Hello friend,
I offer this meditation on grief from the depths of my own heart as I too walk the tender path of loss.
You see,
Recently I lost my mother and in the echo of her passing I have come to know grief both as a shadow and a teacher.
So may these words hold space for you as they do for me.
May they honour the love that remains within you,
That is entwined with the ache of loss,
Of grief.
Find the quiet and still place,
Within and without.
Allow your body to settle,
Your hands gently rest,
And your breath to flow naturally.
Grief as heavy as it feels also carries a rhythm like the ebb and flow of waves against the shore.
Together,
Today,
We will lean into this rhythm,
Not to escape it,
But to live alongside it.
Close down your eyes and take a deep breath in and as you exhale let the words from Rumi guide you.
Anything you lose comes round in another form.
Let the softness of the breath remind you that grief,
Though sharp and raw,
Is part of love's tapestry.
It is the shadow cast by brilliance of your light,
Of your connection.
So sit with that thought as you breathe in again,
Allowing the air to fill your chest and exhale releasing any resistance to what is here.
Bring your attention now to the sensations in your body.
Grief often settles somewhere,
Perhaps in the chest,
The throat,
Your gut.
So without judgment,
Notice where it resides in you.
And imagine this place as a tender soil,
With every inhale you nourish it,
With every exhale you soften it.
Grief is the garden of compassion,
Rumi tells us.
Allow yourself to cultivate this garden.
Know it is a sacred space where transformation begins.
Often when we are in the throes of grief,
The first thing that we lose in that moment is our breath.
So it can be helpful to consciously create a rhythmic breath to help you bring back to what is here in this moment.
So on your next inhale,
Count to four.
Hold for two.
Exhale for six.
Again,
Inhale four.
Hold for two.
Exhale for six.
And as you breathe in this manner,
Silently say to yourself as you inhale,
I honor this grief.
Exhale.
I allow it to flow.
I honor this grief.
I allow it to flow.
And notice how your breath becomes a gentle companion,
Cradling you as you move through the waves of sorrow.
My friend,
You are not alone.
The breath is always here.
Steady.
And true.
Now imagine yourself holding a delicate glass jar.
Inside this jar is your grief,
Swirling like smoke.
It may change colors,
Shapes,
Intensity,
But it is contained.
You do not need to fear or suppress it.
It is safe within this jar.
As it is safe within you.
The wound is the place where the light enters you,
Whispers Rumi.
The wound is the place where the light enters you.
Picture this jar glowing faintly,
The light not extinguishing the grief but coexisting with it.
Allow this image to settle in your heart.
Light and grief intertwined.
A reminder that the two can live together without diminishing one another.
And as we set in stillness,
Let us reflect on the lines by Mary Elizabeth Frye.
Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there.
I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
Feel the words wrap around you like a soft cloak.
They do not ask you to forget but invite you to see grief as a bridge.
A connection.
To what was.
To what is.
And to what will always be.
Grief has no fixed timeline.
It unfolds like a river.
Glowing through valleys and plains.
Begin to repeat silently to yourself.
I honor my grief.
I honor my love.
I am whole even with my loss.
I honor my grief.
I honor my love.
I am whole even with my loss.
I will leave you here to practice for a few minutes longer on your own.
Repeating these affirmations to yourself.
Or adding your own.
I honor my grief.
I honor my love.
I am whole even with my loss.
Begin to bring your awareness back.
Place one hand on your heart and one on your belly.
Feel the warmth of your own touch.
A quiet acknowledgement of your own strength and compassion.
Breathe deeply once more my friend and carry this truth forward.
You are living with grief and that is a testament to the depth of your love.
May your mind,
Your body and your spirit be abundant with peace,
Love and compassion.
Until we meet again,
Namaste.
