When somebody dies; We are left to grieve and pick up the pieces of our own lives, and live.

Understanding loss of any kind can lead to grieving over that loss…

Lost is lost only until it is found.
What is it and how do you find it? 

STAGES OF GRIEF 

A journey through loss, love, and learning to live again

Grief is one of the most profound and personal human experiences. It arrives with the loss of someone or something deeply meaningful to us—a person, a relationship, a dream, or even a former version of ourselves. The process of grieving doesn’t follow a straight line or a strict timeline. It unfolds in waves, sometimes unexpectedly, sometimes gently, and sometimes with force.

While the stages of grief are commonly presented in a certain order, it’s important to know that we may move through them in our own way. These stages—Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance—are not boxes to be checked, but emotional landscapes we revisit as we make peace with our loss and discover how to carry it with us.

Let’s explore each of these stages, with compassion for ourselves and for those we walk this path with.

DENIAL

“This can’t be real. There must be some mistake.”

Denial is often the first response to loss. It’s our mind’s way of protecting us from the shock and enormity of what has happened. We might question the truth of it, cling to the hope that there’s been an error, or even imagine an alternate reality in which the loss hasn’t occurred.

This stage may come and go. Even years later, we may have moments where the reality still feels surreal. Denial isn’t weakness—it’s a buffer that gives us time to slowly absorb the truth. It softens the first blow, allowing us to begin the process of healing.

ANGER

“Why did this happen? Who’s to blame?”

Anger is perhaps the most visible and socially recognized stage of grief. It often emerges as frustration, resentment, or bitterness—sometimes directed at others, sometimes at ourselves, and sometimes at life itself.

This anger can stem from the pain of injustice, helplessness, or the suddenness of the loss. It may resurface again and again, triggered by reminders or anniversaries. Know that this anger is a valid and necessary part of grief. It tells us that something important has been taken from us, and it helps us move from numbness toward healing.

What matters most is allowing the anger to move through us, rather than letting it define us.

BARGAINING

“If only… I would give anything to have them back.”

In this stage, we find ourselves making mental negotiations—pleading with life, with God, or with our own hearts to change the outcome. We may imagine what we could’ve done differently, or offer to make personal changes in exchange for the return of what we’ve lost.

Bargaining is a natural attempt to regain control in a moment when everything feels uncertain. It’s rooted in the hope that there might still be something we can do to alter the reality. This stage is both imaginative and heartbreaking—it’s our inner voice searching for relief, for meaning, and for a way to hold on.

DEPRESSION

“This hurts too much. I don’t know how to go on.”

Depression in grief is not a clinical condition (though it can become one), but a deep sadness that arises as the reality of loss fully sinks in. We feel the emptiness. We feel the silence. We feel the weight of a world changed forever.

This stage may bring tears, withdrawal, or a loss of motivation. It may also bring profound reflection. Rather than something to fix, depression is something to feel. It invites us to slow down and honor the pain of love that no longer has a place to go.

Connecting with others who are grieving can be deeply healing. In shared stories and mutual support, we find glimmers of light. Slowly, life begins to find its rhythm again, even if it’s a different one than before.

ACCEPTANCE

“This is my new reality. I can live with this.”

Acceptance doesn’t mean that everything is okay or that we’re “over it.” It means we have come to terms with the loss—we’ve made peace with what is.

We may start making plans for the future, returning to things we love, or finding meaning in new places. This stage is often quiet, spacious, and full of reflection. It allows us to move forward—not away from the loss, but with it, carrying the memory and love with grace.

It is the stage where we begin to integrate what we’ve learned, who we’ve become, and what the loss has taught us about life, love, and impermanence.

GRIEF IS NOT LINEAR

You may move through these stages out of order, skip some altogether, or revisit them many times. Grief has its own rhythm. It changes shape with time, but it never fully disappears. Instead, we grow around it.

Allow yourself to grieve in your own way. Give yourself permission to feel, to pause, to laugh, to cry, to remember. There is no right way—only your way.

And most importantly: you will be okay.
You are not alone. You are not broken. You are grieving, and that is a sacred act of love.

We all come from and return to the energy of “All That Is”

 

Nobody really leaves until they taught us what they were here to teach us.

Time is the answer to finding acceptance in our loss, take the time and find peace in your own time.

Religious Views on Death

Exploring diverse perspectives and uncovering a deeper shared truth

Throughout human history, religion has served as a compass, guiding us toward right action and offering comfort during life’s most challenging moments—none more significant than death. While the expressions and doctrines vary, most spiritual and religious traditions attempt to answer the same questions: What happens after we die? What becomes of our spirit?

Below is an exploration of some religious perspectives on death, alongside a deeper reflection on what may be a unifying truth at the heart of them all.

