CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Grief is a part of life, and a group of three women in Champaign are holding an event for people to find some peace.
At 25 O’clock Brew on Saturday, a group of women familiar with grief are leading an event filled with poetry, prose, and bubbles. The event was led by Heather Paul, a ritual artist, grief guide and senior Jewish Educator and Student Rabbi at Illini Hillel.
Grief coach and nurse Debra Joy Heart is reading out of her book Grandma D’s Bubbles. Heart said as a grief coach, she listens a lot, makes suggestions, encourages others, and helps to validate how people are feeling.
“A lot of people are like, I should not be feeling like this it’s been two years,” she said.
So she encourages with bubbles, saying bubbles are a metaphor for life and loss.
“Breathing deeply with a slow and steady in and out helps to regulate parasympathetic nervous system which decreases anxiety, decreases fear,” Heart said.
They will have kaleidoscopes to represent grief, “reminds us we may feel broken, but we have the opportunity to see the world in a different way.”
Heart said going out in nature can help a person grieving as it can reduce anger, fear, and decrease stress.
“People will be talking about their different losses, maybe they have never had a chance to have someone listen, or they need to say it out-loud again,” Heart said.
Saturday is the Jewish day of mourning, which heart said is quite appropriate for their event.
The event is open to the public.