Finding peace with sadness,
A gentle meditation.
Welcome to this space.
Choose some comfort for yourself right now.
Settle in to a position that feels natural and supportive.
You might choose to sit in a chair with your feet touching the ground or lie down on the floor,
Sofa or bed.
Take a moment to adjust.
Letting your body find its place of ease.
Feel supported,
Feel secure,
Feel settled.
And then take a deep gentle breath in through your nose.
Feeling your lungs fill gently.
As you exhale,
Allow your shoulders to release.
Unclench your jaw and relax your forehead.
Continue breathing naturally.
Notice how each breath brings a deepening of relaxation to your body.
Let's be with our sadness in this moment.
Know that it's perfectly okay to feel sad.
In fact,
It's a vital part of being human.
Just as the weather brings us both sunshine and rain,
Our emotional landscape brings both joy and sadness.
Each has its purpose,
Its wisdom to share.
Continue breathing softly.
Bring your awareness to any sadness present in your body right now.
Perhaps you feel it as a heaviness in your chest,
A tightness in your throat or weightiness in your belly.
Whatever you're experiencing,
Simply notice it with gentle curiosity.
There's no need to change anything.
You're just acknowledging what's already here.
There is nothing to change or to fix.
Be here now.
Offer yourself your caring presence.
Offer yourself kindness.
Take another breath.
As you exhale,
Picture yourself wrapping a warm,
Soft blanket around your shoulders.
Let this be a gesture of love,
Of holding yourself with tenderness.
If thoughts arise that connect to your sadness,
Acknowledge them gently.
They're like leaves floating down a stream.
You can notice them without needing to catch them.
Let them drift by as you continue to breathe,
Anchoring yourself in this present moment.
This sadness is moving through you.
Like the tide coming in and going out along our shores,
Emotions naturally ebb and flow.
You don't need to hurry this process or wish it away.
Simply being with it,
With patience and understanding is enough.
And breathe.
Now bring your attention to the support beneath you.
The chair,
Bed or floor holding you.
Just as you're physically supported in this moment,
Remind yourself that you're emotionally supported too.
Perhaps there are family,
Friends or professionals in your life who care about you.
We're all connected in this shared human experience.
We continue.
Place a hand on your heart if that feels comfortable.
Feel the warmth of your palm,
The steady rhythm of your heartbeat.
This simple gesture reminds us that we can be our own source of comfort and care.
Your heart has weathered many storms and still continues to beat strong and steady.
Take another gentle breath,
Creating a little more space around any difficult feelings.
Imagine you're sitting in your favourite room,
Perhaps by a window where you can see the sky.
Notice how the clouds move across it,
Sometimes dark and heavy with rain,
Other times light and scattered.
Your sadness,
Like these clouds,
Can be present without defining the whole of who you are.
As we begin to draw this meditation to a close,
Acknowledge yourself for taking this time to be present with your sadness.
It takes courage to sit with sadness,
To allow it to be here without trying to push it away.
You are doing something deeply valuable for your well-being.
You can always pause,
Breathe and create space around difficult emotions.
This is a gift you can give yourself at any moment.
Begin to bring a little more movement back into your body.
Perhaps wiggle your fingers and toes,
Gently roll your shoulders or stretch in any way that feels good.
Take another full breath in and a long breath out and feel the stability within you.
Know that you can return to this practice whenever you need to,
Creating this same space of gentle acceptance for whatever you're feeling.
Your feelings are important and you're worthy of patience,
Understanding and care.
Open your eyes whenever you're ready,
Taking a moment to adjust back to your surroundings.
Perhaps be extra gentle with yourself today and P.
S.
I believe in you.
