Soft Closing

As we arrive at the end of the year, this meditation offers a gentle space to pause, breathe, and come home to yourself. Together, we’ll reflect softly on what this year has held, release what you don’t need to carry forward, and welcome what supports your well-being. This is a grounding, compassionate practice. Come as you are and let this moment be enough.

Transcript

Give yourself a few moments just to arrive and to settle here in the present moment. Find a comfortable seat and relax all the muscles in your face, Let your spine be nice and tall but not rigid, Allow your shoulders to drop and let your hands rest wherever they feel at ease and if you haven't already done so, Allow your eyes to close and if that doesn't feel good, Simply lower your gaze so that you're not distracted by what's happening around you. Now let's take a nice deep breath in together and slowly breathe out, Inhale deeply once again and exhale. A third and final time together, Deep breath in and with control breathe out. Continue this slow belly breathing and just notice how your belly rises every time you breathe in and notice how your belly falls every time you breathe out. Can you bring your full awareness to your in-breath and out-breath? Feel free to let your breath return to a natural rhythm so you're not forcing anything here, You're just noticing. You're allowing your breath to be however it is. As you breathe, You feel into your body, Maybe you feel the steadiness of the ground beneath you, Maybe you feel whatever is touching you, The chair, The cushion, The floor, The air on your skin, Your clothes against your skin. Now gently guide your awareness to your heart center, Not to change anything but just to be with whatever is here. Notice what you're feeling in this moment. We've arrived at the end of the year, We don't need to judge how it was, We don't need to rank it but maybe we can go over the year and be a witness. We don't need to look back on the whole year in detail but maybe we notice just a felt sense. What moments come to mind? What faces? What places? What experiences? Allow whatever is emerging, Whatever is arising to be here. Just notice what may be coming up and let it pass. If the mind brings up something joyful, Allow yourself to receive the joy. If the mind brings up something painful, Allow yourself to feel the pain and see if you can offer yourself some tenderness, Some compassion. But we're not pushing away any unpleasant emotions or sensations and we're not clinging to any pleasant emotions or sensations. With every exhale, Imagine you're letting go of what you don't need to drag into next year. Maybe it's a story, Maybe it's an expectation or some heaviness or a regret. With every exhale, Can you let go? And with every in-breath, Imagine you are welcoming everything that supports your well-being. Joy, Peace, Clarity, Courage, Rest, Community and whatever else you know you need to be well. So breathing out, You're letting go, You're softening, You're making space. And breathing in, You're receiving, You're opening and you're starting again. If it feels right to you, Place a hand on your heart and repeat the following phrases with your full voice or quietly to yourself. Thank you for making it through this year. Thank you for your efforts. Thank you for your resilience. Thank you for your compassion. Thank you for being here. What's emerging, Notice what's here. My hope is that you enter this new year gently, That you enter it wisely. My hope is that you create time and space to practice more gratitude, More acceptance, More forgiveness, More compassion. My hope is that you continue to return to this moment time and time again, Knowing that in the here and now, You can always begin again. The music will end shortly, But I invite you to stay here in this space for as long as you can. Thank you for sitting with me. Until next time, Take care.

Reviews

This is a very beautiful end of the year practice. Thank you 🙏🏾

Thank you for this gentle reflection, for carving out a few moments to acknowledge the end of another year, without judgment, but gratitude for all we experienced. I appreciate the time at the end of quiet music that fades away allowing time to absorb the meditation. I finished feeling grateful and ready to begin another new year.