The Pagan viewpoint on grief?

[Nettie]

I'm inviting the other Pagan members to come in and share their viewpoint on grief and the whole 'why does it happen?'.

I think in light of recent events it's an emotive topic and one we may feel the need to 'get off our chest'.

to all who are feeling grief right now.

[LimeSlice]

Subbing.. I will be back soon to post

xoxo

[~TT40~]

for me...i feel the initial shock and saddness, and obviously feel like ****...

but when i start thinking about it from a pagan point of veiw, i start thinking about the cycles, the energies, and feel stronger from it. No energy can be destroyed...just refocused elsewhere, so for me someone isnt 'gone' they are just in a different place, and we give back what we take from the great mother, and it is all part of the cycle.

I dont feel that someone is dead and its forever and i will never see them again....i feel i will, i feel they just need to travel down a different path for a while that i cant get on...but oneday our roads will meet again.

thinking like this fills me with peace, dont get me wrong, i still feel sad and still miss them, and wish that it wouldnt happen right now, but at a different time, but that is something i have no control over, and for me, if i have no control it is pointless to dwell on it.

[Nettie]

I agree Tei. People live on in all of us as we're all connected to the universal energy. I get comfort from that.

It's the missing bit that hurts the most. And it takes a fair bit to tap into that energy to 'feel' them again. Not everyone can do this and even if you can, it can take a lot of energy.

[Sopdet]

I've been thinking about this a lot.

I fully believe in the cycle of life. That once people have done what they were sent here to do or learn, then they go to the next stage, to contemplate the lessons they've learnt or taught in this lifetime before they begin their next turn on the wheel.

You miss the person like crazy, but I think my biggest comfort is that I know they're still around, that I can still talk to them, ask them for help or guidance, you may not get it in the same form you would have with them being on the earthly plane, but you still get it. It could be from the shape of a cloud (I've got a giggle happening here because I can imagine Lu doing rude cloud shapes to us all), a street sign that has a word in it to prompt you for the answer, all manner of things.

I've had a bit too much of the death thing in my life, have lost friends and family, but on the flip side of that, there have been some amazing births, children taking their first forays into the world on their own individual journeys.

[Fleur]

Subbing cause I'm interested... although I wouldn't call myself pagan some of my beliefs have a somewhat pagan flavour... I'm of a mongrel spirituality I guess.

[trishalishous]

also interested in reading

[*becstar*]

Excellent thread! and just what I was looking for today. I wouldn't really call myself pagan, but I'm really interested in what you all have to say.

Thanks

[GabberQueeN]

Subbing will be back to post.

[Antheia]

Glad you started this Nettie

I agree with Sop. They are still around, even if not physically. And yeah you miss them like crazy but I just have to trust in the universe that these things happen and there is a lesson to be learnt from it all. For eg what's happened recently has taught me I need to reconnect with my friends, even here on BB. I've not been on here much in the last year or more and I'm going to change that. I'm going to see friends more, and family. I'm also going to spend a lot more time with my kids. Take more photos. Because you never know what will happen tomorrow. You just have live in the now.

[Aligater]

just subbing as I want to read not sure what I believe dont realy believe in the one one god bit but the universe as a whole

[Arimeh]

Yup yup, I agree with Tei, Nettie and Sop. I feel that their energy has moved onto a higher plain (so to speak) but that doesn't mean that they're not still with us, they always will be there, just.... different than before.

Argh I know what I wanna say but I can't find the words to explain it.

[NaeNae]

I honestly wish I could say that I was pagan, but truth is I don't know enough about it.

I believe that the energy/soul does not die, just because the physical does. I believe a body is just a "shell" so to speak. When this breaks down or can no longer serve its purpose the energy/soul is released back onto a higher plain of existance.
For most people I call this "Heaven" but its mainly so they feel more comfortable.

I also believe that they can come back for us to help us and guide us at different points. Almost like intuition, rather than being a "gut instinct" its more like a whisper in your head.
I also believe that, in the right circumstances, we can tap into the energy through different mediums.

For example, after a long time of wondering, I got myself an amethyst pendulum. I use it daily and I believe I connect with different spirit/energy's on different days.

I have no idea if this is down pagan lines or not TBH.

There have been some days when I am sure I have chatted with my little Niki and that has given me a lot of peace.

Anyways I am blabbering on.

Nae x x x

[Nettie]

Glad you're all getting something out of the thread. It's just what I needed too Becstar

I find the Pagan way is generally whatever way you've decided for yourself (not being told by an 'authority') and what feels right and in tune with the cycles of nature (seasons, life/death/rebirth, dark/light, etc). So if you're nodding reading that, you're Pagan! All welcome here anyways...

