Chapter 11

Awaken your spirit to adventure;

Hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk;

Soon you will be home in a new rhythm,

For your soul senses the world that awaits you.

−John O’Donohue, “For a New Beginning,” 2008: 14.

Maintaining continuing bonds was right for me

My journey along the path with heart teaches me that maintaining continuing bonds with Karl, my late husband, is right for me. Psychologists, grief therapists and others in bereavement studies agree. Staying connected can provide consolation, reassurance, comfort, support and, importantly, in my case, guidance. I find that the specific methods suggested by Rudolf Steiner a century ago do work, although the communication with a loved one who has died might not last forever in that form.

Expressive writing and journaling about grief (preferably as a conversation or a dialogue) can have a healing effect on the grieving person, provided those activities do not deteriorate into narcissistic behavior. A substantial benefit of the “conversations” approach discussed in this book is that we are engaging in a dialogue with our dear one — not a self-focused monologue. Read more