Understanding Grief

Grief isn’t just an emotion — it’s an embodied experience. When we lose someone we love, our nervous system reacts as if we’ve experienced a deep physical injury. Research shows that grief activates the same areas of the brain as physical pain, which is why our bodies can feel heavy, tense, and exhausted. You might notice changes in sleep, appetite, energy, or immune function. This isn’t weakness — it’s your body protecting you while it processes something unimaginable. Understanding these physical responses can help us meet ourselves with gentleness as we navigate the changes grief brings.

Grief impacts the brain in profound ways, influencing memory, focus, and even the way we perceive time. For many, it can feel like living in two realities at once: the world before the loss and the one after. The shock of loss can create “grief fog,” where thoughts feel slower and everyday tasks become overwhelming. Our minds are working hard to integrate the reality of life without someone we love — and that takes enormous energy. Knowing this can help us extend compassion to ourselves, recognizing that there’s nothing wrong with us; our minds are doing their best to carry something unbearably heavy.

Beyond the body and mind, grief touches the deepest parts of our spirit — the place where meaning, love, and belonging live. Losing someone we love often shakes our beliefs, our purpose, and even our sense of who we are. For many, grief creates big questions about life, death, and connection, while for others, it deepens a sense of ongoing love and presence. However you experience it, your grief reflects the depth of your love — and that love continues. Here, at The Grief Table, we honor both: the ache of absence and the threads of connection that remain, offering resources and reflections to support your whole self as you navigate this new reality.