The Sacred Journey of Grief
The longer we live, the more often we say goodbye to people we know and love. When a loved one passes away, whether a friend, family member, parent or partner, a period of our life ends. We have our memories as we continue on our path without them.
We all deal with loss differently. Many of us believe on a spiritual or intellectual level that our Soul lives on and death is merely an end to this one physical lifetime. Some of us feel the presence of our loved ones after they've gone, and they may even visit us in our dreams. If the future means suffering for the person we love, we think, "it is better this way." Whatever we believe or say, it is crucial to know whether we are allowing ourselves to feel or resist the pain. Focusing on the spiritual perspective or the end of suffering helps us through the initial rush of grief. But if we want to heal our broken hearts, we must look at and be present with our pain and grief.
The opposite is true as well. Living with prolonged and overwhelming grief can leave us feeling shattered and lost and unable to see the bigger perspective that our Souls are eternal.
Grief unfolds in stages over time; initially, our emotions can be all over the place. Whatever we are feeling, staying present in the moment will allow the natural flow of emotional energy to move through us instead of taking up residence. How we respond to and process our emotions determines how well we regain control of our thoughts and healing. Approaching our grief from a place of presence and surrender, we can find the inner peace that is the essence of who we are.
How Essences Can Help
Flower essences help us balance our emotions and increase our present-time awareness by harmonizing intellectual understanding with inner knowing. They help us perceive life's continuum and understand why we're here: spiritual beings in human bodies gradually awakening to spiritual truth while having an earthly experience. Our experiences include thoughts and charged emotions, and grief's difficulty can often trigger a spiritual awakening. Gem elixirs stabilize and mend our hearts when they break into pieces, while environmental essences support and energize our healing process. Essences show us how we identify with our physical experience and help us reach the stillness and peace of our inner being.
The following essences help us surrender to the sacred journey of grief, leading us to peace, love, and gratitude.
River Beauty – supports and balances the emotional process while grieving
River Beauty renews the land after a flood like a field fireweed helps the soil regenerate after a fire. Floods are symbolic of great cleansing and radical change. In our lives, we may experience the washing away of a relationship or the tragedy of the passing away of a loved one. The River Beauty flower essence helps soothe the effects of such traumatic events. It supports the necessary process of emotional reorientation and recovery we must go through after the shock of the experience has passed. When the emotion of loss overwhelms us, and we can't stop crying, River Beauty helps us to stop over-identifying with suffering to regain our sense of self. It also helps when we want to shed tears but can't, to help us move through the grief so we don't become stuck in pain.
Rhodochrosite – soothing and nurturing after an emotional shock
Rhodochrosite gem elixir helps when our heart feels shattered, raw, and in pain. It increases energy, balance, and stability in the heart and the physical body after an emotionally shocking or traumatic experience. This essence softens the edges of sharp pain resulting from the experience and helps us release any energy of conflict so our healing can proceed. In all cases, Rhodochrosite strengthens the heart so we can move past our pain and trauma to feel whole again.
Chrysocolla – strengthening the heart chakra
Chrysocolla gem essence connects the heart chakra to the loving energy of the Earth, so our emotional energies can flow through the heart into the Earth. When unresolved pain from the past causes us to close down our hearts and build walls of protection to prevent further emotional injury and wounding, Chrysocolla increases openness in the heart, mind, and body, allowing the vibration of love to flow to experience the safety of an open heart.
Tundra Rose – from hopelessness to a renewed interest in life
This flower essence is for those who have much to offer but have lost hope and are close to giving up on their dreams and desires for this lifetime. With bright yellow flowers, Tundra Rose communicates a love for life that resonates deep within the heart. It restores hope, courage, and inspiration when we feel lost and hopeless and don’t have a healthful perspective. As we continue on our path without our loved ones, it guides us to a more expansive and inclusive view that helps us understand the spiritual basis for our most challenging life lessons by gently bringing our most profound fears into the light of love, so we are motivated by a love of life rather than a fear of death. This higher alignment strengthens our ability to complete challenging tasks with more joy. It opens us to new possibilities and ways of perceiving our problems and challenges, so we can see the spiritual gifts contained within them instead of feeling victimized by them.
Glacier River – letting go of resistance to change
Glacier River environmental essence helps us surrender to change and feel divinely supported when transition or extreme consequences occur, and we feel the need to hit the breaks and resist. Many of us find change uncomfortable, especially if we didn't ask for it. We may also think we need more energy to make the transition before us. Glacier River tells us that life's changes are inevitable and constant and gives us a gentle push in the direction of change, helping us let go of our resistance. As we surrender to the elemental power within this essence, we cease to worry about what might happen if things change. Instead, we trust our inner compass, sit back, and enjoy the passing scenery.
Round-Leaved Sundew - surrendering attachment to the known
Grief can trigger spiritual awakening; we suddenly see how we identify with our physical form and become aware of the stillness and peace of our inner being. Round-Leaved Sundew flower essence is helpful when we struggle with letting go of our identification with form. This essence teaches us how to connect with the wisdom and guidance of the higher self, bringing us closer to our reunification with the source of all life. It gives our ego appropriate acknowledgment and harmonizes the strength and tenacity of the ego with the wisdom and guidance of the Higher Self. These flowers are like tiny periscopes seeking a better view, reaching up from the bog into the light, helping us gain a higher perspective when we are attached to the known and fear the unknown. The natural course of personal growth provides endless opportunities to venture into the unknown. When we surrender, we can release limitations to identify with the unlimited source of our being.
Additional Formulas and Sprays to Support you on the Sacred Journey of Grief
Calling All Angels Divine Nurturing Formula & Spray helps us contact the love, guidance, and protection of the angelic realm. It brings soft, loving, and serene energy into your heart, physical body, and environment. The spray contains the Calling All Angels formula and the essential oils of Lavender, Grapefruit, Rose Otto, and Carnation Absolute. The oils promote the release of tension and help us open our hearts to the love and peace of the angels. This spray is also great to use in Hospice situations as it creates a sacred and protective space for the one passing over. It also supports the family members in strengthening the knowledge that we are all guided and supported by the angels.
Soul Support Emergency Formula & Spray brings strength and stability to emergencies, stress, trauma, and transformation. The drops are significant to use whenever we are overwhelmed as it helps us stay present and grounded. Keep a bottle in your purse or pocket so you have it on hand when the wobblies arrive without notice. The spray contains the Soul Support formula and utilizes the soothing, clarifying properties of high-quality, organic Lavender oil. This spray is beneficial for calming, grounding, and centering the energy in your environment and your energy field.