Sopdet - I look forward to meeting you in person one day. Your post was exactly what I wanted to say, but couldn't find the words!

I can already see the seeds of Lulu's flower begining to grow. She'd probably scoff at that but I know what I mean and I'm sure some of you do too.

[Inanna]

I can just imagine Lulu saying oh for f's sake can you get over it already!!!!

Great thread Nettie...

My views resonate with Sopdets and Netties...

I personally believe this... That we come into this world with a contract - an agreement of what we will serve, what we will acheive, what we will learn, what we will teach. What we'll experience.

This is the cycle. So when we have fulfilled our contract it's time for our Earthly body to "die". But I also believe that we have a Karma - a karmic contract to fulfil. So every single person whom we've touched or interacted with helped to fulfil that contract. So we all agreed to this before we incarnated in this lifetime.

So if we take it to Lucy & my personal beliefs which are only my own & not right or wrong! Lucy came in with a contract and she had fulfilled that & her body died. Before her incarnation she agreed to what she lived. Her children agreed in their incarnation to suffer the loss of her. Her own mother the same. Not because we all want pain but as spiritual beings we are aware from deep pain comes our most perfect wisdom.

So we all contracted - group karma to share parts of our lives together.

I believe when someone dies there is a time when they are very close -soon after death. Where they kinda make sure that all is okay - perhaps they help to direct the way things happen, inspire the ones left behind to do what needs to be done with spiritual wisdom that they can tap into because they are closer to Source when they don't have a body...

I could go on and on but that is my belief... xxx

[Michelle71]

Inanna almost perfectly said my beliefs. While I have a mongrel spirituality too with a combination of ethos, the loss of Greg has increased my beliefs and faith. I believe there is more to this earth than the earthly form. That a spirit / soul has a journey they must fulfil that is preordained before birth. I believe that your close networks are always with you throughout your lives but vary in role and function.

I believe there is a purpose for everything and a time for everything. It was Greg's time to go. I wasn't happy about it and neither was he but the contract he had was completed. His journey was over. Mine has only just begun.

But next time around - can someone slap me up the side of the head with a wet fish if I so much as suggest I achieve so many soul lessons in a lifetime

[Fleur]

Yup yup, I agree with Tei, Nettie and Sop. I feel that their energy has moved onto a higher plain (so to speak) but that doesn't mean that they're not still with us, they always will be there, just.... different than before.

Argh I know what I wanna say but I can't find the words to explain it.

Well, that's pretty close to how I would say it.

I personally believe this... That we come into this world with a contract - an agreement of what we will serve, what we will acheive, what we will learn, what we will teach. What we'll experience.

This is the cycle. So when we have fulfilled our contract it's time for our Earthly body to "die". But I also believe that we have a Karma - a karmic contract to fulfil. So every single person whom we've touched or interacted with helped to fulfil that contract. So we all agreed to this before we incarnated in this lifetime.

So if we take it to Lucy & my personal beliefs which are only my own & not right or wrong! Lucy came in with a contract and she had fulfilled that & her body died. Before her incarnation she agreed to what she lived. Her children agreed in their incarnation to suffer the loss of her. Her own mother the same. Not because we all want pain but as spiritual beings we are aware from deep pain comes our most perfect wisdom.

So we all contracted - group karma to share parts of our lives together.

I believe when someone dies there is a time when they are very close -soon after death. Where they kinda make sure that all is okay - perhaps they help to direct the way things happen, inspire the ones left behind to do what needs to be done with spiritual wisdom that they can tap into because they are closer to Source when they don't have a body...

I could go on and on but that is my belief... xxx

I have read this somewhere before, and it is one of those ideas that resonated with me. I have taken it on as part of my mixed bag of beliefs.

What do I think.... all kinds of things.... I had an argument with a friend of mine, years ago, after losing (another) dear friend; I said that I thought really grief was a selfish kind of emotion, that the soul that has moved on is in a better place, on a higher plane, and just where they are meant to be. our grief is all about our loss; our missing them. She thought I was saying that it was ok that they had died, and I said no that's not what I meant... but then again, it is part of life & death & the whole circle,and I DO believe that the soul who has departed is much better off than those of us who are left behind.
ETA - I truly hope that's not offensive to anyone here, and I hope I've explained it properly

In working with energy... for me, it supports the idea of a soul that moves on after the physical death.. that energy doesn't just cease to exist. It's still there.

I find the Pagan way is generally whatever way you've decided for yourself (not being told by an 'authority') and what feels right and in tune with the cycles of nature (seasons, life/death/rebirth, dark/light, etc). So if you're nodding reading that, you're Pagan!

That might just make me pagan

[Arimeh]

That might just make me pagan

Or just be like me - a neo-pagan