Cutting The Ties

It can be difficult to let go of the past, emotions, memories and habits can keep us tethered even when we don't want them too. Cutting The Ties meditation can help to move away from the past and bring the focus to the future.

Transcript

Part of being human is our desire to connect with others.

Whether it is through work,

Family,

Friends or partners,

We can form bonds with many different people throughout our lives.

These bonds can be incredibly strong and may remain for a reason,

A season or a lifetime,

Giving us opportunities to share our vulnerabilities,

Laugh,

Support,

Nurture and learn from each other.

But we can also find ourselves at a point where these bonds stay intact when they no longer serve us.

Perhaps we have grown apart from friends who were once close due to changes in lifestyle choices,

A relationship that we have decided to end,

Or an individual whose presence in our lives we may have come to realise brings us more trouble than pleasure.

While we can choose to,

Or accept breaking the everyday connection with these individuals through ceasing contact,

We can often find that their influence stays with us and their impact on our lives continues when we no longer need or want it.

The memories that we've made together,

The arguments,

The conversations we had,

Or the things we wish we had said but perhaps we never felt that we could,

Can all make us feel as though that person is still an active part of our lives,

Despite our desire to move forwards and look to the future.

You have probably heard the phrase,

To cut ties with someone,

And this guided meditation aims to help you do that through simple visualisations,

Physical movements and the power of intention.

It can be emotionally demanding working through such deep and personal aspects of ourselves,

So be kind to yourself and remember that it's okay to struggle,

It's okay to find things difficult,

There is no time limit to healing.

You may find that this meditation needs to be done more than once before you feel that you are no longer being held to the past,

And that's okay too.

Meditation is a practice which takes time and patience.

If it were easy to perfect,

It would be called a perfect rather than a practice,

So don't expect too much from yourself.

While I am here to lead you,

It's important that you find your own flow and comfort zone within the space of the guidance.

Meditation is as individual as we are.

This meditation is for everyone,

So if you are brand new to the practice,

There is plenty of context here for you to understand what we are doing and what we hope to achieve.

Or perhaps you have many years of experience and this is comfortably familiar territory.

Wherever you are in your journey,

I hope that you find something of value in this meditation practice.

To begin,

It's important that you make yourself comfortable.

Meditation requires focus,

So it's important that you find a position which you are able to hold for the period of time that we are practising.

This may be sitting on a chair,

On the floor,

Maybe on a favourite cushion,

Or on your bed.

Perhaps you would prefer to be lying down.

Something to be aware of is that with any meditation,

You may feel a deep sense of relaxation,

So there is a chance that you may fall asleep,

So if that's the case,

It may be more beneficial to sit upright to ensure that you fully benefit from the practice.

One of the key aspects of your physical position is that oxygen and energy in your body can move freely,

So try to ensure that your back is straight and you're not sitting crumpled or squashing any of your vital organs.

Once you have settled into your position,

Just take a few moments to see how you are feeling and notice what is happening around you.

Much as it would be ideal to have complete peace and quiet with no distractions,

Our lives are rarely able to facilitate this,

So we need to find a level of acceptance for the world around us.

This meditation isn't about blocking out the rest of the world,

It's about focusing on a specific subject,

So allow yourself to acknowledge what else is happening,

But also agree that it doesn't have to distract you from your practice.

When you are ready and comfortable,

Close your eyes and bring your focus to your breath.

How does it feel?

Are you breathing quickly?

Gently?

Loudly?

To bring your breathing into a more steady and controlled pattern,

We're going to do some simple counting.

Not out loud,

But in your mind.

Breathe in through your nose for 3 counts in your own time,

And out through your nose for 6 counts.

Breathing in brings energy into your body.

Breathing out allows you to relax.

So the longer you breathe out for,

The more relaxed you will become.

In your own time,

Follow this pattern.

Breathing in,

And breathing out.

Nothing more,

Nothing less.

This is all you need to do at this time.

Breathing in,

And breathing out.

Once you feel comfortable with this pattern,

Try changing the breath to 4 counts for in,

And 8 counts for out.

If that's too much,

Then stay with 3 and 6.

If 3 and 6 are too much,

Then just breathe.

Do what is right for you,

And enjoy this moment.

Your body will be more settled now,

Your cells restored with valuable oxygen,

And the simple act of being aware of your breathing helping you to focus and relax in the present.

