You are not alone in your grief...
Someone you love has died. And, like countless others who have walked the path of grief before you, you are discovering that a death can rob you of so much more than a person you love. It robs you of your energy, your hope, and sometimes just of the simple will to get up in the morning.
I know how that feels, because I have been there. I hated the helplessness, the despair and the fact that I felt so alone. It really seemed as if nobody else understood. That's why I decided to create The Light Beyond to help others feel less isolated in bereavement, and to offer support and resources to help them through one of the most difficult experiences in life: the loss of a loved one.
So, what IS The Light Beyond, then...
...and more to the point, how can it help ME?
Another helpful section of the site is the grief library. This has a wide range of unique articles about life and loss, written for us by talented people who are sadly all too well acquainted with loss and who, like me, wanted to share their experiences to help others. The library, like the forum, is completely free to use.
You can also watch our inspirational movie, based on the famous funeral poem Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep. We hope you like it, and if it even makes you feel a little better for the five minutes it takes to watch it, that's wonderful...
We have a regularly updated grief blog too, where you can interact with us by sharing your story with our readers (helping others to learn and grow from your experiences) and by commenting on the blog posts. I write about lots of useful resources, coping strategies, inspiration, books, stories and much more.
How can you cope with your grief?
The simple answer is that you can't do it alone. Nor should you try to. Now is the time to ask for help and recruit a community of friends and family to help ease the burden of the bereavement process. And we hope that you feel able to count on us, too. Let us console, inform, comfort and inspire you; let us listen to you and walk along the path of grief with you. We are here for you.
Bereavement For Beginners
a practical, comforting guide which you can download instantly...
Our Bereavement For Beginners ebook is a practical, useful guide for the bereaved and those who care about them and wish to help them. It's free, and packed full of information, inspiration, poems and words of comfort."Bereavement For Beginners is the book you pray you will never need, and then are only too glad to discover is available when you need it. I wish this comforting resource had been around 16 years ago and two years ago in my own personal hours of need. The contents are useful and uplifting and ease the way to a therapeutic grief process. I look forward to being able to share it with others, and I feel better just knowing it's there." J.M.
What's in this book, then? Bereavement For Beginners includes:
- 25 poems, quotations and readings you can use at funerals, memorial services, in sympathy cards, letters of condolence or however you see fit
- our simple guide on to how to write and deliver a eulogy
- 20 pages of easily readable information on recovery, grief and grieving to help you through the difficult times ahead
- 12 creative, constructive ways to remember your loved one
- 10 practical ways to make your grief easier to cope with
- 40 pages long - easy to print out and read at leisure
Find words of comfort, hope and inspiration
and help support our work with the bereaved...
Our sole aim with this project is to be helpful to others in their grief, and we offer a large number of free resources to help the bereaved. However, we do need The Light Beyond to support us as we support others!For this reason, we have created our own products to sell, and we also recommend others. They are all chosen because we think they are good, genuinely useful products which are often needed by people during bereavement. By directing people towards good, reliable and trusted sources of necessary products, we also hope to reduce some of their stress during this difficult time.
A good way of supporting us is to tell other people about the site. It also helps if you buy one or more copies of Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep, our ebook of over 250 sympathy poems, quotations and readings for funerals, memorial services, eulogies and inner peace. You get a useful book and we receive some much-needed funds to help keep us going.
Five strategies for coping with grief
(and see another five below...)
1. Take time out. In many ways, the experience of grief is similar to recovery from a serious illness; some days will be darker, and some will be brighter. Recognize your limits, and separate the things that must be done from those that can wait. Don't worry about keeping up with your usual schedule. If you have to cancel or reschedule commitments, people will understand.
2. Avoid making major decisions. Grief can cloud your judgment and make it difficult to see beyond the pain you're feeling at the moment. Impulsive decisions - to move or change jobs, for example - can have far-reaching implications for which you may be unprepared. If you must make an important decision, discuss your options with someone you trust, such as a friend or financial advisor.
3. Talk. Painful feelings held inside are like an infection festering in a wound - they need to come out in order for you to heal. When friends ask how they can help, ask them to just be with you and listen. Tell them how important it is for you to be able to express what you're thinking and feeling. If you think you need more than the support of your friends, consider a professional counselor.
4. Express yourself creatively. Writing is another excellent way to express yourself. Try keeping a journal or writing letters, whether you send them or not. When words won't come, artistic outlets like painting or sculpting can help you to communicate what's in your heart and soul. Creative expression can bring clarity to the turmoil you feel and insight into feelings you weren't aware of.
5. Honor your loved one's memory. Preserve your memories in ways that are comforting and meaningful. Enlarge and frame a favorite photo of your loved one, or compile a scrapbook of letters and mementoes from the good times you shared. Make a quilt from his clothing, or plant a tree or a bed of his favorite flowers to create a lasting tribute. Contributing time or money to your loved one's favorite cause or charity is also a noble way to honor her memory.
The Light Beyond Bereavement Blog
there is no grief that time does not lessen and soften...
