In Chinese medicine,
Grief is associated with the lungs.
The lungs breathe in life,
But when grief is unprocessed,
The chest can feel heavy,
Tight,
Or collapsed.
We may find it harder to breathe deeply,
To take in life fully.
Through this gentle somatic practice,
We will work with the lung meridian and its key acupressure points.
We'll combine mindful touch and breath to soften the weight of grief and invite more spaciousness into the body.
Please find a comfortable seated position.
Close your eyes.
Take a deep,
Slow inhale through your nose,
And a long exhale through your mouth.
Let's begin.
Place both hands over your chest.
Notice the gentle rise and fall beneath your palms.
Notice where the sadness lives in your body.
Perhaps a heaviness in your chest,
A lump in your throat.
Simply feel for it and notice.
Now allow your breath to deepen.
Inhale,
Filling your belly,
Your chest,
Your heart space.
Exhale,
Releasing,
Softening,
Letting your shoulders drop and your forehead relax.
Repeat a few more times.
Each exhale says,
I let go.
Let's begin by using soft touch to trace along the lung meridian which flows down the inside of the arm.
Rest your left hand on your lap,
Palm facing upwards.
Place the fingertips of your right hand on the fingertips of your left.
Start to stroke up the left palm,
Up the inner forearm,
Up the inner arm,
All the way up to your left chest.
And repeat.
Continue stroking all the way up your left inner arm,
Taking deep breaths.
Feel the comforting touch of your fingertips against your skin or clothing.
Now switch sides.
Use your left fingertips to brush from your right palm all the way up through the right inner arm to the chest.
Continue stroking,
Taking deep breaths.
Trace this meridian slowly with feeling and presence.
Feel the comfort of your own touch.
Now use your right fingers to find your left collarbone.
Find the hollow beneath your collarbone and slide your fingertips outwards towards your left shoulder,
Stopping just underneath the end of your collarbone.
Hold this spot.
Now use your left hand to find the same spot on the right side of your chest,
Just below the outer end of your collarbone.
Hold this spot.
Your arms should be crossed over your chest.
These are the first points of the lung meridian,
Lung 1 and Lung 2.
Gently press and massage this spot in small circles.
Bow your head.
You will feel an immediate shift in your system.
And your body will start to release your grief through tears,
A yawn,
A sensation through your brain,
Goose bumps,
Tingles on your skin.
As you massage,
Deep breathe through your nose and exhale through your mouth.
Imagine the gates of your lungs opening,
Allowing your sadness to flow out like mist on your breath.
Stay here for as long as you need.
To finish,
Wrap your arms gently around yourself,
As if you're giving yourself a big hug.
Start to sway your body from side to side.
It is safe to feel.
It is safe to release.
It is safe to be held.
When you're ready,
Release your arms and rest them on your thighs,
Palms up.
Breathe deeply into your belly.
Now again,
Locate your grief in your system.
Scan your chest and throat.
Notice any changes compared to the beginning of this practice.
Most people will notice a small shift immediately.
You need to repeat this practice daily to move the emotion out of you fully,
Replacing the heaviness of sadness with peace.
Grief moves like waves,
Sometimes gentle,
Sometimes so overwhelming.
This practice is not about pushing it away,
But allowing it to move through you,
So your mind and body can breathe freely again.
Hands on your chest,
Bow gently to your body,
To your breath,
To the ancient wisdom inside you that knows how to heal.
Thank you for practicing with me.
Lots of love,
And I will see you tomorrow.
