Letting Go... Releasing What Is No Longer Serving You

When we carry things with us that are not serving us, it limits our ability to how much peace, contentment, and joy we can experience in life. This meditation will not only help you release anything that is no longer serving you but also gain awareness of what has been the barrier to releasing previously.

Transcript

My name is Alicia and this meditation will help you release any feelings that you've been holding on to that you feel are no longer serving you.

Maybe it's a certain situation,

Feelings about a person or a relationship,

Or maybe something from the past that feels like it still is creeping into the present.

To get started,

Let's go ahead and take a position that feels comfortable to you.

You can sit upright on a chair or a cushion or laying down if that feels better to your body in this moment.

Gently close your eyes and we'll begin by taking a deep breath in from the belly,

Noticing how it expands as it fills with air and slowly sigh out through the mouth.

And go ahead and take another deep breath in from the belly and slowly exhale through the mouth.

And take one final deep breath in from the belly and exhale through the mouth.

Allow your breathing to return to its natural rhythm.

And oftentimes in life,

Before we can let go of lingering feelings or rumination tendencies that we're having that seem to linger,

It's important to see if we've fully understood the message that these sensations or feelings are wanting us to know.

And that might feel a little bit strange since we typically feel negative to these things,

But they do hold valuable information for us to know and be aware of.

And when we view them in that way,

It allows for a lot more self-compassion.

And so before we release whatever it is that you're intending to let go of,

I encourage you first to invite that feeling or sensation to come forward in this moment.

And to do that,

You can simply reflect on whatever the situation or experience was that brings up those feelings,

Or maybe it's a relationship or a person.

Just really focusing on whatever allows those feelings to become heightened in this moment so you can fully be present with them.

And as these feelings or sensations begin to come forward,

I encourage you to simply ask what would this feeling or sensation say in this moment if it had a voice?

And it might be hard to first identify what that is,

Especially if this is the first time that you're engaging in this type of self-awareness practice.

And so I allow you and encourage you to sit with this question for a few more moments until it feels like you're able to receive a response.

And you can also ask this feeling or sensation,

Is there anything it needs you to know before being able to release whatever it is that you're holding on to?

Anything that it wants you to be aware of or maybe take action on before being able to release it.

And then you can go ahead and ask this feeling or sensation if it feels like you have fully received whatever message or wisdom it was wanting you to know before releasing it.

And if it feels like it's still unable to be released,

That's okay.

There's no judgment or criticism here.

We want to respect that.

And I simply encourage you to repeat this meditation a few more times up until this point,

Continuing to get to know whatever part of you it is that feels like it's having a hard time releasing until you are in a place where it is allowing you to release whatever you're holding on to.

And so now if it feels like you're at a place of being able to release,

I would like for you to imagine that you are standing or sitting next to a beautiful,

Peaceful river.

Just allowing yourself to get acquainted with the beauty and safety of this area in this landscape.

You might notice the sound of the river flowing,

Maybe filling the warmth of the sunshine on your skin.

Maybe noticing the smells of certain trees or flowers that are present.

Or maybe noticing sounds of birds or other wildlife that feel soothing to you in this moment that are here with you now.

And I encourage you to imagine that next to you or in front of you is a beautiful container.

And this container can hold as much as you need it to.

It never runs out of space.

And whenever you're ready,

I would like for you to spend a few moments here,

Allowing those feelings and sensations that you intend to release today to travel all the way up through your body,

Releasing in any places that this might be being held and taking up space and traveling up through the crown of your head and filling this container.

And really take as much time as you need here,

As sometimes this can take a while and we want to truly feel like we have released everything that we've held around this particular issue.

And when you feel like everything has been released from your physical body,

You can simply close the container in whatever way feels useful in this moment.

And whenever you're ready,

Putting the container into the river in whatever way feels most healing for you.

You might gently place it or even throwing it or kicking it if that feels more helpful and healing for you in this moment.

Just really allowing your body to do whatever feels most helpful in releasing everything that you intend to let go of in this moment.

And then simply notice how the river begins to carry this container downstream.

Realizing how the container is becoming more difficult to make out as more and more distance is put between you and this container and everything you were holding as the stream continues to carry it away.

And spend a few more moments here until it feels like that container can no longer be seen or felt.

And when it feels like that has happened for you,

Take a moment and check in with your body.

Simply starting at the crown of your head and working your way down.

Just noticing how you feel internally now that you've been able to release all that you were carrying around that particular situation or feeling or experience.

And if it feels like there's still anything left,

You can pause this meditation and repeat that same guided imagery of releasing and letting go as many times as you need to.

And once you are at a place where you feel utter peace and contentment of that release,

I would like for you to imagine that to replace all of that energy and space that was being taken up by those fillings,

There is now a beautiful healing light.

It can be in whatever color you associate with healing today,

Beginning to form at the very tip of your toes.

And notice how that light begins to travel upwards,

Encompassing every cell of your body,

Every aspect of your being.

And taking a few moments until it feels like every part of you is covered in this healing light.

And when you feel like that is done,

Just really notice how it feels to have replaced all of that heaviness with this new way of being and this new level of freedom and contentment.

And knowing that you can return to this calming healing space whenever you need to and releasing anything that comes up for you in the future in the same way.

And now we'll go ahead and bring our attention back to our bodies,

Gently wiggling your fingers and toes.

And whenever you're ready,

You can slowly open your eyes,

Coming back to the space around you.

Feeling this new level of openness,

Peace and contentment.

Reviews

I cried as I imagined the Black River in northern Arizona where I camped every year as a child, and laughed as I pictured myself throwing that container into that river! I will revisit this meditation often. Thank you