Working Through Change

Please join us for this meditation that can be helpful for when we are trying to work through a difficult but consistant part of life: change.

As with any meditation or meditative practice that can leave us in a relaxed state, please remember to exercise the necessary caution and steps to ensure safety and health, such as avoiding driving or operating heavy machinery during or immediately following the practice.

Transcript

Hello and welcome.

In today's meditation,

We'll be focusing on working through change.

Change is arguably the only real constant in life.

It can be confusing and complex and disruptive in so many ways.

It can also be welcomed and healing and create an opportunity for growth.

Change happens to all 8 billion human beings all the time.

The main difference is being the frequency,

The scope,

And the expectedness of the change.

For some of us,

Change happens all the time,

And for others it happens less often.

Sometimes in life we have many changes that happen in a row or around the same time,

Which can be a bit overwhelming to our systems,

Especially when the changes were unexpected.

Change can range anywhere from your local grocery store no longer carrying a certain item that you might use in a family recipe.

Other changes can be something like switching jobs or schools or moving or the ending of a relationship or the starting of a relationship or losing a loved one.

No matter what the change,

There's always an adjustment period.

The length of this adjustment period varies quite a bit based on several factors,

Including the type and scope of change that occurred,

Whether we expected this change or if it came out of the blue.

Something that greatly determines the length of our adjustment period is how resistant we are to the change.

Interestingly enough,

Sometimes even with welcome,

Expected change,

We can have some resistance to it even as it's happening.

And of course when we experience change that is unexpected and unwelcome,

We are more likely to fight against it or to resist the change from happening.

Now depending on whether we have any control over what is occurring,

We might be able to prevent unwelcome change in some cases,

Though in many cases when we are struggling with accepting change,

It's usually due to something that is out of our control.

And with most change in life,

We experience grief.

We don't just grieve when somebody we love dies or when a pet we love dies.

We grieve many things,

Including expecting life to go one way and it goes another.

Grief is a complex set of emotions and thoughts that really can't be predicted even by our own grieving history.

Each time that we grieve,

It's different.

And when we're talking about grieving a change,

We tend to have a period of shock or surprise.

Perhaps we go into denial of the change happening.

We may feel angry because it just doesn't feel fair or just.

Or we feel disrespected or discounted or unseen or invalidated.

We may go through a period of questioning what we could have done or what we could still do to try to prevent this change or any furthering of the change from happening.

We may have times where we feel down from what's occurring.

We may feel confused.

And the confusion often brings us back into that anger.

And this is often where we tend to really kind of dig our heels in,

Right,

Fighting against the change verbally,

Mentally,

Emotionally.

And as most of us know or have experienced before,

This is an exhausting effort that when we don't have any say in the change is ultimately futile.

However,

It is important to recognize and honor the intense emotions that can come up and give ourselves the support and kindness that we need as we try to navigate the difficulty of working through this shift that we're experiencing,

No matter how big or small it is.

Eventually when we allow ourselves to explore and experience and heal from the emotions that come up,

We'll get to a place of acceptance and are sometimes even able to see the change from a different perspective and that happens sometimes even when it may have seemed impossible before.

So with that,

I invite you to find a comfortable position,

Sitting or lying down.

And if you feel comfortable,

I invite you to gently close your eyes or find a spot in front of you to let your eyes gaze on.

And take a moment here to check in with your breath.

Notice how you're breathing.

And there's no need to do anything to change it at the moment,

We're just observing.

And now take some time here to scan your body as you think about the change or changes that you're wanting to work through.

Notice any tension or discomfort,

Any pain you might be feeling.

And notice if any of these sensations may be related to an emotion or to a thought.

And now I invite you to bring your focus to your third eye chakra or that space right between your eyebrows.

And just see if you can take a few moments here to identify the part of you or the part of your personality,

Meaning the part of you as a whole human being that may be experiencing the highest amount of emotion as a result of this change.

Is it the part of you that really holds on to comfort?

And does this change upset this part?

Is it the part of you that is attached to a certain place or thing and the change makes this part feel like it's in separation?

Is it the part of you that finds security and things remaining the same and this change is threatening that feeling of security and causing some anxiety for that part?

Is it the part of you that likes to know what's coming so you feel in control and this change is creating a wild unknown that makes you feel out of control?

And take a few moments here to check in with that part.

All emotions are welcome,

Even the uncomfortable ones.

Just notice what that part is saying.

Notice what that part is feeling.

How might you soothe this part of you?

Does this part need a hug?

And if so,

Feel free to give yourself a hug in this moment and really allow this part to feel your embrace.

Does this part need to scream?

And if so,

Feel free to scream into a pillow if you can or you can imagine yourself screaming in your head.

Does this part need to be heard?

And if so,

Can you write out exactly what you might want to say,

Even if it's something that you wouldn't actually say to somebody?

Or you can speak these words out loud to yourself in a safe space.

How might you gently comfort this part of you and give it the love it needs to feel a bit better?

What might your higher self say to this part of you to help ease the discomfort it's feeling?

Now I'd like you to bring your attention back to your body and just scan your body again and notice if there is any remaining tension or discomfort or pain.

And if so,

Think of a color that may help soothe these feelings.

And now imagine for your next few inhales,

The air you're breathing in is infused with this soothing,

Comforting color.

And imagine as you breathe in,

That color goes all throughout your body and really concentrates in the area or areas that you're feeling the discomfort.

With each new breath in,

The color neutralizes those discomforting feelings more and more.

And continue to do this for a few more breaths until most or all of the discomfort in your body has resolved.

And as you continue forward with working through the change you're experiencing,

Just keep in mind that if or when you have any of the uncomfortable emotions arise again,

Just check in with that part of you that's struggling.

Find out what that part needs to be soothed and perhaps try to give it what it needs in that moment.

And try to give your whole self grace as you move along this path of working towards acceptance.

And to end our meditation today,

Let's take three collective breaths together.

And if it feels right,

You can place one hand on your chest and one hand on your belly,

Or you can put both hands over your heart or both hands on your belly,

Whatever feels right today.

And let's go ahead and take our first breath in.

Pause and release.

And again,

Breathe in and pause and release.

One final breath together,

Breathe in and pause and release all of the air in your lungs.

And when you feel ready,

I invite you to gently blink your eyes back open.

Be well,

Everyone.

Be well.

.

.

.

.

.