Creating Space For Difficult Emotions In Grief

In this guided meditation with Dr. Kate Truitt, she shares how we can create space for processing difficult emotions after experiencing loss. She reminds us that grieving can feel overwhelming, but through intentional actions, we can make our journey more bearable.

Join us in this gentle exercise to reconnect with the light within, knowing that you are not alone in your journey of healing and remembrance. Take a few moments for yourself, breathe deeply, and embrace the space to process and heal.

Transcript

Hello,

My friends.

Today we're going to go on a special healing journey to create space for all the difficult emotions you might be experiencing after losing someone or something that you care deeply about.

Grieving and emotions,

Big emotions,

Certainly go hand in hand,

And they can feel really overwhelming and stay with us for extended periods of time.

This is an exercise to create a little bit of space so if just for a little while,

You can come home to yourself and have some lightness and a connection to the here and now.

It's okay to feel the rollercoaster of all emotions,

We're supposed to,

And when we take intentional action to give our brain a little bit of room,

That can allow our grieving journey to progress more smoothly and successfully.

As always,

If you'd like to welcome in that soothing,

Havening touch,

I invite you to do so.

It helps create a calming,

Regulated nervous system and allows the mind to take that breath,

Much like breathing allows our body to regulate and slow down.

The havening touch begins as though you're washing your hands under warm water,

Palm on palm,

A gentle havening hug,

Moving your hands down your arms or fingertips across your brow or under your eyes,

Utilizing any of those motions in any way that feels comfortable and safe for you.

To begin,

Let's take a moment to connect to the here and now,

Inviting our attention to turn inwards,

And let's welcome in three soothing breaths.

Now I'll provide some breath counts,

And I invite you to also breathe at your own gentle,

Loving pace if that feels more comfortable.

Breathing in for a count of 4,

3,

2,

1,

And out for a breath of 5,

4,

3,

2,

1.

Breathing in for a count of 4,

3,

2,

1,

And release for a breath of 5,

4,

3,

2,

1.

One more gentle breath in for 4,

3,

2,

1,

And release for a breath of 5,

4,

3,

2,

1.

Beautiful.

Now I'd like to invite you to find a space in your world that brings you joy.

Now this may be a real space,

Perhaps the beach,

A beautiful field,

Maybe your favorite chair in the family room or in your bedroom,

Or it could be an imaginary space,

Someplace you've never been before.

Allow your mind to get creative and expansive.

Find an environment that brings your mind and body a space of calm and care,

And perhaps safety and joy.

As you invite your mind to explore and create this space,

Notice the colors that are here.

Are there any senses that you can notice,

Any smells?

If you were to reach out and touch different objects in that space,

What would they feel like to interact with?

Invite your mind to bring that space to life here and now.

This is your special space,

A space that you can come to anytime your mind and body would like to relax into a state of soothing calm or when they need a breath to breathe,

Especially when big feelings feel a little too big.

Now I'd like to invite you to imagine that into this space,

A beautiful balloon floats in.

This could be a vibrant hot air balloon,

Maybe a balloon of your favorite color.

Maybe it's clear and see-through,

You only see the outline,

As big or as small as you'd like it to be.

And that balloon floats gently right over to you.

And as that balloon approaches,

You notice that it's a special balloon,

That this balloon can be as big as it needs to be.

This balloon is designed to carry your worries and your concerns,

Your stressors,

Or your anxiety for a little while.

We're going to welcome in a gentle breath,

And then I'd like to invite you to imagine that as you release that breath,

You're blowing out all of your concerns and worries into that balloon,

Filling that balloon up with them.

Let's breathe in four,

Three,

Two,

One,

And release,

Letting everything go and noticing how that balloon expands as you exhale,

All out,

Filling that balloon,

It's a loving,

Caring friend who wants to support you.

And another gentle breath in of soothing,

Caring oxygen,

Breathing in,

And noticing if there's any worries or concerns that you can once again exhale into that balloon,

Inviting them to be set aside for just a moment,

Releasing,

And seeing how that balloon continues to expand.

And now it's not going to pop,

It's a magical,

Friendly balloon that can carry all of this and more.

And as we continue this guided exercise,

Notice that at any point,

You can return to this balloon if your mind has any additional worries or concerns,

It needs to put aside for a moment.

It's allowing your breath to come and go and as needed,

Exhaling those worries into that balloon.

