In times of challenge or crisis,
Many things can change which can lead to loss,
Sorrow,
And grief.
Maybe you can no longer work in the ways that you are used to,
And there is the loss of the usual structure of your day.
Maybe connection with friends and family is not possible in the same way.
And there can be the loss of good health,
And sometimes the loss of a life of someone you know.
Loss is a normal part of the human experience,
And in times of crisis can be amplified.
How can you meet the experience of loss in ways that allow you to honour the importance of grief and letting go,
And have the resilience to continue functioning in your life and work?
One approach to working with grief is to gently touch into it when you have some space and time.
Allowing yourself to feel the loss,
With acceptance and non-judgment,
Can facilitate it moving through your experience.
It also means that if a wave of grief arises,
You are more resourced and familiar with the experiences and are better able to manage them.
Grief is like physical pain that we feel when we are cut.
It is a natural part of the healing process.
In this meditation,
You will be guided through a number of ways to touch into the experience,
As well as the acknowledgement of common humanity through grief.
Bring a gentle respect for the emotions,
And approach this practice with a kindness to yourself.
If at any time you would like to pause,
Feel free to do so,
And then continue again if it feels right.
These studies show that journaling can be another resource in integrating strong emotional experiences through written reflection.
After the meditation,
You may find it helpful to write down what came up,
Or what you noticed during the practice.
And remember,
Kindness with yourself is an option at any time.
If the emotion gets too much for you,
Like an 8 or 9 out of 10,
Pause and return to the first practice of squeezing the hands.
Let's try the meditation,
Letting go.
