Welcome,
I'm going to speak for a few minutes before we dive into our meditation,
So please get yourself comfortable as you hopefully hear something that resonates.
Going through a divorce can feel like our entire life is going through a hurricane.
Divorce shakes up our identity as a couple,
A family unit,
Our home,
And our finances.
Depending on whether you chose the divorce,
Or if it was mutual,
Or not your choice at all,
This can add to the mix of grief,
Loss,
And insecurity.
But here's what I want you to remember.
Divorce is a chapter,
It is not the entire book.
I'm sure you can look back on other challenging chapters of your life,
Perhaps ones you never thought you'd get through,
And you did,
And you will and can get through this stormy chapter too.
There's a Buddhist teaching called the Eight Worldly Wins that describes the various experiences that all of us will have throughout our lives.
The Eight Worldly Wins are pleasure and pain,
Gain and loss,
Praise and criticism,
Success and failure.
All of these experiences,
Or wins,
Come and go.
When we can accept whatever weather pattern we are faced with and remember that it will pass,
We can decrease our suffering.
We can let go of resisting the challenging moments,
Or clinging to the sweet moments,
And simply be with whatever the moment brings.
Divorce often feels like a massive storm,
One that can last for a long time,
But if we can remember that all storms pass,
It can soften our experience.
And when we meet the storm of divorce with acceptance and respectful self-care,
We can get through this storm,
Just like we've gotten through many stormy seasons in the past.
Let's shift into our meditation.
Hopefully you're already in a comfortable position.
If you need to make any adjustments that will help you get even more comfortable,
You can do that now.
Close your eyes if they're not already closed,
And feel the points of contact between your body and the surface beneath you.
See if you can allow your body to sink into that surface even more.
Feel your body being held.
Bring your attention now to your breathing.
As you inhale,
Imagine your breath filling up all the space inside your body.
As you exhale,
Allow your forehead and your eyes to soften and relax.
Again,
Inhaling,
And imagine filling up all the space in your body.
And as you exhale,
Feel your neck and shoulders soften and melt into relaxation.
Imagine or think of yourself inside a safe,
Cozy home,
Looking out a window.
As you gaze out of this imaginary window,
You can see the weather outside.
Sometimes the sun is shining.
Sometimes there's rain.
Sometimes a rainbow appears.
Sometimes it's windy and cold.
And sometimes it's a huge storm.
You are safe inside this cozy home,
And the window protects you from the storms.
Some storms are raging and rough.
You may have feelings about them.
You might need extra support to get through them.
But you know that all weather patterns pass,
And you welcome and honor whatever feelings arise from each weather pattern.
Feel yourself inside this safe,
Cozy home,
Looking outside the window at this storm of divorce.
It is separate from you,
And it will pass.
You can get an umbrella,
An extra sweater,
A helping hand,
A flashlight to help you see in the dark.
You will get through this storm.
The sun will shine,
And you will see other seasons.
Taking a slow,
Deep breath now,
Imagine filling up all the space inside your body,
Every crevice,
And exhaling completely and letting it all go.
Now shift your focus to the surface beneath you,
All the layers of support,
The cushion,
The floor,
The earth,
Layers of support.
If you'd like,
You can open your eyes and take a look around and notice the colors and shapes that you see.
You can stretch your body if you'd like.
Thank you for joining me,
And I wish you deep self-compassion,
Excellent self-care,
And calm amidst the storms in life.
