Tag Archives: Grief

“Variation on the Word Sleep” by Margaret Atwood

Margaret Atwood's "Variation on the Word Sleep" journeys beside and within another's grief

In her poem “Variation on the Word Sleep“, well-loved Canadian poet Margaret Atwood (1939-) uses sleep as a metaphor for the highly personal, often isolating and poorly rehearsed journey of loss and transformation that is generally called grief in the … Continue reading

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Our Weekly Tip: Use the Hierarchy of Needs to Overcome Grief

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs pyramid helps you handle the basics first

Our Tip of the Week: When you’ve experienced a loss, it can be difficult to take care of yourself in the aftermath. Failing to take care of your own needs may lead to depression and loss of self-identity in the long … Continue reading

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Annang Funeral Tradition as Rite of Passage

The Annang people of Nigeria understand "good death" as transition to status of ancestor

The Annang people of Southeastern Nigeria consider death to be natural only when someone dies of old age, according to Dominic Umoh, Ph.D., a lecturer at the University of Agriculture in Makurd, Nigeria. If someone dies young from disease or … Continue reading

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Finding Peace When a Loved One Is Dying

The suffering of those left behind is very real, but there is comfort to be found in witnessing a good death

Join SevenPonds each month as Tani Bahti, RN, CT, CHPN, offers practical on-hand guidance to demystify the dying process. As an RN since 1976, Tani has been working to empower families and healthcare professionals to have the best end-of-life experience possible both through education and the … Continue reading

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”The Work of the Dead” by Thomas W. Laqueur

Thomas Laqueur's epic historical survey reveals insight into how and why we care for the dead

Significant amounts of research have been invested in understanding the grieving rituals of the animal kingdom, but literature examining the role that the human corpse plays in how culture is created and sustained over time has been relatively sparse. That … Continue reading

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“A Dog Has Died” by Pablo Neruda

Pablo Neruda's factual ode weeps through wide-open eyes

Pablo Neruda is a great master of understatement, weaving the sparest details around the complexity of loss with a cry that carries its own weight and does not ask to be comforted. The first four lines of his poem “A Dog … Continue reading

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