As I myself emerge out of the sorrowful waters of loss and grief following the sudden passing of a dearly beloved friend, I find myself reflecting over the events of the past weeks and my own journey through the grieving process. I look at the elements that comforted and supported me so that I was enabled to move fluidly through the initial pain and shock, past the turbulence of confusion towards the final act of letting go to land upon the stable shore of acceptance and gratitude.
The entire process that carried me to this destination has shown me many things, one being a renewed reverence for all the carefully crafted rituals and ceremonies handed down by our wise and loving ancestors and how these rites and rituals serve to dress the wound of loss and provide essential nourishment for the soul. I felt deep gratitude for my spiritual teachers for all the tools and practices I now have at my disposal. There is no absolute knowing what lies on the other side of this mystery, but having some kind of spiritual framework certainly offers a degree of resilience to the heart and mind when facing life’s harsh challenges.
These past weeks have deepened my appreciation for connection and community; for the family and friends who gathered around during this time to share and hold space for the tender and painful emotions as they emerged, so that they could be digested in a good and healthy way. I have been reminded of how much our interconnection can heal back to wholeness our hearts, minds, and spirit, that may feel broken and hollowed out by such losses.
I was reawakened to the magnanimous healing forces of nature as I visited ancient trees in their stillness, and listened to the frivolous chatter of birds, absorbing into my very porous being Mother Earth’s surrounding beauty and colours so freely available within each presenting moment of springtime, with its seductive return of sunshine after our long English winter.
I have been once again awed and humbled by the power and magnificence of my homeopathic remedies to relieve and calm intense emotions and to acknowledge what an act of grace it is to be a practitioner of this wonderful and mysterious healing art.
In my practice over the years, I have repeatedly witnessed how homeopathy, through its deep dynamic action, can help us to process loss, to honour it, accept it and to grow from it. Grief from bereavement can often create a deep wounding of the heart and soul and when there is a calling for assistance, it emphasises the need all injuries have for compassion, awareness, and spiritual tending. Often, the teachings and opportunities for soul growth gifted within such experiences are overlooked when we focus entirely upon physical manifestations and the elimination of symptoms.
Yet, such experiences do need to be felt, experienced and metabolised, and not quickly suppressed or blocked. The tendency within our contemporary ‘feel-good’ culture is to reach for substances to numb the distress and escape from its unpleasantness, but in the long-term this only prolongs our suffering, sometimes even leading to depression and other serious chronic conditions. Grief is a very natural and universal reaction to loss, not a condition to be medicated or a problem to be fixed; but it can be soothed and supported in many ways.
Homeopathy has a long history of helping support our emotions and can help us pass through the process of grieving a little easier as it works synergistically with the life force, the remedies acting as friends and spirit guides to walk alongside us as we navigate our way through this landscape. Below I have described remedies often found in kits or available from homeopathic pharmacies, that may help some of the more acute and intense moments.
- Arnica is a great trauma remedy where there may be denial and the person needing this remedy says they feel fine, when they’re clearly not. They may not want to be touched or approached but inclined to push away anyone who tries to comfort them.
- Aconite is a great remedy for shock and where there is fear, anxiety and restlessness.
- Ignatia is sometimes even referred to as the funeral remedy and is the main remedy for loss, sorrow, and grief. There may be a lot of sighing and a lump in the throat sensation from trying to hold back feelings.
- Natrum Muriaticum is indicated when there is so much sadness, but the grief is silent, private, and suppressed. They find it hard to cry and feel worse if others offer consolation preferring to maintain a ‘stiff upper lip’ type attitude.
- Pulsatilla emerges as a remedy when there are big, beautiful tears that flow easily, with feelings of abandonment and a great need for support, sympathy, and comforting.
- Rose Quartz homeopathic remedy is for the broken hearted, when all joy has gone. This remedy helps to heal, restore, and keep the heart soft and open.
- The Star of Bethlehem is a Flower Remedy described by Bach as “the comforter and soother of pain and sorrows”.
- Rescue Remedy is a Bach Flower preparation made from five flowers for times of stress, emergency, and crisis.
Always remember, when your well-being and health feels compromised, it’s always best to seek the help of a professional homeopath to talk with and to help you heal more deeply and wholistically.
Arunjot
In loving memory of Mariya Starin RIP. With heartfelt gratitude for your life, your story and for the medicine you carried and shared so generously.