And when you're ready,

Invite that balloon to gently flow just a little ways away.

Notice that in front of you,

There is a beautiful piece of paper or a whiteboard or a chalkboard,

Whatever arises in your mind.

It could even be a sparkling,

Magical space that you can interact with.

We're going to take a moment and create,

Whether it be through drawings,

Visual images,

A collage,

Or even beautiful,

Loving words,

Three representations of kind and care for what you've lost,

What is no longer here.

Noticing that you have all the colors in the world available to you,

And bringing to mind that first experience,

That first word and drawing it out or writing about it in your mind's eye on that piece of paper,

On the whiteboard or the chalkboard,

Or even that imaginary,

Magical space that allows for whatever expression you'd like right now.

Just remembering what was the sweet,

The joyous,

The experiences in the past,

But because they happened,

Have created the opportunity to now have grief and loss.

Grief is tied to care and love.

We grieve because we care.

And give your mind and your body the opportunity to remember and connect with that grief through the lens of loss and love.

And when you're ready,

Just taking a moment to check in.

Are there any worries or concerns you'd like to release into that balloon?

It's right over there.

Or are you ready to now move on to the next experience of expression?

Now noticing what would this individual or this experience that you've lost,

Would have preferred for you to have?

What is a gift they would have given you?

This can often come through the lens of what did you feel when you were with them?

Why was this entity so important and meaningful to you?

And noticing that,

Creating the expressive,

Colorful beauty of whatever that arises in your mind and your body.

Is there a warmth and a tenderness?

Would they extend compassion and big hugs and care for you?

Would they remind you of a favorite toy or a poem that they might have shared with you at some point?

Or a sweet moment of shared joy?

Or even a cuddle on the sofa?

A warm around your shoulders?

Allow your mind and your body now to imagine expressing that one to the world.

Inviting your sensory experience to bring it to life.

As big,

Bold,

And vibrant as you can right now.

What colors come to mind?

What stories does your mind remind you of?

We are such beautifully narrative creatures,

Meaning-making.

We love stories.

And again,

If you notice any concerns or worries or feelings of sadness coming up,

Acknowledge them.

Lean into them with loving care.

And welcome in a gentle breath and release them into that balloon.

Inviting your mind and your body to have a little bit of space right here,

Right now.

And finally,

When you're ready,

Let's turn to the final experience that you're going to create.

Let's look a little bit out into the future.

Noticing the experiences from the first and the second images that you've created.

Those expressions,

Those words that came to mind.

And what would it be like to invite your mind to carry these experiences forward?

For them to be an ongoing part of your day-to-day life?

A part of your remembrance of what was?

A part of your celebration of why you're grieving?

Remember,

We grieve because we care.

We grieve because we've loved.

What would it be like to carry these experiences and invite your mind to explore,

What if my grief could also have the experience of sweetness and celebration for having loved and cared so deeply?

What if the sorrow of loss also had the lightness of having had this experience?

The gratitude for what used to be.

And the knowledge that in your mind and body,

These experiences live on.

Notice what you created in images one and two.

And create in your mind,

Express right about here,

Visually in your imagination,

What it would be like to carry these experiences forward.

We grieve because we have cared so deeply.

Remember to give your mind and your body that space and that gentle awareness.

The darkness carries light and we can help our mind remember that when that darkness arises it's often because the light might have changed and is through this type of work and taking these gentle moments for yourself just like you did today,

That you can reconnect with that light in a new way and carry it with you into your future.

As we bring this gentle exercise to a close,

I invite you to rest a hand gently on your heart space and breathe in another soothing breath.

Breathing in four,

Three,

Two,

One.

One and release five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Beautiful.

Now notice that balloon.

Those worries and concerns may come back into your mind and your body.

That balloon will be expanding and growing smaller as you navigate in your life and remember that at any time you can welcome in a gentle breath and imagining that you're exhaling those concerns,

Those worries into that balloon,

Inviting it to float away and give your mind and your body a little space just for a few minutes and in that space if you so choose you can always return to this special special space,

Your safe space,

This calm caring world that you are just visiting and even any of these images reminding your mind that we grieve because we have cared deeply,

That loss is a sign of love and that you are not alone.

Reviews

Kate is a gift in our world. Her voice is so soothing and incorporating the Havening is very helpful. Mahalo