Grief and Joy | Breathing On Earth Series

This heartfelt meditation was recorded along the Oregon coast. Inspired by the gloomy rain and cold, Spencer explores how we can gently open ourselves to grief, allowing the elements of nature to help wash away that pain so we can find glimmers of joy. And perhaps even find magic again in our lives. Blessings.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to this Breathing on Earth meditation. Today I'm sitting in a forest near the sand dunes along the Oregon coast. So if you'd like to join me today, Take a moment to settle in. Take a few deep breaths in. I'm noticing here as I breathe in the air is fresh and clear and crisp. It's quite refreshing. So as you settle in, Allow yourself to be here in this moment. Allow yourself to pause on the different cares and worries of the day. If you're arriving to this meditation from a state of anxiety, Anxiousness, Stress, Or worry, Go ahead and take a moment if you'd like to look around the room or look around the space where you're in. In my location I've got trees, Pine trees, Different kinds of bushes and plants, Sand on the ground, Some raindrops and clouds in the sky. Notice the sounds that you hear. If there are any sounds in your space, I hear the rain starting to fall a little bit more. I also hear birds and traffic in the distance. Then once you've looked around the room and you've also listened in the space where you're in, See if you can now switch, Turn your attention more to the breath and also these sensations in the body. So if it's comfortable, Notice where your body makes contact with the earth, The ground beneath or under it. Just notice what is supporting you right now and notice these sensations or the feeling of your body against that surface. You also might bring awareness to any other movements or sensations in the body, Any discomfort, Tightness. And if you can, Take a moment to ease those places of tightness if it's possible for you to do that. And remember to keep breathing in and out. You also might notice where in your body feels comfortable. Bring awareness to areas of the body that feel at ease, Feel at home, That feel connected. You might take a moment to be with those areas of the body. Sometimes our pain can speak loudly and relentlessly, So it can offer some reprieve to bring awareness to those more subtle areas of the body where it feels at ease, Where it feels comforting, Where it feels safe. And if it's comfortable for you now, You might close your eyes if you haven't already done so. And you might imagine that you're sitting here with me as we begin. We'll just call in some safety from angels, Guides, And guardians to contain this space that we're in right now. Energetically or spiritually, I'll invite you here in this space with me. You might imagine yourself here sitting on the sand or off the side of a little trail and there's a very green forest in front of us. Take a deep breath in, Breathe out, And allow yourself to be present with these sensations around you. And you might imagine yourself in this forest with me today, Listening as the rain starts to fall again, And bringing awareness to the stillness, The stillness within and the stillness outside of you. The rain is beginning to come down a little bit more. You might notice the soft sounds of the rain. Take a breath in. It feels warm and comfortable inside your blanket, Inside your coat. We feel pretty warm. And as we breathe in, We feel the softness of the trees and of the plants. It feels warm and comfortable inside your blanket, Inside your coat. We feel protected. You can feel protected, Safe, And warm. The rain is refreshing, Crisp, And cool. And just listening to the rain, Listening to the sounds around you. Eyes closed, Body relaxed, Body at ease. Here in this place where I am, I'm noticing the rain again. It kind of comes and goes. It gets a little heavier, And then it softens up, Lightens up. There's a deep stillness right now in the woods. You might imagine yourself here with me, And noticing the stillness, Noticing the deep quietness, And also the subtle aliveness. I think in the subtleties is where the magic often sits, Waiting for us to find it. But often we're so busy in life that we don't take the time to quiet down and become still. And so we can rekindle and find that magic within. You might notice what's coming up for you today in your thoughts, In your body. For me, What's coming through is this element of grief, And perhaps the rain is reminding me of that. But also, I'm sensing that and noticing it in my own body. Grief doesn't have to be scary, But we do avoid it. And it can come when we bring stillness to our minds and our bodies. Sometimes there can be that discomfort of grief, Which brings us to a bit of a dilemma, Because, As I said earlier, That magic is found in the stillness, The subtle magic that we can find and awaken that within us and bring us back to life. So we avoid going to that place of stillness, Because when we do, We're a little bit afraid what we might find there, Which could be grief or some other difficult emotions, Challenging emotions. So you might go in deeper into the earth now and allow yourself to be settled here in the space where you are, Imagining also here being here with me in the forest. And together we are facing these difficult emotions and allowing ourselves to be here in this forest. You might offer up those difficulties and allow the forest to help contain them, To find a home here. And in a minute, We're going to get up and be done with the meditation. And you might imagine just leaving the grief here or things that you no longer need to carry with you. And as the rain is starting to come down harder, You might imagine these difficult emotions and challenges and grief washing away, Going into the earth, Being picked up by the rain or washed away from the rain. So take as long as you need just to allow that process to happen, Remembering to stay connected to the body and your sensations if you can, Staying connected to the breath if it's comfortable for you, Slow breathing in and out. To close, We might express gratitude for the rain, Helping us wash away the sorrows, Wash away the difficult emotions today. Now I usually try to leave myself open for a message wherever I'm doing these meditations in nature. And I think the final insight and download that I'm having right now is one of joy as we work on processing your grief, Our grief, Remembering that we're not meant to process our grief as a form of joy. Remembering that we're not meant to process grief alone. So thank you for joining me as we're working through grief today. You might imagine again that you're here and we're together, Connected and working through grief. And as we do so, The message that's really coming through is that there's a lot of joy on the other side, Even though it can be difficult to see it or experience it in this moment. While it does rain a lot in this area, I do know that there are sunny days ahead heading into the summer and the rain isn't always coming down. I also hear in the far off distance some off-roading vehicles who they're having a lot of fun in the sand dunes. And I think that's part of the message today actually is that we can open our hearts again to joy and simple pleasures and entertainment, Excitement, That we don't always have to stay in this space of grief and serious contemplation or the struggles, Even though at times it can feel very drawn out and very difficult. The invitation today is to see if you can open yourself up to subtle joys, Subtle moments, Glimpses and glimmers as Deb Dana refers to in Pali Vagal Theory teachings, Glimpses of and moments of joy and excitement or wonder and awe, Even gratitude. So again, You might express gratitude for the rain, Which is something I'm doing right now, Grateful that it's not raining harder so I can stay doing this meditation, But also grateful for the soft rain that's coming down to remind me and anchor me in to this moment. Gratitude is always a powerful gateway to these glimmers and these glimpses of hope, Of excitement, Of joy. So see if you can find enjoyment this week, Enjoyment in your desires, In your pleasures. And as we come to close the meditation, Take another deep breath in and feel free to take as much time as you need to sit in the space where you're in. And when you're ready, You can just slowly open your eyes. And I always like to invite you just to stay in this moment if it's comfortable and you feel more connected, You feel more regulated and a little bit safer and comfortable in your body, You might just take a moment to pause and notice that, Especially if there's a lack of that anxiety and that strain or that worry. Take those moments to notice that, Like really be with the quietness and the stillness with your eyes open. So you're bringing that awareness and you're also being still in your body. So it's this element of stillness as well as awareness that's happening. And that can help you as you transition back into the day-to-day activities that you have. Thank you so much for joining me today. Blessings.