Welcome to this guided meditation.
I am James F.
Hickey.
In this session,
We will use mindfulness and breathing to practice being present with uncomfortable feelings that arise from loneliness.
We will learn to hold space for those uncomfortable feelings and to have compassion for ourselves.
Start by finding a quiet space to practice where you won't be interrupted.
Loneliness is a universal human emotion that is complex and unique to each individual.
It can cause us to feel empty,
Alone,
Or unwanted.
When lonely,
We often crave human contact,
But sometimes our state of mind makes it difficult for us to form connections with other people.
Many of us who experience loneliness know it's not necessarily about being alone.
Yes,
Physical isolation can contribute to our loneliness,
But we can also experience loneliness after a breakup,
Divorce,
The death of a loved one,
Or because of a history of trauma.
The point is,
There is no single cause for loneliness.
I want to begin by saying now how proud I am of you for taking an action to get help with your loneliness.
You are courageous,
And you deserve connection,
Love,
And happiness.
Let's begin.
Sit comfortably in a chair or on the floor,
With the neck long and the back upright.
Settle into your seat and relax.
Gently close your eyes.
Relax your face,
Your mouth.
Let them soften.
Bring your attention to your breath,
But do not change the breath.
Allow the breath to be as it is.
Notice the breath coming into your nostrils,
The breath going out of your nostrils.
Breath coming in,
Breath coming out.
If it's long,
Let it be long.
If it's short,
Let it be short.
Let it be natural.
Let it be normal.
Allow the breath to be as it is.
Bring your attention to your body.
Notice where your body touches the seat or the floor.
Feel your clothes against your skin.
Feel your chest and belly expanding and contracting with each breath.
Begin shifting your awareness to the various parts of your body.
Notice if there are any spots of tightness,
Pain,
Or strong emotions.
Notice each sensation,
One at a time.
Don't judge them as good or bad.
Don't try to push them away.
Only notice them.
Our first impulse is often to run away to try to escape from the uncomfortable feelings of loneliness.
But to form connections with others,
We must first form a connection with ourselves.
Sometimes this takes practice.
It can take time.
It takes patience.
But most of all,
It takes compassion.
It takes doing what you are doing right now.
Get curious about the physical sensations of loneliness.
Sometimes your body's sensations just need to be noticed.
They need to be seen.
They want to be listened to.
So notice them.
Listen to them.
Be present with them.
Let them have your full attention.
It can be helpful if we think of the sensations of loneliness as being one small part of us rather than our entire being.
So imagine your uncomfortable feelings are those of a small child who has been placed in your care.
Picture that child inside of you.
What does the child look like?
What are they wearing?
How old are they?
Simply notice without judgment.
Introduce yourself to this child.
Let them know you are an adult.
Tell them how old you are.
Tell them something funny about yourself.
Now tell the child that they are not alone because you are here to take care of them.
How do they react?
Any reaction they have is normal.
It's fine.
Simply keep breathing.
Inhaling.
Exhaling.
Now ask the child what it is they need.
They may tell you.
Or they may not know what they need.
Or maybe they are scared to speak.
That's okay.
Just be present with them.
Keep breathing as you listen.
Inhaling.
Exhaling.
This child needs your attention.
This child needs to be cared for by you.
Today instead of running,
You choose to stay present with this lovely child.
Gently place your hands over your heart.
In your mind or out loud,
I want you to direct these words to your child.
Repeat after me.
You are beautiful.
You are loved.
I will take care of you.
You are beautiful.
You are loved.
I will take care of you.
Inhale deeply.
Exhale completely.
Say goodbye to the child in whatever way feels appropriate to you.
Ask the child if they would like a hug.
It's okay if they say no.
But if they say yes,
Then imagine giving them a hug.
There's no pressure to do any one thing.
Simply be present with them and remind them you are here to take care of them.
Gently lower your hands and bring your attention back to your breath.
Inhaling.
Exhaling.
Exhaling.
Keeping the eyes closed,
Relax your attention.
Allow your mind to just be.
Allow any sensations in the body to settle down.
And in your own time,
Whenever you are comfortable,
Slowly open your eyes.
Thank you for joining me today.
I hope you found this guided meditation helpful.
And thank you for doing this for yourself.
Always remember that when loneliness is affecting your well-being,
There are things you can do to connect with yourself,
Connect with friends and family,
Form new connections,
Or find the social support you need.
Ten times a day talking to people in your life.
If you're still struggling,
Consider therapy or look for other resources online or in your community.
If you choose,
Just remember that there are people who can help.
