The Grief of Displacement with Uma Girish: Mourning Home, Family, and Belonging

In this episode of Halva for the Heart: Dying and Grieving in Diaspora, I sit down with grief companion, author, and Human Design guide Uma Girish to explore the intertwined losses of death, migration, home, and belonging.Born and raised in India and now living in the United States, Uma shares the story of her mother's death shortly after her immigration to the U.S., and the profound loneliness of grieving far from home, family, and the cultural rituals that once held her. Together, we explore how South Asian traditions make space for grief through community and ritual, what those in diaspora lose when they are unable to return home for a loved one's death, and how maintaining relationships with the dead can help us navigate loss.Uma reflects on the unexpected lessons she learned while working in a retirement community, where she discovered that grief is not limited to death. Through stories of displacement, aging, and leaving behind beloved homes, she came to understand grief as a universal human experience.In this episode, we also discuss:South Asian grief rituals and the first year after a deathThe grief of immigration and losing connection to homeBuilding altars for loved ones and ancestorsHow grief can become a path toward purpose and serviceThe importance of skilled facilitation in grief circles and community spacesThroughout the conversation, Uma offers gentle wisdom for anyone navigating loss, reminding us that we do not need to grieve perfectly—we only need to give ourselves what we need most.Connect with Uma GirishWebsite: www.umagirish.comPodcast: Being Fully MeSubstack: Light After LossBook: Losing Amma, Finding HomeAlso mentioned in this episode:Holly TruhlarA Gift for ListenersThe first two listeners to email Uma after listening to this episode will receive a free gift. Listen to the end of the episode to learn what what she's generously offering, then contact Uma through emailIf you'd like to share what this episode brought up for you...Leave me a 90 second voice noteMessage me on InstagramSend me an emailLearn more about my work at my website www.hafezdeathcare.comSubscribe to my weekly newsletter🎵 Theme song: 'Lullaby' by Iranian oud player Negâr Boubân