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Another great photograph by my cousin, photographer Kimiko Karpoff. It speaks to me of the intersection of seasons. The “not one thing or the other” but “both, together”. It’s how I like to think of our loved ones who’ve passed away. they’re gone, and they’re still here. Both, together. Most of us are present to the “gone” part: it’s undeniable, painful, and omniprescent in early grief. The “still here” part takes a bit of work for some of us: finding our spiritual comfort zone, tuning into our intuition and connecting with Spirit, finding new ways to be in relationship with ourselves and our loved ones no longer here in physical form. Exploring those topics was my my focus for February. I hope you find something of inspiration here! February recap I wrote about how spiritual principles have guided me through my grief journey. I first heard about these spiritual principles when my son, Tristan, was active in Narcotics Anonymous (NA), learning to live in a way that granted him some peace in his daily life. I discovered that you don’t need to be religious to get behind the idea of spiritual principles. You don’t even need to consider yourself spiritual; simply being part of humanity is a good enough reason to try them out. I also wrestled with my skeptical nature, science-based upbringing, and need for spiritual connection in my article Why my feel-good belief in the afterlife is grounded in science. I finally found a way to embrace spirituality and life after death without feeling like I have a scientist in my head arguing with me about it. My inner skeptic is now gone, my scientific mind is satisfied, and my spirit has room to flourish! And I had the most wonderful conversation with medium Dr. Lenore Mattew, from The Alchemy of Science & Spirit about how to hone into our intuitions and connect with our loved ones who’ve passed away. As always, my conversations with many of you on Facebook and Instagram, and now also on twitter, have lifted me up and cheered me on, and I thank every one of you! Coming up in March This month I’ll be speaking with Sandy Ayre, from Yoga for Grief Support. Sandy is an occupational therapist, yoga instructor, and is certified in Death and Grief Studies through The Center For Loss and Life Transition. Mark your calendars for our live interview on Wednesday, March 16, at 11:00 am Pacific Time, and watch my social channels for updates! There will be an end-of-March give-away, where I’ll be raffling off a Visions, Trips, and Crowded Rooms, and a Healing Grief Card Deck , both by leading grief expert, David Kessler. Anybody who subscribes to this newsletter between January 1 and March 30 of this year will automatically be entered into the draw. If you’re a long-time subscriber, please share the news with others who may be interested in subscribing! Please note, give-away prizes are subject to availability in your area and may be substituted for something equally awesome. Kimiko and I are in our final stages of podcast planning, and we hope to record our first episodes later this month! We’re aiming to launch the show by late spring, so stay tuned for more about On life’s terms: conversations about family, addiction, and healing. If you have an inspiring story to tell about how you not just survived, but thrived, in the face of a loved one’s addiction drop me a note to let me know, or DM me on Facebook, Instagram, or twitter.
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