book review: the wild edge of sorrow by francis weller

26 Jan 2021

The Wild Edge of Sorrow: Rituals of Renewal and the Sacred Work of Grief by Francis Weller

What are the main ideas?

• grief gives us access to the full depth of our humanity. not working with grief limits access to our fullness. grief is the guardian to the hall that leads to the soul.
• grief and love are inextricably bound together. without deep grief, ecstatic joy is inaccessible. the depth of our sorrow gives us appreciation for its opposite.
• the five gates of grief are a simple and beautiful framework for accessing grief even when it doesn’t seem accessible:
  • The First Gate: Everything We Love, We will Lose
  • The Second Gate: The Places That Have Not Known Love
  • The Third Gate: The Sorrows of the World
  • The Fourth Gate: What We Expected and Did Not Receive
  • The Fifth Gate: Ancestral Grief
• being alone in solitude with our grief is necessary, just as necessary as being with others in collective grief. we need both.

If I implemented one idea from this book right now, which one would it be?

being with my grief and the grief of others can be a sacred act of service. attune to grief whenever possible, especially in america because we are so conditioned away from it.

How would I describe the book to a friend? this book is a powerful weaving together of practices, poetry, personal stories and ancient wisdom. if grief is unfamiliar to you, this book is a great way to put a toe in the waters. if grief is familiar to you, there are layers underneath the surface that are beautifully supportive and grounded across traditions.

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reminder: book review structure