Grieving—The Sacred Art

Lisa Irish, MEd, MA has been offering retreats and presentations for over twenty-five years. As the bereavement coordinator for Yale-New Haven Hospital and the Hospital of St Raphael in New Haven, CT, she ministered to grieving individuals, groups and community organizations. A chaplain and spiritual director, Lisa’s writing creates connection and insight for her readers. Her work has been published by Abbey Press in the self-help book, Grieving with a Grateful Heart and several CareNotes; Open to Hope, an online grief forum; and her blog at www.lisairish.com.

“Lisa Irish shows us that grief is our ally in the Land of Loss, and indeedher book becomes our ally as well. Her insightful study and creative descriptions of grieving tap into our own experiences of loss. The roadmap is wise, but sensitive - grounded in hope - and reminds us to rest in God’s healing love.” — Richard Rohr, OFM, The Center for Action and Contemplation"Grief and grieving are natural to life, but somehow we have convinced ourselves otherwise. Lisa Irish's Grieving - The Sacred Art returns us [to] the truth, and helps us navigate the sea of grief that we might arrive at the other shore with a greater appreciation for life and a greater boldness for living." — Rabbi Rami Shapiro author of The World Wisdom Bible“Lisa Irish’s approach to grieving in this volume invites the reader on a journey through the Land of Loss, through the regions of Alone, Passage, Surrender, and Changed. She shares in this context current research on grief and resilience, many evocative examples from her extensive experience in bereavement work and spiritual direction. Throughout Grieving: The Sacred Art, she includes consoling and inspiring quotations, carefully described exercises or rituals that might assist a grieving person, and exudes a surplus of encouragement that people grow and eventually discover their own resilience and wisdom as they travel through the terrain of grief. Spiritual directors, pastoral counselors, chaplains, and the bereaved themselves are likely to better understand both the challenges and gifts of grieving. This might result in more effective accompaniment on the part of professionals and greater self-understanding and courage for the bereaved as they journey through The Land of Loss.” — Dr. Janet K. Ruffing, RSM, Professor of the Practice of Spirituality and Ministerial Leadership, Yale Divinity School, New Haven, CT.“There is a path from darkness into light. It is long and lonely. Lisa Irish has assembled a community of companions for this journey whose wisdom and whispers of encouragement lift the most broken among us. This book is a hand stretched out, an arm around the shoulder—it is tender, strong, reliable. Of all the books on grief, this is the one I would offer to a fellow soul on that bewildering journey through loss.” — Jan Phillips, author of No Ordinary Time"A beautiful work of the heart. Lisa Irish speaks not only from a professional knowledge of loss, but from her own lived experience. Her exercises, meditations and rituals offer valuable counsel, and her understanding of the vulnerability of the journey is key. 'The heart initially begs for certainty,' she tells us, then goes on to show how the pathway through loss evolves, opening the door to a greater love that we may each find in our own way and time." — Paula D'Arcy, author of Gift of the Red Bird and Stars at Night"Armed only with the tools of psychiatry, I have found my ability to salve the wounds of grief often inadequate. Whether the bereaved is religiously minded or not, there is an inescapable, fundamentally spiritual aspect to grieving. Lisa Irish’s Grieving—The Sacred Art compellingly speaks to this truth. But her missive does not flutter in the realm of imponderable metaphysics. Quotes from a variety of learned minds guide and inspire. Vignettes movingly illustrate the wisdom Ms. Irish shares. Her many entries headed “Promptings of Hope” offer practical help in navigating the Land of Loss to find hope." — Joseph Fickes, MD, Associate Director, Psychological Medicine Service, Yale New Haven Hospital