Several times a week, I post on The Light Beyond grief blog about other good resources on bereavement and loss, useful information I have found, coping strategies, helpful books, inspirational quotes, ways to remember your loved one and anything else which might make a difficult time easier to cope with. This is the place to share YOUR story, too, to help others learn and grow from your experiences. And please do feel free to comment on any of the blog posts!
Below are the five most recent posts on the blog - just click on the title to go to the blog and read the rest of the post. We really hope it helps a little.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byBooks to help adults cope with grief
On Grief and Grieving: Finding the Meaning of Grief Through the Five Stages of Loss
Amazon Price: $11.20 (as of 07/25/2008)
A Grief Observed
Amazon Price: $9.56 (as of 07/25/2008)
On Death and Dying
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 07/25/2008)
Chicken Soup for the Grieving Soul: Stories About Life, Death and Overcoming the Loss of a Loved One (Chicken Soup for the Soul)
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 07/25/2008)
Angel Catcher: A Journal of Loss and Remembrance
Amazon Price: (as of 07/25/2008)
The Winding Valley Of Grief
an short extract from A Grief Observed, by C.S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis (1898-1963)
Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep
our own inspirational movie based on the famous funeral poem
Older version of inspirational movie to comfort the bereaved
The older version of our touching, inspirational movie for those who have experienced the loss of a loved one.
Runtime: 4:00
17206 views
10 Comments:
Another five strategies for coping with grief...
(see the first five above)
2. Avoid using chemicals to numb your feelings. A glass of wine can be good for the soul and help to settle jangled nerves, but overdoing it can bring a host of new problems. Attempting to numb your feelings with alcohol, illicit drugs, or prescription medications will only prolong the pain. Eventually, one way or the other, you must come to terms with your grief.
3. Have fun. Grieving is difficult, but it doesn't mean you have to feel bad all the time; in fact, it's important to take a break from focusing on your grief. Have fun when you can, whether it's reading a good book, watching a movie, playing cards, or resuming other activities you enjoyed before your loss. Don't feel guilty about it.
4. Plan ahead for special occasions. Anniversaries and holidays can be stressful times when you've lost someone you love, and especially so in the first year or two. Talk with family members about your concerns; this may be a good time to introduce new traditions to mark special occasions.
5. Reach out. In the beginning, grief may be so intense that you just want to withdraw or isolate. Soon, though, you'll be ready to ease back into social contact. Make a date with an old friend, or invite a neighbor to lunch. Or try volunteering with your church or favorite charity - you'll make new social contacts while you help others, and you'll feel good about yourself.
Books to help children cope with grief
The Fall of Freddie the Leaf: 20th Aniversary Edition
Amazon Price: (as of 07/25/2008)
The Tenth Good Thing About Barney
Amazon Price: $5.99 (as of 07/25/2008)
Angel Catcher for Kids: A Journal to Help You Remember the Person You Love Who Died
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 07/25/2008)
Tear Soup
Amazon Price: $15.64 (as of 07/25/2008)
Sad Isn't Bad: A Good-Grief Guidebook for Kids Dealing With Loss (Elf-Help Books for Kids)
Amazon Price: $5.95 (as of 07/25/2008)
Other recommended lenses
to help you cope with grief and loss
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Poems for funerals, memorial services, eulogies and inner peace
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over 250 sympathy poems, quotations and readings for funerals, memorial services, eulogies and inner peace We've spent hundreds of hours looking through reference books and searching the Internet, to save you the trouble. Quite simply, this is...
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Grief & Loss Club Headquarters
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The Grief & Loss Club is for lenses that have information, resources and support to anyone grieving a loss. The Grief & Loss Club is one that people do not choose to join, rather it is a club that their experience of grief has given t...
What do you think?
I've put a lot of love, care and attention to detail into The Light Beyond, and really hope that this project helps as many people as possible through difficult times. That's my mission in life... I'd love to hear your comments, suggestions for improvement, stories or anything else. Please don't be shy!
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life-squid
Very helpful lens, I wish I had found it earlier, maybe it could have helped me with my grief. I have created a lens which you may also find useful, it's about Memorial Poems Posted April 29, 2008 |
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Home-healthcare
Very sensitive and necessary ministry! As a mind-over-matter person, when my husband died I was not prepared for the physiological debilitation from the emotional shock. And our society thinks we should snap to after a few weeks. Yet the hardest time was 8 months later. Since then, I have helped many others (we didn't have your forum available!) and it's incredible to see the difference when they just have someone with whom to talk, someone who understands, and they realize that they are okay, normal... and it WILL get better. I will be back often and send others here and to your forum! Posted February 21, 2008 |
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KimGiancaterino
Excellent lens. I've recently lost a friend and will be referring to this information a lot. Posted January 09, 2008 |
I lost my son to a benign brain tumor, actually, from complications due to treatment. Treatment choices, quality of life decisions, grief. Grief is forever, huge and complex. Some moments we just have to let it wash over us. Other times we learn to channel it.
Posted August 30, 2007
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Tom_Antion
Great lens! I appreciate all the Posted August 20, 2007 |
