The Five Gates of Grief
Entering the Sacred Work of Sorrow“Grief never ends, but it changes. It’s a passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith. It is the price of love.”
~ Author Unknown
Grief is a natural and normal emotion that is the result of us opening ourselves up to being vulnerable in an impermanent world. It is caused by the end or change in a familiar pattern in our lives and our attachment to the familiar. The loss of anyone (or thing) we love can leave us feeling empty and at a loss. At times we cling to the sadness which prevents us from the inner growth that such a loss makes possible in our lives.
It is a truth that our minds crave permanence and predictability – they cling to the known. During this time, we will honor the role of grief in our lives while stressing the importance of walking through the process so that our minds do not remain “stuck” in the rut of grief.
Much of the grief we carry is not personal but shared, communal. These feelings don’t come from our inner circles, but rather from the world around us or even the land itself. We may also register the grief of the world in our bodies when we pass through zones of destruction, see polluted waters, or are bombarded by high rises and shopping malls where there used to be endless greenery.
As we recognize that we do not carry this grief on our own; we can take this opportunity to not only honor our body’s message of grief but also connect with others on a journey into and through grief to what is waiting on the other side. We are able to find optimism in realistic hope, one that is born from the heart’s integration of grief and a deep faith in this planet and in the new life that comes with every Spring.
Experiences of grief can feel intertwined with past struggles of our families and communities. It can often manifest as sadness, rage, guilt, shame, even bodily symptoms in our present moment that may actually not be our own. This kind of grief can be the impact of inherited unresolved suffering or sorrows of our ancestors that became unintended messages handed-down that we have internalized.
We will explore the truth that not all grief we carry is our own, and in this awareness is an invitation to turn inward and recognize the sacredness of our own energy and being. To feel, hold, resolve and honor what is our own and reverently release that which is not so to develop a deeper and kinder connection with your lineage and with yourself.
Join us on Saturday, March 15, 2025 from 8:15 a.m. – 3:15 p.m. (EST) on Zoom. The day will include times of reflection and a meeting with a WVIS spiritual director that allows each participant the opportunity to unpack what the Holy Spirit reveals to them during the day’s program.
Program is offered by WVIS Spiritual Directors, Cindy Boland, Laurie Lanzo, Lisa Marengo, O.P., Charlotte Mercer, O.P., and Sally Orcutt, O.P.
Donation: The requested donation for this retreat is $50. Partial scholarships are available by emailing exec.director@wvis.org.
Registration Deadline: March 12, 2025
Questions: email Sally Orcutt at sally@sayyes2yourlife.org
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