Grieving-Spiritual Experiences as Adaptive Processes: L W Easterling,, J Parker, K Adams, B Hyde, Neimeyer

Summary

Dreams of the deceased have been recorded since ancient Egypt, and recent research suggests they can aid grieving. Studies cited show that spirituality helps people cope with loss, that continuing bonds with the deceased can be adaptive, and that dreams of the dead may bring comfort and meaning. A hospice study found 58% of 278 participants reported such dreams as pleasant or mixed. The text argues that meaning-making is central to enduring grief, as suffering without meaning destroys.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Vilbert Vallance observes, “Excellent, Excellent Article!” and “You bring clarity to those who grieve.. which brings comfort.” thank you chaplain Vilbert, India From the earliest history humans have had dreams of death and the deceased. The first recorded dream of the deceased dates from 2100 B.C. in Egypt: “Around 2100 B.C., an Egyptian man named Heni wrote a letter to his dead father, asking him for help with his nightmares.” Gilles & Neimeyer emphasize, “Death, especially when it takes on the mask of senselessness and meaninglessness, would seem to be the ultimate challenge to the “meaning of life” and the authors note how Janoff-Bulman and McPherson (1997) focused on the subjective “experience” of pain which they relate to the “shattered assumptions” and an “increased awareness” of the fragility of life and human vulnerability!” “Death” is a primal force! There is a consensus among researchers that spirituality is an emerging field of study. In part due to pastoral understanding and research into grieving – a number of studies have recently been published showing that spirituality in grieving can facilitate healing. 1. Easterling (et al): “Conversely, experience has shown pastoral caregivers that individuals do seem to cope better if they can "actualize" their spiritual experiences in times of crisis. 2. Julie Parker: study finds that “continuing bonds with the deceased can be adaptive, and spiritual and/or religious belief systems are associated with adaptive outcomes of grief." 3. Gabriella Kilianova highlights the views of a Catholic priest in Slovakia. The priest “assumed that such dreams help people deal with the loss of their loved ones.” 4. Adams and Hyde: “Qualitative studies have shown that some children reflect on their dreams and find meaning in them, with some of these dreams making a spiritual impact!” 5. Donna Thomas: “Whether ‘positive’ or ‘negative’, anomalous experiences can catalyze self-healing for children and young people. Through children achieving greater self-awareness and a sense of intra-connectedness between self, others and the world.” 6. Hospice study: “Most participants [58% of 278 participants] reported that their dreams were either pleasant or both pleasant and disturbing,… As Dr. Paul Wong points out, Viktor Frankl states that “Man is not destroyed by suffering; he is destroyed by suffering without meaning”

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