For now is time for you,

And only for you.

Time to work through this important process.

Bring your awareness to the purpose of this meditation.

To free yourself from the ties of the past,

And move forward with peace in your mind and positivity in your heart.

I want you to focus your attention on the top of your head,

The part which faces up towards the sky.

This part of our body is associated with connection to the wider world,

Our consciousness and our inspiration,

So we want to inspire ourselves to make positive changes.

In your mind's eye,

Imagine that there is a fibre coming from the top of your head that is reaching out towards the person you no longer wish to be connected to.

This fibre could be made of string,

Silk,

Cord or rope,

And it's a vibrant violet in colour.

Maybe this fibre is taunt and rigid,

Maybe it's loose,

But either way it's time to cut that tie and free your inspiration so that it is yours again.

So now picture the tool with which you wish to make the cut.

This could be a pair of scissors,

A knife,

Or maybe just your hands that can pass through the fibre and break the connection.

You may wish to physically move your hands up to the top of your head and pass them back and forth to break the tie.

As you make this disconnect,

Say to yourself,

Either in your mind or out loud,

I cut this cord that links us together.

I no longer need or want your presence in my life,

Either in my consciousness or unconsciousness.

Repeat this affirmation and the action of cutting the tie,

So it is done a total of three times.

I cut this cord that links us together.

I no longer need or want your presence in my life,

Either in my consciousness or unconsciousness.

I cut this cord that links us together.

I no longer need or want your presence in my life,

Either in my consciousness or unconsciousness.

Allow yourself a moment or two to feel that separation.

Now turn your attention to the space between your eyes on your forehead.

This is the location of your third eye,

Or the part of your body that governs your sense of intuition and the root of your imagination.

To focus your attention,

It may help to touch this space to establish a connection to the sensation.

In your mind's eye,

Imagine that the fibre coming from your third eye that's reaching out towards the person you no longer want to be connected to.

This time it's a deep indigo,

The colour of the deepest sea or the night sky.

Picture your tool or your hands moving back and forth so that it can pass through the fibre and break that connection.

And as you make this disconnect,

Say to yourself,

Either in your mind or out loud,

I cut this cord that links us together.

I no longer need or want your presence in my life.

My imagination is free of your memory.

Repeat this affirmation and the cutting of the ties a total of three times.

I cut this cord that links us together.

I no longer need or want your presence in my life.

My imagination is free of your memory.

I cut this cord that links us together.

I no longer need or want your presence in my life.

My imagination is free of your memory.

And allow yourself a moment or two to feel that separation.

Now turn your attention to the space at the bottom of your throat.

This is the root of your communication and how you express yourself.

To focus your attention,

It may help to touch this space to help establish a connection to the area.

In your mind's eye,

Imagine that the fibre coming from your third eye that's reaching out towards the person you no longer wish to be connected to.

This time it's a bright blue,

The colour of a stunning cloudless sky on a sunny day.

Picture your tool moving or move your hands back and forth so that it can pass through the fibre and break the connection.

As you make this disconnect,

Say to yourself,

Either in your mind or out loud,

I cut this cord that links us together.

I no longer need or want your presence in my life.

My voice will no longer speak your name.

Repeat this affirmation and the action of cutting the tie a total of three times.

I cut this cord that links us together.

I no longer need or want your presence in my life.

My voice will no longer speak your name.

I cut this cord that links us together.

I no longer need or want your presence in my life.

My voice will no longer speak your name.

And just allow yourself a moment or two to feel that separation.

Now I want you to turn your attention to your heart.

Your heart is the home of your emotions,

Your care,

Your love and your empathy.

To focus your attention on your heart,

It may help to touch the space to establish a connection.

In your mind's eye,

Imagine the fibre coming from your chest that is reaching out towards the person you no longer want to be connected to.

This time it's a fresh green,

The colour of new leaves in spring.

Picture the tool you wish to use moving or move your hands back and forth so that it can pass through the fibre and break that connection.

As you make this disconnect,

Say to yourself,

Either in your mind or out loud,

I cut this cord that links us together.

I no longer need or want your presence in my life.

My heart is mine to love again.

And repeat this affirmation and the action of cutting a total of three times.

I cut this cord that links us together.

I no longer need or want your presence in my life.

My heart is mine to love again.

