By Irina Jordan
Below are highlights from the talk by Shelley Riutta MSE, LPC who is Founder and President of the Global Association of Holistic Psychotherapy (GAHP).
- False self develops as a protective part of you to navigate through life.
- Hard in grief experience if there is a disconnect between your authentic spirit and your conditional self.
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Preserve your child's uniqueness and authenticity. Value them for existence, not just accomplishments.
- Consciously mirror loving part of you by reflecting on authentic self. Appreciate your sensibilities.
- Conditional self can add more (unnecessary) pain when grieving. Authentic self helps with grieving.
- Conditional self mirrors cultural messages that it shouldn't take so long - makes it harder to grieve.
- Being authentic self allows your heart to open and connect spiritually to your loved one.
- Everyone has a spiritual connection. It is different for each person. Connect with your spiritual presence.
- Taking care of your body, meditating and praying raise your vibrations.
- Imagination, visualization and visual imagery connect you to spiritual realm.
- Listen to subtle messages and trust yourself to be guided.
- Create comfortable space to work with your emotions daily.
- Be your own loving presence to sooth and comfort yourself. Feel more empowered by doing so.
- Tune in to "What would be comforting to me right now" and be direct about it with other people.
- Cultivate new connections and friendships if old ones go away when you're going through layers of grief.
- Extend compassion to yourself, be loving to yourself, nurture yourself to sustain yourself when grieving.
- Breath deeply and imagine your favorite love color. Love is loving, comforting and surrounding you.
- Allow your body to relax and let go through deep breathing and loving yourself - pure love.
By Irina Jordan