Grief
![Shattered glass fragments scattered on a grey surface with a blurred background. Some pieces are mid-air, capturing the moment of a glass object crashing and breaking. The image portrays motion and impact.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/1aee7ed4-e453-437e-bf2a-85ac3aad8a3c/rt-final-gettyimages-820481530.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Grief
idea
Grief is not a process with five stages. It is shattered glass
The five stages describe a grief that’s knowable and controlled. An accident in my kitchen helped me find a truer metaphor
by Joshua Thomas
![People walking on a city street bathed in sunlight, with American flags hanging on buildings in the background. Shadows are cast on the pavement, and tall buildings line the street, creating a dramatic, contrasting light and shadow effect.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/1f6ae57c-85c4-4be2-af0e-f12b42b920ed/rt-par414757.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Death and dying
idea
Why so many of us see our loved ones after they have died
These experiences – which are more of an illusion than a hallucination – can be a healthy part of the grieving process
by Shayla Love
![Sepia-toned, blurred image of a woman in a dark dress with a white blouse, sitting outdoors on a cloudy day, hands clasped on her lap.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/562ae7a0-d74f-420b-8f41-9e694a569003/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Grief
guide
How to express your grief
The initial shock might be over. But you need time and space to ‘ride the wave’ of grief if you are to find a sense of peace
by Sue Morris
![Elderly man in a weathered hat and coat, with a grey beard, lighting a cigarette, set against a blurred outdoor background.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/6d5ced29-6956-4402-8254-58a21f6f4512/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Emotions
film
Scenes unfold like Romantic paintings in a touching meditation on grief
Directed by Hayk Matevosyan
![An illustration of two deer running in a forest, surrounded by text in a historical script, bordered in red.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/4fc7cf70-910d-407d-98b9-7c21e9f4edf5/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Grief
idea
After my mom died, I found comfort in a medieval Andalusi tale
Ibn Tufayl’s story of a man mourning the gazelle who raised him helped me appreciate the interconnection of all things
by Veronica Menaldi
![Person wearing an electronic ankle monitor, resting on a floral-patterned sofa with a red cushion and a book beside them.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/8dd86acd-cb00-4d19-af57-c75ec14f79c2/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Stigma and taboo
idea
The families of people who commit sex crimes need care and support
While they deal with a kind of grief, the relatives of those who harm others sexually are subject to blame and judgment
by Azadeh Nematy
![Composite image showing a burning tower with smoke billowing out and a reflection of two people looking at it.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/40e23640-64ce-4a98-a643-a878290f2b9e/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Emotions
idea
What it means for something to ‘sink in’ emotionally
The impact of important events is more than an emotion or mood – it must ‘sink in’, which is a process that unfolds in time
by Matthew Ratcliffe
![Period painting of a woman in a brown dress with white sleeves leaning forward with her head resting on her arm in a dark, sombre setting.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/e00bca6d-69b1-4f7f-9ce2-90e2cafd2b2e/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Grief
idea
There is consolation in a philosophical approach to grief
Grief feels bad, but that doesn’t mean we’d be better without it. By highlighting what we value, it can help us adapt to loss
by Michael Cholbi