Welcome.
Settle into a comfortable position.
Feel the points of contact between your body and what's supporting you.
Let yourself be held just for these moments.
Begin to notice your breath,
In and out.
This meditation is for those moments when you are tired of holding on so tightly,
But not ready to stop caring.
Letting go here does not mean abandoning hope.
It means loosening the grip that is hurting you.
Bring to mind something you are holding on to with effort.
Perhaps it's a person,
A relationship,
An outcome,
A version of how things should be.
Notice how you are holding it.
Is there tension in your body?
A sense of vigilance?
A quiet fear of loss?
Let yourself notice without judgment.
Silently say,
I am holding on because I care.
There is tenderness in that truth.
Now also acknowledge,
Holding onto this tightly is costing me something.
Let both be true.
Now imagine your hands in front of you gently clenched.
Feel the effort in holding.
Now slowly,
In your imagination,
Begin to open your hands.
Not dropping what you hold,
Just loosening.
Let your palms turn upward.
This is the feeling of letting go without giving up.
Still present.
Still caring.
But no longer gripping.
As you breathe,
Imagine placing what you've been holding into your open palms.
You're not pushing it away.
You're simply allowing space.
With each exhale,
Repeat silently,
I release what is not mine to carry.
I release what is not mine to carry.
Notice how your body responds.
Letting go can feel scary because it can feel like losing connection.
So now we turn inward.
Bring your attention to your heart space.
Notice your own presence.
Steady.
Breathing.
Alive.
Say gently to yourself,
Even if this doesn't change,
I am still here.
I can stay connected to myself.
Let that truth anchor you.
You are not letting go of love.
You are letting go of struggle.
As we come to the end of this meditation,
Take a few deeper breaths.
Feel your body.
Your steadiness.
Your capacity to care without collapsing into effort.
Silently repeat these affirmations.
I can love without control.
I can love without controlling.
I can stay open without losing myself.
I let go and I remain.
When you're ready,
Gently return to your surroundings.
Carry this quality of open-handed presence with you into the rest of your day.
Embrace whenever holding becomes too heavy.
