Grief can take many forms and it can catch us completely off guard,
Messing with our routine and bringing a whole mix of emotions.
One minute you feel really sad,
The next angry and the next completely blank and spaced out.
Think of these emotions like waves in the ocean.
Sometimes the waves are small and sometimes they are huge,
Crashing over you when you least expect it.
Right now you don't have to try and stop the waves,
You don't have to fight them,
You just have to learn how to ride them with so much love.
Whatever wave you are on right now is 100% okay.
There is no wrong way to do this.
Find a comfortable sitting position.
Where you are is perfect.
Let your feet rest flat on the floor.
This is your anchor.
Relax your shoulders,
Let your hands rest gently on your lap.
If you want to close your eyes,
Go ahead.
And if you'd rather keep them open,
Just soften your gaze and look at the spots on the floor.
Take a deep breath in through your nose,
Expand your belly.
And let it out with a slow exhale.
And again,
Breathe in.
.
.
Breathe out.
Feel your whole body soften here in this moment.
In the middle of a busy day.
There are so many expectations on you.
People to talk to.
Learning to focus on.
And roles to play.
For the next few minutes,
There is nowhere else you need to be and nothing else you need to do.
You are welcome here,
Just as you are.
Meditation isn't about clearing your mind or being perfect.
It's simply taking a moment to pause and check in with yourself as you are.
You are allowed to take off the cape.
You don't have to pretend to be okay.
And you don't have to act strong.
You are allowed to just sit quietly with whatever feelings you are carrying.
You're allowed to just be.
Knowing that you are safe to feel.
Grief is something every human goes through,
No matter how old you are.
But it feels different for everyone and it is totally unpredictable.
It can catch us off guard in the middle of a classroom,
Hanging out with friends or just sitting at home with the family.
Whether you're dealing with a personal loss,
A past sadness,
Or the heavy absence of a teacher,
Classmate,
Friend,
Or pet,
You do not have to resist it.
You do not have to judge yourself for it.
Grief is actually an expression of love.
We only hurt because we care.
And in that way,
The sadness means something real.
The waves feel heavy.
They feel hard.
They feel so,
So sad.
And they also remind us of what really matters to us.
If you feel like crying,
Let the tears fall.
If you feel angry Let that emotion exist.
Without fighting it.
If you feel nothing at all.
Right now.
Or in the days to come.
That is okay too.
You are safe to feel.
Take a deep breath in.
And say to yourself whatever i'm feeling is normal.
And on the out-breath.
Say it's okay for me to feel this way.
Just follow your breath.
In and out Breathing.
Whatever I'm feeling is normal.
Breathe out.
It's okay for me to feel this way.
Bring your attention to your body.
And notice where you might be holding the stress or the sadness.
Is it a tight feeling in your chest?
Heaviness in your shoulders or a knot in your throat or stomach.
Simply notice.
And let's breathe into that space.
Remember you don't have to fight the waves to survive it.
A wave always reaches a peak and then it rolls out.
You are simply learning to ride it,
Breath by breath.
With each breath.
Inhale a sense of quiet support.
And exhale some of that heavy pressure.
And again.
Inhale.
Feel the supports,
Exhale,
Feel the release.
Feel how the love and the sadness co-exist inside you.
The pain we feel is just a reflection of the love that remains.
They belong together.
And they are both helping you heal.
If it feels right for you,
You can place your hands over your heart.
Or simply feel the warmth of your hands in your lap.
Give yourself permission to take This one day,
One moment and one breath at a time.
You do not have to have everything figured out.
Staying connected to your heart and inviting a gentle smile on your face.
Take this moment to send a loving blessing to that special someone.
For their heart and the lasting impact they leave.
Take one more deep breath here and a long nourishing breath out.
And again,
Inhale love.
Exhale,
Grief.
Feel your feet flat on the floor.
The ground is holding you up.
You are safe.
You are loved.
You are part of a bigger world.
And you are never as alone.
As you sometimes might feel.
What you are feeling is natural.
It is entirely okay for you to feel this way.
And know that these feelings will pass.
Let me invite you to come back to this practice whenever you need a quiet moment to safely ride the waves of your grief,
Sadness and loss.
Take one final deep breath here.
And a long nourishing breath out.
Let it go.
And whenever things feel a little bit hard.
Know that you can access your breath.
To create calm and safety no matter where you are.
When you're ready,
Gently wiggle your fingers,
Wiggle your toes.
And slowly open your eyes if they were closed.
Thank you for meditating with me Know this,
You are doing great.
You are not alone.
And I'm sending you so much love.
Namaste.
