{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Gyani Loses Pete To Cancer","description":"On Episode 3 of Season 9 of The Surviving Siblings Podcast\u00ae, host Maya Roffler is joined by Gyani, a surviving sibling and grief professional, who shares the story of losing his brother, Pete, to cancer, and how earlier loss in his life shaped the path he walks today. Gyani takes us back to his first encounter with grief at 13, when his father died of cancer. Raised in what he describes as a \u201cLeave It to Beaver\u201d style family. Mom, dad, and five boys\u2014he reflects on how grief rippled through their family system like a bomb, in a time when there were few tools or conversations available to help a young boy process loss. A few years later, Gyani found his way into meditation, yoga, and wisdom traditions, an unexpected but life-changing shift that became a foundation for everything that followed. Decades later, after building a career in counseling and the corporate world, Gyani felt an internal nudge that it was time for a new chapter. Then came a loss that re-opened the \u201cgreat beast of grief\u201d in a fresh way: the death of his baby brother, Pete. Gyani shares how Pete\u2019s cancer moved fast\u2014from a melanoma diagnosis to death within roughly a year\u2014and how helplessness, family dynamics, and the inability to \u201cmake people come to the grief table\u201d became part of his grieving process. This conversation is a powerful reminder that grief is not a problem to solve, but an experience that asks to be witnessed\u2014by others, and by ourselves\u2014with compassion, patience, and attention. In This Episode: (0:00:00) \u2013 Meet Gyani + The Loss That Started It All Gyani introduces himself, shares that he works in the grief space, and reflects on losing his father to cancer at age 13. (0:01:30) \u2013 Growing Up in a Family of Five Boys Gyani describes his family system, his place as the fourth of five brothers, and how grief impacted their \u201csports team\u201d dynamic. (0:03:30) \u2013 A Teenager Finds Meditation + Meaning Gyani shares how he found meditation, yoga, and wisdom traditions in high school\u2014seeking something \u201cdeathless\u201d after losing his dad. (0:06:00) \u2013 Grief Doesn\u2019t Come With a Manual Maya and Gyani discuss how grief shapes you early, how people cope differently, and why many families lack the tools to process loss. (0:10:00) \u2013 How Gyani Entered the Grief Space Professionally Gyani explains how his meditation practice and counseling training eventually converged\u2014after years in the corporate world\u2014into grief-focused work. (0:12:30) \u2013 Asking \u201cWhat\u2019s Next?\u201d + Listening for the Answer Gyani shares his transition season, spending time in nature and intentionally seeking clarity for his next chapter. (0:24:30) \u2013 Pete: \u201cIt\u2019s Powerful to Say His Name\u201d Gyani introduces his brother Pete, their bond, growing up together, and why Pete was his \u201crock.\u201d (0:26:00) \u2013 From Melanoma to Loss: A Fast Cancer Journey Gyani walks through Pete\u2019s diagnosis, how quickly it spread, and the shock of losing a healthy, vibrant brother. (0:28:30) \u2013 Helplessness, Anger, and the Storm of Grief Gyani reflects on the layers of grief\u2014including the raw helplessness that remains when you realize you can\u2019t change the outcome. (0:30:00) \u2013 Family Dynamics: You Can\u2019t Drag People to the Grief Table Gyani and Maya discuss how differently siblings and families grieve\u2014and the pain of wanting connection when others shut down. (0:35:30) \u2013 Community as Medicine: Why Grief Must Be Witnessed Gyani shares why grief + isolation is a \u201cdouble whammy,\u201d and how community helps thaw shame and soften the nervous system. (0:43:30) \u2013 What Gyani\u2019s Grief Work Looks Like Today He shares how mindfulness-informed grief counseling helps people gently lean into grief, including working with the body (\u201cissues are in the tissues\u201d). (0:47:30) \u2013 A Closing Reminder: Grief Isn\u2019t a Problem to Solve Gyani offers a powerful reframe: grief is a sacred opportunity to be embraced\u2014and it changes you into new versions of yourself. This episode is sponsored by The Surviving Siblings\u00ae Connect with Gyani:  Website: https:\/\/ourgriefpath.com\/   Connect with Maya: Podcast Instagram: https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/survivingsiblingspodcast\/ Maya's Instagram: https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/mayaroffler\/ TikTok: https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@survivingsiblingspodcast Twitter: https:\/\/x.com\/survivingsibpod Website: thesurvivingsiblings.com Facebook Group: The Surviving Siblings Podcast YouTube: The Surviving Siblings Podcast Patreon: https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/TheSurvivingSiblingsPodcast ","author_name":"The Surviving Siblings\u00ae","author_url":"https:\/\/www.thesurvivingsiblings.com","html":"