由於執行國科會研究計畫，我自九二一震災兩年多始接觸子女驟逝的哀慟者，哀慟者深層、強烈且矛盾的哀傷，令我有難以觸及其內心之嘆；本研究乃肇因於研究者自認無能感同身受與哀慟者哀傷的浩瀚，促使研究者向內在探尋自己，透過啟發式探索歷程，以期獲得一些洞察與理解。 啟發式探索的哲學基礎主要溯及M. Polayni所提出的「沈靜之知」，啟發式探索的研究步驟是由Moustakas (1990)所發展出來，有六個時期，本研究即依循此六時期進行之。時期一為初步的接觸：本研究在此時期確定研究問題為「什麼是『深刻地感受到哀慟者的哀傷』的經驗」。時期二是融入：研究者無時無刻與所欲探究的研究問題相處著，經由此時期，本研究中發現了九個洞察。再經過時期三（沈潛）、時期四（照明、啟蒙）、時期五（詳細說明），到時期六（創造性的綜合），本研究綜合各個時期所發現的經驗意涵，與哀慟者的效度考驗，創造一個新的、可完整地涵蓋該經驗本質的現實。 經過此啟發式探索歷程，本研究所發現的五個主軸為：無時無刻地自我反思與體會哀傷、創造一個令內傷深重的人感到安全的情境、根植的特質和態度、學習放下我執、和「人」與「人」的互動。本研究主張：透過這五個主軸的體會與理解，哀傷研究者才能夠深刻地感受到哀慟者的哀傷。

The aim of the present study was to gain insights and comprehensions of grief of the bereaved using the experiences of a grief researcher. Heuristic inquiry, a qualitative research approach developed by Moustakas (1990), was used to conduct this study. The main philosophical foundation of heuristic inquiry was based on Michael Polayni's (1962, 1966) concept of ”tacit knowing.” The procedure of heuristic inquiry comprised six phases. They were initial engagement, immersion, incubation, illumination, explication, and creative synthesis. Following the procedure, a main research question was developed, ”what is the experience of gaining access to the inner world of the bereaved?” Five themes pointing to the grief researcher were derived accordingly. First, a researcher should encounter continuing self-reflexivity and experience grief at all possibilities. Second, the creation of a warm and secure climate is assumed to be crucial for the bereaved to encounter their grief. Third, a researcher's traits and attitudes that persist through life are important in beginning to lead him/herself to understand their stories. Fourth, a researcher should learn to let go of self-attachment and to transcend him/herself to understand their grief. Lastly, a genuine human interaction is expected between the researcher and the bereaved for the former to receive a true story. A composite depiction of the experience in question, with validation data considered, was completed at the end of the process. It was followed by the discussion of the five themes used by a grief researcher to gain access to the inner world of the bereaved.