Today we will practice connecting with your grief,
Allowing your body to guide you and exploring the parts of yourself that hold and interact with this grief.
We will gently meet and honor your emotions,
Body sensations,
And the different aspects of yourself that may emerge during this process.
Take a moment to settle into a comfortable position.
Close your eyes if that feels right for you and begin to focus on your breath.
Let your inhales and exhales flow naturally,
Feeling the air as it moves in and out of your body.
With each breath allow yourself to become more present in this moment,
More connected to the ground beneath you,
And more attuned to your inner world.
We will continue by bringing your awareness fully into your body.
Notice the sensations in your body right now,
Perhaps the weight of your body on the surface you're resting on,
The texture of any fabric against your skin,
Or the temperature of the air around you.
Allow yourself to just notice.
Take another inhale and as you exhale allow your awareness to drop deeper into your body,
As if you're going down into another layer of your existence.
Gently scan your body,
Noticing any areas where you may feel tension,
Tightness,
Or discomfort.
You may feel a heaviness in your chest,
A knot in your stomach,
Or a sense of unease somewhere in your body.
We aren't trying to change anything,
We're just trying to work on our own awareness of what's happening in our body.
As you focus on any sensations of tension,
Heaviness,
See if you can bring a sense of warmth and compassion to those areas.
Imagine that your breath is gently flowing and touching these places that feel tight or heavy,
Offering them space,
Offering the chance to be acknowledged.
Now we will go down another layer deeper,
Taking some time to turn our attention even more inward,
Exploring the different parts of yourself that may be present in your experience of grief.
In the internal family systems model,
We recognize that we are made up of many parts,
Each with its own thoughts,
Feelings,
Bodily sensations even,
And roles.
Some parts may be carrying your grief directly,
While others might be trying to protect you from it or manage it for you.
Return to your breath,
Return to your body,
And see if you can sense any parts of yourself that feel particularly active right now.
Perhaps there's a part of you that feels overwhelmed by grief,
A part that feels numb or distant,
Or a part that is trying to keep everything under control.
Notice what's coming up for you,
Where you feel it in your body,
Acknowledging the presence of these parts of yourself.
If you discover multiple parts that are related to grief somehow,
You might say to each part,
I see you,
I'm here with you.
Allow each part to express itself,
Either through words,
Images,
Or sensation.
The goal is to observe with curiosity and compassion.
If you feel judgment,
Fear,
Repulsion,
Those are most likely other parts,
So you can ask them to step aside so that you can give each part of yourself time to communicate with you.
If you need more time,
You can pause the meditation.
We're going to gently invite the part of you that actually holds the grief to step forward.
This might be a part that feels very young,
Very old,
Or somewhere in between.
It might appear as a specific image,
A feeling,
Or a physical sensation in your body.
Allow this part that holds your grief to show itself to you in whatever way feels natural.
As you connect with this part,
See if you can offer it your presence,
Your curiosity,
Listening to it with a sense of calm,
With a sense of patience.
What is this part saying to you?
What does it need from you right now?
Does it need to be held,
Acknowledged,
Or simply witnessed?
If it feels right,
You can ask this part.
What do I need to mourn?
What do I need to release completely?
Trust that whatever answer you receive is important,
Even if it's just a sense of holding space for your grief.
You can always return to your breath to ground you.
Return to your body and notice how your body is responding to this interaction.
Notice any impacts to feelings of heaviness or tension.
Once again,
You can pause the meditation if you need time with this part.
Continuing to breathe and hold space.
Let's bring a sense of soothing and integration to the parts of yourself that you may have connected with in this meditation.
Return to that compassionate,
Gentle warmth,
Bringing it into your body with each inhale.
As this warmth moves through you,
Imagine it gently touching all the parts of yourself that you've encountered today.
The part that holds the grief,
The parts that want to protect you or manage your experience,
And any other parts that have made themselves known.
Allow this warmth to bring a sense of calm and connection to these parts,
Integrating them into your being with love and care.
As we begin to close,
Take a few more breaths.
Notice again the support of the ground beneath you,
The air moving in and out of your lungs,
And the sense of warm compassion within you.
Take a moment to thank your body,
Your breath,
And the parts of yourself that showed up today.
When you're ready,
Slowly begin to bring your awareness back into the room,
Wiggling your fingers and toes and gently opening your eyes.
Carry with you the knowledge that you can return to this space whenever you need to connect with your grief,
Your body,
And the parts of yourself that need to be seen by you.
Go easy as you transition back into your day and remember to treat yourself with compassion as you continue to navigate your grief.