I cut this cord that links us together.

I no longer need or want your presence in my life.

My heart is mine to love again.

Just allow yourself a moment or two to feel the separation.

Now turn your attention to your solar plexus.

Your solar plexus is located just beneath your ribs and is the centre of your energy and vitality,

Your willpower and your ego.

To focus your attention here,

It may help to touch this space to help establish a connection.

In your mind's eye,

Imagine the fibre coming from your solar plexus that is reaching out towards the person you no longer wish to be connected to.

This time it's a bright and promising yellow,

The colour of the sun in the sky.

Picture your tool that you wish to use moving,

Or move your hands back and forth so that it can pass through the fibre and break the connection.

As you make this disconnect,

Say to yourself,

Either in your mind or out loud,

I cut this cord that links us together.

I no longer need or want your presence in my life.

My energy is mine to use as I wish.

Repeat this affirmation and the action of cutting the tie a total of three times.

I cut this cord that links us together.

I no longer need or want your presence in my life.

My energy is mine to use as I wish.

I cut this cord that links us together.

I no longer need or want your presence in my life.

My energy is mine to use as I wish.

And just allow yourself a moment or two to feel that separation.

Now turn your attention towards your sacral area.

The sacral sits just below your navel,

And is the home of your creativity,

Sensuality and enjoyment.

To focus your attention,

It may help to touch this space to establish a connection to the area.

In your mind's eye,

Imagine the fibre coming from your sacral that is reaching out towards the person you no longer want to be connected to,

And this time it's a soothing orange.

Do the tool that you wish to use moving,

Or move your hands back and forth so that it can pass through the fibre and break the connection.

As you make this disconnect,

Say to yourself,

Either in your mind or out loud,

I cut this cord that links us together.

I no longer need or want your presence in my life.

I can enjoy my life without you.

Repeat this affirmation and the action of cutting the tie a total of three times.

I cut this cord that links us together.

I no longer need or want your presence in my life.

I can enjoy my life without you.

I cut this cord that links us together.

I no longer need or want your presence in my life.

I can enjoy my life without you.

And just allow yourself a moment or two to feel the separation.

Finally,

I want you to concentrate on your root.

The root is located at the base of your spine,

And as such it keeps you grounded and joined to the earth,

Giving a sense of security and belonging.

To focus your attention here,

It may help to touch this space to establish a connection to the area.

In your mind's eye,

Imagine the fibre coming from your root that is reaching out towards the person you no longer want to be connected to.

The fibre is a vibrant glowing red,

The colour of our life-giving blood.

Picture the tool you wish to use moving,

Or move your hands back and forth so that it can pass through the fibre and break that connection.

As you make this disconnect,

Say to yourself,

Either in your mind or out loud,

I cut this cord that links us together.

I no longer need or want your presence in my life.

My connection is no longer with you.

Repeat this affirmation,

And the action of cutting the tie,

A total of three times.

I cut this cord that links us together.

I no longer need or want your presence in my life.

My connection is no longer with you.

I cut this cord that links us together.

I no longer need or want your presence in my life.

My connection is no longer with you.

And just allow yourself a moment or two to feel the separation.

You may be feeling a range of emotions,

From relief and calm,

To loss or emptiness.

But be assured that feelings are normal and should not be dismissed.

Acknowledging and processing the emotions that come up as a result of working through an exercise like this is part of the process,

And it's important to accept them.

I want you to bring your focus back to your breathing,

Which you may find has changed since we began this meditation.

It may be deeper or more shallow,

The breaths longer or shorter,

But focus now on the sensation of breathing,

Just letting the air flow in through your nose and out through your nose.

The way your nose feels as you inhale,

The way in which your lungs expand and stretch as they fill with precious oxygen.

And gently breathe out,

Keeping the out-breath longer if you can,

Feeling your lungs relax,

Your muscles soothe,

And your mind coming back to the present.

The concentration required for this meditation has been a lot,

So feel free to stay with this focus on your breath until you feel ready to slowly and gently open your eyes.

Be sure to be kind to yourself over the coming hours and days.

Allow yourself time to process the emotions which may have come to your attention,

And drink plenty of water to support your body through its detoxifying time.

It may help to write down how you are feeling or confide in a trusted friend.

But above all,

Be thankful to yourself for making the time to look after you and your wellbeing.