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Coronavirus - What We Are Feeling Is Grief

Lesley Postle, editor of this website, explains how Covid 19 is evoking feelings of grief in so many of us, and what we can do to mitigate these difficult emotions. 

Planetary grieving quote by Ruth Pirie

Nearly everyone I know is feeling it. A sense of unease, a feeling of being really unsettled and unsure. Few of us have been through anything like this before, unless you were affected by SARS or MERS or the more recent swine flu epidemics. Even so, this is bigger than anything our planet has seen since the Spanish flu in 1918. 

Suddenly, we have lost our freedom to move around our planet or our countries or even to move around our own neighbourhoods. Life as we know it has completely changed in the space of a few weeks. We may have lost our jobs and our businesses and the really unlucky ones may have lost their health and their loved ones. 

Even if you haven't lost a loved one, or succumbed to the virus yourself, you are still most likely feeling grief. This might be confusing to you if you haven't lost anyone, and you might not realise that, nevertheless, what you are feeling is grief.

Grief can be made up of a complex mix of emotions: 

Read more about the emotions of grief here. 

How Is Coronavirus Causing Us Grief? 

All of the following are things which can cause feelings of grief and many of us are suffering from a lot of them at the present time: 

  • Loss of freedom
  • Loss of a job
  • Loss of your business
  • Loss of future plans and dreams
  • Loss of human interaction
  • Loss of self-identity
  • Fear of losing our health
  • Fear of losing a loved one - see also our article on anticipatory grief
  • Losing control of our lives
  • Losing financial security
  • Losing our sense of safety
  • Fear for the future
  • Fear of the unknown

The beautiful quote at the top of this page is from my lovely yoga teacher Ruth Pirie. I think she sums up what the whole planet is feeling at the moment: 

"There’s a planetary grieving occurring here whether we are consciously aware of it or not. We need to acknowledge this grief with respect and reverence, to face it, to hold it, to allow it to be and breathe through us...so that we become more deeply rooted in oneness and wholeness through the grief, rather than being separate from it." Ruth Pirie

Light at the End of the Tunnel

I feel that if there is a light at the end of the tunnel, it is the hope that through this, we regain a sense of our connectedness with the whole world. Never before have we all been as connected as we are today, with our internet and media, and never before have we all been going through the same thing at the same time in such a monumental way. It really brings home that we are all the same human species, with the same vulnerabilities. 

I hope that after this, we have learned what is important in life and that we all need to help one another, regardless of where on the planet we happen to be located. I hope that we will have learned that we need to look after mother earth and love one another so that we can live in harmony, peace and health. 

In practical terms what can we do to help ourselves get through the grief of these times? 

  1. Don't be afraid of grieving - let it out, have a good sob and listen to what your body and mind needs.
  2. Accept that we do not have control over what is happening, let life flow and live one day at a time. 
  3. Check in on yourself throughout each day and catch yourself if you're feeling stressed. Breathe, let go of tension in your muscles. 
  4. Practice gratitude. Find three things each day for which you can be grateful. It might be fresh air, a comfortable bed, clothes to wear, or clean water. 
  5. There are many ideas on this website to help you cope with grief. Start with reading this page: How to Deal with Grief, which leads to over 50 other pages of advice and strategies. 

If you are really struggling, don't be afraid of searching for some grief support. We explain how here. 

Related Pages: 

Coronavirus - How to Combat the Fear

What to Do When You Can't Hold a Funeral

Where to get help: 

Have You Considered One-on-One Online Grief Counseling? 

Get Expert and Effective Help in the Comfort of Your Own Home

The following information about online counseling is sponsored by 'Betterhelp' but all the opinions are our own. To be upfront, we do receive a commission when you sign up with 'Betterhelp', but we have total faith in their expertise and would never recommend something we didn't completely approve.  

Do you feel alone and sad with no support and no idea how to move forward?  It can be tough when you are stuck in grief to find the motivation to get the most out of your precious life. 

Online counseling can help by giving you that support so you don't feel so alone. You can have someone to talk to anytime you like, a kind and understanding person who will help you to find meaning in life again, to treasure the memories of your loved one without being overwhelmed and to enjoy your activities, family and friends again.

  • Simply fill out the online questionnaire and you will be assigned the expert grief counselor most suitable for you.  It only takes a few minutes and you don't even have to use your name.  
  • Pay an affordable FLAT FEE FOR UNLIMITED SESSIONS.  
  • Contact your counselor whenever you like by chat, messaging, video or phone. 
  • You can change counselor at any time if you wish.
  • Click here to find out more and get started immediately.
  • Or read more about how online counseling works here.  
Woman Crying. Get Started with Online Counselling

Sales from our pages result in a small commission to us which helps us to continue our work supporting the grieving.  

Hypnosis for Grief - 10 Ways It Can Help You

Try a gentle hypnotherapy track to relax the mind. Learn how self-hypnosis can help you cope with grief at any time of the day or night.  

Read more about it here. 

For Remembrance: 

Sales from our pages result in a small commission to us which helps us to continue our work supporting the grieving.  

Heart Shaped Sterling Silver Pendant for Cremation Ashes, Engraved Forever Loved

Memorial Jewelry to Honour a Loved One

Check out our lovely range of memorial jewelry for any lost loved one.  Pendants, necklaces, rings or bracelets, we have them all in all kinds of styles.  Choose for yourself or buy as a sympathy gift. 

Click here to see our selection

Create an Online Memorial Website

Honour your loved one with their own memorial website.  Share photos, videos, memories and more with your family and friends in a permanent online website.  Free for basic plan with no ads. 

Find out more here.