Agnostic / Atheist

From an atheist or agnostic standpoint, there is generally a rejection of a Supreme Being or deity orchestrating our lives from above. Many within this view believe that when life ends, consciousness ceases entirely—there is no afterlife, no reunion with loved ones, and no divine judgment. Life is what it is, and death is its natural end.

Yet many who hold these beliefs acknowledge the importance of religion for those who find comfort in it. They often advocate for living fully in the here and now, emphasizing moral living without needing divine incentive. While they may reject the image of a bearded god in the sky or the binary concept of Heaven and Hell, there is still room to honor the legacy we leave behind—the energy we contribute, the memories we shape, the love we give.

From this lens, what lives on is not a soul per se, but the energetic imprint of our presence—an idea surprisingly in harmony with many spiritual traditions. Our energy becomes part of the greater Whole, or as some might say: God, not as a person, but as the universal energy of everything.

Buddhism

Buddhism teaches that life is inherently marked by dukkha—suffering—and death is an inevitable part of this cycle. Yet suffering has a cause, and through mindful living and spiritual practice, one can find liberation from its grip. Death, then, is not an end, but a transition.

According to the Buddhist belief in reincarnation, our thoughts and actions—our karma—determine the nature of our rebirth. Through this lens, each life is an opportunity for spiritual refinement. Eventually, with enough positive karma and awakened awareness, one can transcend the cycle of birth and death and be reborn in a pure land, a realm of spiritual bliss, or ultimately attain nirvana, a release from suffering and individuality altogether.

The practice of grieving is honored and seen as essential. Remembering those who have passed helps us stay connected to the web of life and cultivates compassion. Buddhism teaches that our spiritual evolution influences not only our own future lives, but also contributes to the collective karma of humanity.

Christianity

Christianity, in its many denominations, generally teaches that upon death, the soul passes into an eternal afterlife—either Heaven or Hell—based on one’s faith and moral life. Heaven is often portrayed as a place of reunion with God and loved ones, while Hell is seen as a place of separation and spiritual anguish.

At the heart of Christianity is the belief in grace, that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ, who conquered death and opened the door to eternal life. This belief offers great comfort to many and a strong moral framework for living.

Yet, some expressions of this doctrine can be fear-based, focusing on judgment and exclusion. Phrases like “God needed another angel” or “They’re in a better place” are often used to soothe the grieving, but can feel hollow or overly simplistic.

At its core, however, Christianity affirms that we are more than our earthly bodies—that our true essence lives on, that love never dies, and that a divine presence waits to receive us. Interpreted more spiritually, the message becomes this: through love, service, and connection, we become part of something eternal.

Hinduism

Hinduism offers one of the most intricate and profound frameworks for understanding death and the afterlife. Central to its philosophy is the belief in the atman, or soul, which is eternal and distinct from the physical body. At death, the soul departs the body and enters the cycle of samsara—a continuous loop of birth, death, and rebirth, influenced by karma.

A soul’s journey is determined by the accumulated karma of past lives. One may be reborn into various forms depending on their actions and intentions. Ultimately, the goal is moksha, liberation from the cycle of reincarnation. This is achieved through spiritual practice, devotion, ethical living, and deep inner awareness. When one reaches this state, the soul merges with Brahman, the Supreme Reality, and ceases to exist as a separate identity.

Hinduism sees death not as an end, but as a sacred passage—a necessary transformation on the soul’s path toward union with the Divine. The energy of each being, shaped through lifetimes of learning and action, contributes to the unfolding cosmic harmony.

The Common Thread: Beyond Religion

Despite their differences, all these views touch on a powerful truth: we are more than our bodies, and death is not a vanishing, but a transformation. Whether seen as rebirth, liberation, eternal life, or dissolution into the universe’s fabric, death marks the continuation of energy and consciousness in another form.

Even those who reject formal religion often feel the presence of something greater—a force, a rhythm, an energy—connecting us all. Perhaps what we call “God” is simply our word for the intelligence and unity of all existence.

What matters most, then, is not the specific doctrine we follow, but the way we live our lives—with love, integrity, presence, and the understanding that each action ripples outward into the great ocean of being. Whether we return, rise, merge, or dissolve, the impact of who we are and what we do remains eternal.

R.I.P

“Rest in peace” (Latin: Requiescat in pace) is a short epitaph or idiomatic expression wishing eternal rest and peace to someone who has died. The expression typically appears on headstones, often abbreviated as “RIP”.
The phrase in English was not found on tombstones before the eighth century. It became common on the tombs of Catholics in the 18th century, for whom it was a prayerful request that their soul should find peace in the afterlife. When the phrase became conventional, the absence of a reference to the soul led people to suppose that it was the physical body that was enjoined to lie peacefully in the grave. This is associated with the Catholic doctrine of the particular judgment; that is, that the soul is parted from the body upon death, but that the soul and body will be reunited on Judgment Day. Read more at Wikipedia