For many of us, it is all too common to avoid difficult emotions, especially the raw heartache associated with grief regarding loss. Grief is not only about loss associated with death but may also arise when a relationship ends, when we lose a job and when we are forced to move, or about the frustration of our needs—such as the need for food, clothing, shelter, and love.

It may be a dominant feeling in reaction to losing identity due to an emotional or physical challenge, even when we have initiated a change, such as choosing to move or entering retirement.

Grief is associated with feelings of sadness, depression, guilt, numbness, and anger. In the throes of grief, our body may fold inward. We may feel a sharp ache within our core. We may feel immobilized by the grief and other associated feelings. Certainly, like other emotions, grief can vary in intensity, duration, and frequency.

In grief, we may prefer silence and stillness to engagement and action. We may feel the tension of sadness on our faces, lethargy in our limbs, and powerful inertia that seemingly increases the gravitational pull to the spot we occupy.

When living with grief, we may experience tension around our eyes from crying, wanting to cry, or simply wanting to close them. With grief, we may crave sleep but find it difficult to sleep. We........

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