Grief and loss are part of our lives.
As feeling human beings,
We will experience loss of some sorts in our life.
Loss of a job,
A relationship,
A loved one,
An identity,
Or even an idea.
A loss doesn't change.
How we choose to relate to that loss can change.
The assumptions we make about our life become a challenge.
Who am I?
What does this all mean?
Why did this happen to me?
We become attached to the identity that oftentimes consists of those labels that we've given ourselves or have been given by society.
When we experience a loss,
We lose a part of us that is attached to that label.
Behaviors are difficult to change as we become deeply rooted in our patterns and thoughts because that is how we learn to survive.
And now those behaviors and attitudes no longer match our current reality.
Changing our relationship to our loss and allowing the transformational process to empower us in the new reality can be life-changing.
Witnessing the struggle of our broken heart as we cope with the pain,
Confusion,
Anger,
Or whatever can be quite a remarkable journey.
Give yourself permission to grieve.
Let go of the perceived or expected way that society or even yourself expect grief to show up.
Everyone grieves in different ways and in different timelines.
Unrealistic expectations can be misleading,
Counterproductive,
And don't allow the natural process to occur.
As I guide you through this practice today,
At any time if you are not feeling grounded,
Please come down close to the earth,
Breathe deeply,
And mentally find something that makes you feel at ease.
You can stop the recording and return when you feel ready.
Begin by finding a comfortable position to rest in.
I invite you to close your eyes.
Bring your attention to the soles of your feet.
Notice your ankles.
Sense your legs.
Notice your hips.
Your torso.
Notice your shoulders.
Your arms.
Your neck.
Your head.
And your face.
What do you immediately notice?
Is there any temperatures,
Colors,
Or emotions that are present?
Identify one sensation.
Notice where it is in your body.
Give it a name.
And now explore the opposite sensation.
And whether that opposite sensation is present in your body or not,
Maybe imagine the opposite sensation.
For example,
If you notice heat anywhere,
Can you now experience or imagine cold?
Try not to overthink it.
Now find another sensation or emotion in your body.
Where is it located?
Can you name it?
Explore the opposite.
Again,
If you cannot find it in your body,
Just imagine it.
Maybe it's just a word.
Just let it come to you.
Continue to explore an authentic feeling or sensation or emotion.
And then transfer your attention to an opposite at your own pace.
Accepting what arises and then accepting the opposite.
Continue at your own pace.
If you need to pause this recording,
Take your time to experience the original sensation and then scanning for the opposite.
Turn now to your breath.
Allow your lungs,
Your torso to fill with breath.
Pause and exhale slowly out.
Inhale smoothly and with ease.
Inhale softly.
Breathe in and breathe out.
Do this two more times at your own pace,
Finding a sense of ease as you breathe,
Following the breath in and out.
Now bring your attention to a very specific emotion that you would like to work with or one that really stood out to you in this practice.
Is there a moment of excitement and is there a memory associated with this emotion?
If there isn't a specific memory or even a specific emotion,
Just experience everything right now as it is without judgment,
Expectations or trying to fix or change anything.
If you have found an emotion,
Where do you sense it in your body?
What else do you notice?
Does this emotion have a texture?
What does it look like?
What does it taste like?
Is there a smell to it?
Is there a specific shape?
Welcome the experience as you observe this emotion.
Is this emotion saying something to you?
Use your inner hearing.
Is there something that you would like to say to it?
Take your time.
Take your time to not only listen with that deep inner hearing,
But also use your inner voice.
How are you affected by this?
Imagine now a time when you experienced the opposite emotion.
Where does this emotion land?
And does it have a name?
Is there a memory associated with this emotion?
Again,
If you don't have a specific memory or even a specific emotion,
Try to experience everything right now without judgment,
Expectations or trying to change anything.
If you have an emotion that you've labeled,
Where does it land in your body now?
Is there anything else you notice?
Do you notice your heartbeat?
Do you notice anything different about your breath?
What does this emotion look like?
What about textures,
Shapes or colors?
Take your time to listen using that inner hearing,
Using your inner voice.
Welcome in both feelings simultaneously.
Experience everything right now as it is without judgment.
Accept everything as it is right now without trying to change anything.
Where do you notice these emotions in your body?
What do you notice about your breath?
What do you notice about your heartbeat?
Take time to explore any sensations that you're experiencing without judgment,
Expectations or trying to fix or change anything.
Take your time.
Finally bring your attention back to your breath,
Noticing the breath coming in through the nose,
The hollow of the throat.
Taking a deep breath in,
Letting the rib cage expand front,
Sides and back.
Exhale slowly out,
Letting that breath come up and out.
Another one,
Deep breath in through the nose,
Receiving the breath fully and completely.
Exhaling,
Letting it go softly and smoothly.
Inhale soft and regular.
Exhale soft and smoothly.
Allow your eyes now to lift,
Come back to your surroundings.
Give yourself some time to move and to record anything that you experienced.
Give yourself permission to reflect and to accept what you noticed.
Are there any actions that you wish to take moving forward?
Or just simply notice and be accepting your body's natural messengers that are delivering information for you to become more empowered in the process of grief and finding a new reality.
Thank you.
