“Suffering is completely natural. it doesn't request. It doesn't ask 'is now a good time?' ” - Dr. Sameet Kumar, clinical psychologist, author of Grieving Mindfully. This conversation is an absolute gift. Clinical psychologist and author of Grieving Mindfully Dr. Kumar shares that our capacity to love and grieve are not only interconnected but the very way we navigate the pain that naturally unfolds on our journeys through "life’s unforeseen and inevitable hurdles.” We talk about what he calls “the alchemy of grief” … our fear of getting swept up in pain, spiraling down in pain, and the challenge of trying to shield ourselves from pain. He explains why grief is a teacher, how the present moment invites us again and again… to discover how our “emotional vulnerability” can help us “redirect our pain toward our growth.” He helps us to depathologize our pain and humanize our suffering through the powerful medicine of practicing mindfulness in the present moment. There’s a moment in this conversation when I think I’m asking him about the fear so many of us have about slipping into a downward spiral and he gently redefines the very concept and process that's a deeply hopeful revelation. I ask Dr. Kumar how he preserves himself in his palliative care work. Four words, he says. Four words one of his teachers told him years ago, a 4 word practice that helps him stay connected to his core, to his patients, to hope and love for life. And he guides us through it in a short, powerful exercise. As Dr. Kumar says, "One day at a time is absolutely immense. We have this capacity to experience immensity. Love, joy, the present moment, our breath... those are the counter balances to the pain..."
Sameet Kumar, PhD is a clinical psychologist, international speaker, and author of three books, including the best-selling book Grieving Mindfully: A Compassionate and Spiritual Guide to Coping with Loss, as well as The Mindful Path Through Worry and Rumination.
For more than twenty, he has specialized in palliative and end of life care, and has extensive experience in the use of spiritual and meditative techniques and therapies to support people through grief and loss. A practicing Buddhist, he has trained several Hindu and Buddhist spiritual teachers.
He received his PhD in Clinical Psychology, University of Miami.
Check out his website: http://www.sameetkumarphd.com/
Dr. Kumar's 3-part workshop: https://tricycle.org/mindful-grieving/
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