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We have end-of-life rituals for a reason—to help us accept loss and fully grieve. Of all the rituals disrupted by the pandemic, the loss of funerals and other communal spaces that allow us to support those dealing with the death of a loved one has been one of the hardest to cope with. Virtual gatherings can mitigate feelings of loss and isolation to a certain extent, but there is no real substitute for being with others.

With well over half a million lives lost to the pandemic so far, grieving may look different under lockdown but it has no off-switch. In this episode of  Tricycle Talks, Sameet Kumar, a clinical psychologist, grief counselor, and author, joins Tricycle’s editor-in-chief, James Shaheen, and co-host Sharon Salzberg for a conversation about grief, how we’ve come to redefine it during this time of social distancing, and the importance of staying present to it. 

Buddhist teachings, breathing techniques, and meditation, Kumar tells us, have shown him how to hold great pain and make it bearable for himself and for those he counsels.

Tricycle Talks is a podcast series featuring leading voices in the contemporary Buddhist world. You can listen to more Tricycle Talks on Spotify, iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio.

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