Believing After Grieving

Believing After Grieving

Does the grieving process alter peoples’ beliefs in the supernatural? Paola’s late son is seen with a coral necklace and cherries in his portrait. Nothing can harm him when he wears the coral and cherries symbolize life (McIver). The significance of mourning is depicted in artwork such as Athenian vases and Giotto’s The Lamentation. Some periods of Athenian art emphasized mourning more than others. For example, women are near the casket and frequently lament without suppression. Only one woman supports the head of the deceased which is similar to a mother coddling her young (Shapiro). The Lamentation mimics this posture with Mary holding the head of Jesus and John swooning over the body. Clearly, bereavement was important then as it still is today.

The grieving mind undergoes chemical changes that cause a person to be more susceptible to the spiritual realm and to seek messages from spirits. Research shows many percipients recover from traumatic experiences when they receive messages or images from the deceased (Price). Freud’s theory “work of mourning” describes normal grief as using defense mechanisms by beginning numb, then leading to distress and increasing despair then feeling intense grief, yearning for memories and finally concluding with depression and apathy (Morris and Albert Introduction).Not many people or places help relieve bereavement. Therefore, grief leads to depression and unfortunately is not often thought harmful. However, some clients developed cancer after losing their therapists (Fowlkes). Additionally, social support strengthens resistance to heart disease (Morris and Albert Introduction). Some families do not properly grieve AIDS victims due to

the disrespect associated with homosexuality. These families do not look for messages from beyond and therefore do not find them.

For instance, one Balinese experiment suggests the people of China would be disrespected for lamenting at a funeral. They are not permitted to show emotions. According to Phoebe Ellsworth people alter their emotions when they realize they are feeling them. This method is called navigation (Reddy), which leads to a mind and body controversy. According to Bering’s studies, even more knowledgeable children realized death to a person is also death to the brain and yet still claimed a dead mouse continues to have unconditional love for its mother (Bering). Indeed, the brain and mind stop functioning at death. It appears the soul is still present.

Neurotransmitters such as Norepinephrine contribute to mood and arousal. Serotonin contributes to aggression, eating, wakefulness and sleep. Whereas Dopamine produces pleasant feelings. On the other hand, depression is a stage of mourning (Morris and Albert Introduction). Hence, a brain affected by depression has low levels of Norepinephrine, Serotonin and Dopamine (Baron Essentials). Understandably, any change good or bad interferes with the way a person lives life (Weiten Themes and Variations). For instance, if someone in bereavement lacks serotonin and stays awake longer than their circadian rhythm allows, then maybe he or she will sense a presence. Generally, depending on the person he will be oblivious or more alert. He may also sense a spirit if he is aware of his surrounding atmosphere. Perhaps someone should consider that the spirit will come to him.