inch above the navel, both palms face up, resting the

right hand in the palm of the left, pull the thumbs toward the body

and press the thumb tips together. The eyes look at the tip of the noe.

 

Deeply inhale and completely exhale as you chant the mantra 3 times,

in one exhale. Use the tip of the tongue to pronounce each word

exactly, chant in a monotone. The rhythm must be exact.

 

Sat Naam Sat Naam Sat Naam Sat Naam

Sat Naam Sat Naam Sat Naam Wha-hay Guroo

 

Begin with 11 minutes, build up to 31 minutes.

 

To end, inhale and completely exhale 5 times. Then deeply inhale and

hold the breath, stretch arms up over the head as high as possible,

stretching completely. Repeat. Relax down

 

" Meditation for Grief " (not KRI approved)

Yogi Bhajan said it was a practice he observed in India when there was

a death, where it was done in a river or lake, so you need to go navel

deep into a swimming pool or at least a bath-tub.

 

With a straight spine, relax the elbows by the sides and bring the

forearms straight out in front of the body, palms flat, slightly

cupped, and facing up, a few inches above the knees. Then bring the

arms up and then back behind the head, stretching as far back over the

shoulders as the arms and hands can go. Imagine you are scooping water

and throwing in through your arcline, over your shoulders with a flick

of the wrist, in a flowing movement.

 

The breath is powerful through the " O " of the mouth, from the throat.

Inhale as the arms are down, parallel to the ground, exhale as the

arms toss the water over the shoulders. Make the breath heavy and

" throaty " .

 

Be vigourous in throwing the water over your shoulders.

" All my worries, all my negativity, all my anger, all my grief, all my

anxiety is being thrown over my shoulders " .

Allow yourself to cry; allow yourself to release any emotions that

come up - until you feel clean and calm. Do it alone. Do it as a family.

 

Shanti Shanti Kaur said that she and her family did this when her

mother died and it was a very healing and powerful experience.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Blessings, Har Bhajan Singh