Making the World Safe for Sorrow

A resource not only for those experiencing grief but also those wanting to offer support

Much of bereavement literature addresses the mourner as an individual but neglects the role that a community can provide. Nor does it address the obstacles that stand in the way of supplying that support, much less provide suggestions for how to do it better. Yet the experience of the bereaved is that often their friends fall away just as they need them the most.

In Making the World Safe for Sorrow, Margaret (Maggie) Izutsu gently guides both the bereaved and those hoping to help by introducing Japanese memorial customs—both private and social. These practices can be adapted not only to ease the pain associated with bereavement but to transform our culture into one where loss of any kind can be an opportunity to deepen relationships.

Drawing on the experience of focus group participants who tried on these resources rooted in Buddhist and Confucian traditions, Maggie describes their challenges and triumphs. She offers simple suggestions for experimenting with these resources, either privately or in community, and invites you to explore these gems of wisdom and practice to better understand how they might affect both our grieving and our culture in general.