For The Overwhelmed Caregiver

While there is a lot of recognition of the difficulties individuals face when they find themselves no longer able to care for themselves, there is less recognition of the toll caregiving takes on one's health and well-being. The meditation is for the caregiver, to provide support, a brief respite and a thank you for all that you do for your client or your loved one. It is hoped that you will use it often, to avoid what we call caregiver burnout. What you are doing is so needed. Take care of you.

Transcript

A meditation for the overwhelmed caregiver.

This meditation is for those who have found themselves thrust into the role of caregiver.

While it may be true you agreed to show up and take over the care of someone else,

That doesn't mean it is easy.

That doesn't mean you won't be overwhelmed at times.

That doesn't mean you don't wish it could be different.

What it most likely does mean is that you may be feeling an exhausting array of emotions,

Ones you may not be used to experiencing.

While there are emotional gifts to knowing you are helping another person,

Those positive feelings can quickly depart as the enormity of this new responsibility takes hold of your awareness.

This meditation is for those times when you are at the end of your rope,

When your coping skills seem to have dried up,

When all you want to do is run away.

Although it might be added this meditation experienced routinely may help you to avoid it getting to that point.

So you may want to make this part of your day to day routine.

With that in mind,

Let us begin.

For this meditation,

We will start by bringing our attention to the individual that is being cared for.

Bring her or him into your mind's eye.

As you see or sense them in front of you,

Allow yourself to run through all the tasks they can no longer do for themselves and that you now find yourself in charge of.

As the list is forming,

Take a moment to notice any thoughts,

Feelings,

Emotions you may be experiencing in your body,

Mind,

Spirit,

And especially on a soul level.

Also,

As you see this person,

Perhaps a family member or a neighbor or even a client if you are a paid caregiver,

Recognize they most likely are not there.

Most likely are not very happy about their decline.

Recognize that most likely most of this is out of their control.

Let us send them a blessing and then release them from our gaze at this time.

In the next few breaths,

As you allow for deep,

Deep breathing,

In and out.

In and out.

Shift your awareness and begin to imagine that within your heart,

A beautiful sphere of golden light appears,

Warming you and offering support.

As you feel the light,

You may choose to place your hands over the center of your chest and bask in this warmth.

Let this healing golden light enter all the cracks and crevices of your being.

While you may feel the compassion for the one you care for,

This time is about compassion and appreciation for you.

Soak in the rays of light,

Letting them replenish and rejuvenate you.

If you sense any resentment,

Anger,

Frustration,

Guilt or any other deep emotion rising to the surface,

Acknowledge these are normal,

Given the sacrifice you are making.

Don't try to ignore these feelings or thoughts,

But also don't react or lash out when they occur.

Giving these legitimate feelings and thoughts appropriate recognition is the healthier road to take.

And so for this time now,

Let us do the following.

Please repeat after me.

I am allowed my feeling of anger.

I am allowed my feeling of frustration.

I am allowed my feeling of resentment.

I am allowed my feeling of guilt.

And now take a moment to add any other emotion that you personally have noticed.

And just use the line,

I am allowing my feeling of.

Breathing in and breathing out.

Begin to notice if any tears might be welling up at this time,

As they very well may be.

Allow them to fall.

If you need to pause this recording and tend to your tears gently.

And now take the next few breaths to even more fully recognize the enormity of your caregiving role.

As you allow this sphere of golden light to gently subside,

Recognize you have just taken much needed time to care for you.

As has been said many times before,

You can't give what you don't have.

So resolve to take these caregiving moments regularly.

In the spirit of self care,

Affirm to yourself,

Not only do I show up to care for those others who need my help.

I also include myself on the needs care list.

I affirm I will stop often check in and minister to my needs as well.

At the same time,

Please realize time is limited,

And there may be days when there are too many tasks to compete complete.

In the same spirit as honoring your own care needs.

Also honor that you can only do what you can do.

And in this period,

Allow yourself to breathe this in.

And now,

As we prepare to end this meditation,

Let's take a moment to say to each other,

Good work.

Take it deeply.

Accept this compliment.

And feel the warmth of this you moment.

Savor the sense of replenishment.

Taking one last deep breath.

Open your eyes,

Fully ready to resume your day.

Thank you.

Reviews

I’m so grateful I found this meditation. Only thing is that I found the backing track too loud and a bit distracting. Nevertheless, I loved this practice and found it extremely validating and restorative. Thank you 🙏

Thank you thank you thank you. I needed to hear that all my feelings are OK and I can feel them without guilty of shame Caregiving is hard, but all of life is hard. life is beautiful. Life can also be horrible when it is transform your feelings into Love, Blessings and liight💗💗💗.

Thank you for your time and practice, overwhelmed, consumed as you know caregiving has also taken my identity, the responsibility truly is the quoted “36 hour day” my aging mother is struggling with dementia, the anger, frustration and resentment come sometimes minute by minute. Thank you again for this time to process through this difficult time, I am not continuing my day as it is now almost midnight I am picking up the pieces. Goodnight

An incredible loving meditation guidance that hits all of the points needed for a caregiver. I am caring for my 99 yo Mom who I love dearly and who is a strong caring woman frustrated by the loss of control of what she can and cannot do. She tries incredibly hard to do things that she still enjoys and always did so easily. Frustration often gets the best of her and I become the target as I am here with her. It is difficult for both of us. This meditation is spot on. I will be back daily. Thank you. !

Thank you for this beautiful comforting meditation, giving room to emotions, we often supress in the role of a caregiver. I loved listening to your soothing voice. It made me feel welcome and accepted and made it easy to connect with my feelings 🙏

Excellent. This was so helpful, especially giving myself permission to allow my feelings of anger and resentment when they come up.

Much needed and spot on with what I am feeling. Thank you for the calming support.

I was thrust into care for my sister 1 year ago. It is destroying my health. I must decide whether to leave her in a home that is understaffed or move her to a place she doesn't know. This meditation will be so helpful for me.

Just what I needed today. Thank you!

It was a wonderful experience sad and true. I thank you so much for this as I have recently become caregiver to my husband for cancer that came so quick and changed our lives. Thank you

Thank you...as a long term carer of my son this is the meditation that I needed right now 🙏❤

Much appreciated 🕉

Thank you so much for this beautiful meditation! It helps me so much as a caregiver to multiple loved ones.

That was incredible! Exactly what I needed. Please do more meditations for caregivers. YOU ARE WONDERFUL & understand what it’s like. There are not enough of these on Insight. As a new caregiver, I could use a different caregiver focused meditation like this every day.
THANK YOU

Thank You 💙

This was a really helpful perspective shift. Thank you.

Thank you for this compassionate gift. Namaste 🌛💜🌜

Much needed, especially today. yes, there were tears. It is wonderful and such a relief to know that someone out there understands what I and other caregivers experience and feel. You really touched on many of the feelings I have from time to time, (especially today) as well as the guilt l feel for having the feelings! I think you're right, that listening often my help prevent some of the feelings. Thank you so much - l'll be back !

Truths i needed as i struggle alongside my wife with her increasing Alzheimer's dementia.

Beautiful and emotional.