Grief as Spiritual Practice

In many spiritual traditions, grief is presented as an obstacle to overcome on the way to enlightenment. Mirabai inverts this. Her grief is not in the way; it is the way. Her yearning for Krishna, her rage at his absence, her refusal to accept false comfort—these are her deepest spiritual practices. This radically reframes what we do with grief and rage. Rather than trying to process them quickly so we can return to normal, we might sit with them as teachers. What is this grief trying to tell us about what we value? What is this rage protecting? What truth does it defend? By treating grief as spiritual practice—worthy of our full attention, our song, our examination—we honor what it is: evidence of love, proof of our capacity for depth. The rage underneath becomes fuel for awakening, not fuel for destruction. This is not wallowing; it is rigorous attention. When we practice grief this way, we discover that moving through it doesn't mean forgetting or betraying; it means integrating what it teaches us.