Welcome to this guided meditation for meeting moments of grief.
As human beings,
We all suffer losses over the course of a lifetime.
Our relationships,
Situations,
And the things we cherish are not exempt from the constant of change.
This is a normal part of being human.
Poet and writer Khalil Gibran wrote,
When you are sorrowful,
Look again in your heart and you shall see,
That in truth,
You are weeping for that which has been your delight.
Grief and grieving are the heart's natural response to loss,
But many of us have not learned to relate to,
Nor adequately provide our heart's time and space to grieve.
It is a courageous and vulnerable act to honor the pain we carry.
It is through grieving that we can find healing,
Grow in compassion,
And renew our connection to life.
It is also important to remember that our suffering is not the end of our story.
When we honor our grief and tears,
We also learn to love more fully and care more deeply for others who suffer.
During this meditation,
Feel free to pause at any time if it would be helpful to spend more time with what is unfolding for you,
Or if you are feeling overwhelmed at any point and need to take a break.
Listen to your own internal wisdom to gauge when it's time to lean into your experience and when you might need to distract yourself.
So let's begin by settling into an environment that feels safe and supportive to you.
See if it's possible to sense a field of strength and support around you,
Perhaps from loved ones,
Your ancestors,
Or a mentor or spiritual teacher,
Or even Mother Earth,
The one who is born witness to all of humanity's suffering.
And as you're feeling settled,
Taking a few moments to feel the movement of the breath in and out of the body,
Allowing your body to settle and soften with each full exhale,
Sensing the breath in the area of your chest,
And perhaps taking one hand or the other to place them gently over your heart,
Doing so as if you were holding a vulnerable human being,
Because in this moment you are.
As you continue to breathe,
Bring to mind the loss or pain you are grieving.
Grief often leaves its signature within the body,
Heart,
And mind of the grieved.
We might notice this in the heart as a sense of heaviness or perhaps emptiness in the chest.
You might sense tightness in the throat or the belly.
You may have a sense of feelings arising,
Such as sorrow,
Anger,
A quality of love or disappointment.
There could be a sense of intensity or even a sense of dullness.
In the mind,
You might experience memories or stories arising.
However grief is letting you know its presence,
Just do your best to notice these experiences without needing to do anything about them.
Allow them to arise naturally.
You do not need to suppress nor force this unfolding.
Take your time.
Let the feelings come of their own volition,
Allowing the natural intelligence of your heart to guide this unfolding.
It's hard to accept change.
It's hard to say goodbye to what we've known and loved.
There is no need to judge yourself for having these feelings.
Your grief exists because something that mattered to you has been lost.
You don't need to be embarrassed or afraid to feel what you're feeling.
And you do not have to bottle it up.
Just feel and breathe.
Let your emotions manifest.
Welcome them.
This is the energy of grieving.
Allow your emotions to move through you like a wave of energy.
Noticing how they shift and change,
Ebb and flow.
Allow the sorrow to come and move through you,
Holding it all with tenderness and compassion for yourself.
Continue breathing softly,
Compassionately.
Allow the whole story to unfold.
Breathe and hold it all with tenderness and compassion,
Holding it gently and allowing it to be honored.
Loss is something that everyone experiences.
The grief we carry is part of the grief of the world.
Your loss connects you with all of humanity.
And just knowing we're not alone and our pain can be healing in and of itself.
So continuing to breathe with it.
Allowing what's here to be known and experienced.
Making room for what's true for you.
Without any judgment or criticism towards yourself.
Releasing the grief we carry can be a long,
Tear-filled process.
Let it take its time.
The heart opens in its own season.
So follow the natural intelligence of your body and heart.
Trust it.
And trust the unfolding of your grief.
Allow the timeless wisdom within you to carry you through your grief.
And awaken a tender,
Open,
And compassionate heart.
