Hello and welcome to this meditation track.
My name is Lucy,
I am a bereaved mum and I'm a mindfulness teacher.
I'm here today to guide you through a meditation just for the health professionals who are supporting families all around the world.
I know all too well being on the receiving end of what good care looks like and it's really important as a care provider that you take care of yourself.
Many people spend a lot of time caring for other people and providing space for other people and very often don't take the time to have that time and that space out for themselves.
So let this meditation today be an opportunity for you to hold some space for whatever's showing up for you.
This meditation is a RAIN meditation which is an acronym which stands for Recognise,
Allow,
Investigate and Nurture.
So we'll be moving through each stage of this practice.
Now wherever you are I'd like to invite you to find a comfortable position.
You may be listening to this at work so you may find that you are choosing to listen in your car or in an office or maybe you're choosing to listen to this meditation track at home.
Wherever you are,
Just ensuring that you are as comfortable as can be and if it feels comfortable and right for you then you can allow your eyes to close or you can lower your gaze.
I'd like to invite you to,
With me,
Take three slow deep breaths.
So breathing slowly deep into your body and then releasing your breath.
And again another deep breath in,
Breathing slow into your body and then releasing your breath.
And one last time,
Deep breath in to your body.
And releasing your breath as you relax your body down.
Continuing to breathe at your normal pace and rhythm.
So as you rest here then,
In this moment now,
Here with me,
I'd like to invite you to take your awareness to the very top of your head and just gently notice any sensations that you feel.
So gently working your way down,
Noticing sensations in the forehead,
The eyes,
The cheeks,
The mouth,
The neck and shoulders,
The chest,
The belly,
The back of your body,
Your arms and your hands,
Your lower legs,
Knees and feet.
So just getting a sense of the whole of your body here in this moment now.
I'm welcoming in whatever you find,
If there's areas that feel comfortable,
Notice them.
Areas that don't feel comfortable,
Also notice them.
But in the true spirit of mindfulness practice,
We're noticing with kindness and with compassion and with acceptance.
Acceptance of whatever it is that we find.
So we're moving then into the RAIN technique,
Which as I said is an acronym for Recognize,
Allow,
Investigate and Nurture.
So first of all then,
Focusing on the Recognize,
I'd like to invite you just to take a moment to pause and acknowledge what's arising within you.
So asking yourself,
What is it that I'm noticing?
What am I feeling in this moment?
Perhaps it's sadness,
Overwhelm,
Helplessness or even a sense of personal grief.
So naming it gently,
This is sadness,
This is heaviness.
And just recognizing these feelings without judgment,
They're part of your human response to loss and caring for another.
Moving now on to Accepting,
So this is part of the Allow stage.
So we're allowing,
We're accepting whatever emotions are there,
To be there without resistance,
Without judgment,
Reminding ourselves that it's okay to feel this way.
Holding space for anything that's present,
Feeling the natural weight of this work that you are doing,
This work that feels or can feel so heavy some days.
There's no wrong way to feel.
So let your emotions exist as they are,
Even if they feel intense.
And then with kindness,
Exploring what's behind these emotions that you're experiencing.
This is the Investigate part of the process.
So what is this emotion trying to tell me?
Or what do I need in this moment to feel supported?
Notice where this tension might sit in your body,
Is it your chest,
Your shoulders,
Your throat?
Perhaps your feelings stem from a deep empathy for the parents that you're supporting,
This sense of loss and wanting to do more for them.
So just investigating very gently,
What is this emotion trying to tell me?
And what do I need in this moment to feel supported?
And then finally,
Nurture,
This final stage of the RAIN meditation.
So offering yourself the same care and kindness that you give to others.
Gently placing a hand on your heart,
On your chest.
Take a deep breath in and say to yourself in your mind,
I am here for myself,
Just as I am here for them.
It's okay to grieve with them,
Because I am doing my best.
And imagine yourself surrounded by warmth,
Understanding and light.
Acknowledging that supporting others in their darkest moments is both a gift and a challenge,
And you deserve care too.
So in this moment then,
In this moment now,
Whilst you acknowledge your emotions,
How you're feeling,
And you show yourself compassion,
Allow yourself this space and this time.
Taking a deep breath in,
And releasing your breath.
Gently opening your eyes.
So this meditation track then can be a way to ground yourself during or after supporting grieving parents,
Helping you to process your own emotions whilst maintaining a compassionate presence needed for this important work.
So you use this meditation as you need.
It's here for you anytime you need.
So I,
And I'm sure many bereaved parents,
Are so grateful for all you do for us.
Thank you for being superhuman.
All our love.
You take care.
