Healing with Nature

Transforming Grief in Chronic Illness

With Melanie Pensak

Saturday, October 19, 2024
9:00 am Pacific | Noon Eastern

Event Desciption

Come together with fellow individuals identifying with chronic illness for a unique 60-minute online mindfulness session. This session aims to foster a connection with the natural world as a grounding source to navigate the grief experienced throughout chronic illness, accommodating different abilities and energy levels with tailored adaptations for both indoor and outdoor participation.

A chronic illness significantly alters how individuals navigate their lives, impacting their experiences with their body, mind, identity, creativity, relationships, and sense of purpose. It’s common to feel grief over the loss of cherished abilities, recreational activities, employment, and community connections.

The practices presented in this class are designed to help individuals acknowledge their feelings of loss and love, and to embrace nature as a supportive companion. Meditations will focus on grounding through the earth element, allowing nature to absorb feelings of grief and sadness, while the sky will be used to open the mind and heart. Additionally, there will be an optional dyad inquiry with the community, offering a space to reflect on one’s experience of grief while being supported through deep listening.

Recognizing grief is the first step towards experiencing and processing emotions. In this class, we will explore how to use nature as a sanctuary to express feelings of loss and to remember love.

Participants are encouraged to be on a deck, balcony, porch, in a garden, or on the grass, either seated or lying down. If being outdoors is not accessible, participants are invited to sit, recline, or lie near a window, plant, or animal. This session is open to anyone who identifies as experiencing chronic illness. We will also record the class for all participants to accommodate those who may benefit from “attending” the class in shorter sessions.

Event Information