Part 3: Grief as a Sacred Teacher
"Evolving Through Grief: A Journey of Awareness
and Healing"
Intuitive Reflections Series: Uncomfortable Conversations in 2025
Grief, I’ve come to learn, is not linear and cannot be rushed. There is no “right way” to grieve, and no singular path through its depths. For me, grief began long before I understood it, taking root in my earliest years. When I lost my mother at the age of 2, I was too young to comprehend the depth of that loss. I didn’t realize at the time that I was grieving in silence, unaware that the heaviness I carried was connected to her absence.
That early unawareness shaped my journey in ways I didn’t fully recognize until much later. Grief, left unacknowledged, turned inward, manifesting as functioning depression and anxiety. I became adept at carrying on, meeting the expectations of the world, yet feeling an underlying sense of emptiness. It wasn’t until years later, as I began exploring my inner world, that I could see how deeply my grief had been internalized.
Grieving doesn’t mean getting rid of the pain or “moving on.” Instead, grief becomes a part of you, shaping who you are and how you move forward. It changes you for life, not as something to “fix,” but as something that evolves within you. For me, it has been a process of integration—learning to carry the love and the loss together, allowing them to coexist.
This understanding extends not just to the loss of human loved ones but also to the beloved animal spirits who have shared this life with us. Their presence, often filled with unconditional love and pure companionship, leaves an irreplaceable imprint on our hearts. When they transition, the grief can feel just as profound, reflecting the deep connections we formed. For me, these losses have been reminders of the sacred bond we share with all beings—a bond that transcends the physical and continues in ways we may not fully understand.
May this be a gentle reminder: grief is not something to conquer but something to honor. It invites us to lean into its sacred process, to feel the sadness as deeply as the love it reflects. Whether we are grieving the loss of a person, an animal, or a part of ourselves, grief is a testament to the connections that have shaped our lives and to the beauty of the relationships we have held dear.
Through grief, I have come to see that it is not about letting go of what we’ve lost but about carrying it forward in a way that allows us to grow and evolve. Grief, in its own way, is a sacred teacher—a guide through the depths of love, loss, and healing.