Beginning by setting up your space so that it feels safe and supportive.
You might like to light a scented candle.
Cover your body with a soft blanket.
Have some tissues or water nearby.
Whatever will help you feel grounded and secure for the next little while.
And then when you're ready,
Settling into your most comfortable position,
Either sitting or lying down.
And if you haven't already,
Either gently closing down your eyes
or finding a soft steady gaze at a point in front.
Softening through your face,
Neck,
Shoulders,
And your back.
Allowing yourself to sink a little bit deeper down into the embrace of the surfaces beneath you.
And in your own time,
Taking three long,
Full,
Nourishing breaths right the way down into your belly.
And with each exhalation that follows,
Allowing yourself to settle deeper and deeper into a state of stillness.
Connecting in with yourself here.
Aware of the gentle rising and falling of the breath.
Allowing each breath to soften all of the tight places within you.
And when you're ready,
Beginning to feel into your heart space now.
Connecting into the center of your heart.
And perhaps even placing one hand or both over your heart space in a loving embrace.
Gently continuing to breathe and feel into the center of your heart.
Knowing that you're safe here in this moment to feel
whatever emotions or sensations that are present.
Simply feeling into your heart.
Perhaps holding your heart.
And gently recognizing everything that comes up.
And if tears come,
Let them come.
And taking your time to be here in this moment,
Honoring your grief.
Allowing the feelings to arise little by little,
Layer by layer.
Continuing to feel into your heart and meeting yourself here with the kindness of your awareness.
And the slow soothing rhythm of your breath.
Creating space for the magnitude of your emotions to flow through you.
The anguish.
Despair.
Heartache and longing.
And letting it flow through you.
Allowing your tears to fall.
And your sorrow to move through you.
Making space for whatever arises.
Knowing that there's no right or wrong way to feel.
Simply breathing and meeting each emotion.
Each sensation with a sense of kindness and unconditional love.
Tending to yourself with compassion and grace.
Knowing that you don't have to hold it all together.
You don't need to keep this pain hidden inside.
You're safe here to feel.
To grieve.
To be.
To be.
To be.
To be.
To be.
To honor and recognize the magnitude of your loss without searching for silver linings.
Simply holding the hand of your grief as if it were a dear friend.
Without judgment or criticism or needing to change anything at all.
Just breathing and holding yourself here with tenderness and care.
Trusting in the natural unfolding of your grief.
Knowing that this process of sitting with your grief is a necessary part of the healing journey.
Your heart will get stronger.
You'll grow around your grief.
And that in time,
The space between each wave of grief will become wider and less intense.
All you have to do is give yourself permission to feel whatever is happening.
Whatever it is that you're feeling.
Letting the waves of grief flow through you.
Perhaps offering yourself any words of kindness and compassion that you need to hear in this moment.
Saying to yourself in your mind,
It's okay.
I understand.
I'm here.
Any other words of comfort and support that you need to hear in this moment.
And just continuing to rest here with your breath and your heart.
In this state of gentle awareness and tender compassion.
Not needing to do anything other than be here as you are right now in this moment.
Resting here with your tender heart.
Resting here with your tender heart.
The gentle rising and falling of your breath.
Knowing that there's nothing more you need to do.
Just allowing yourself to be here holding the hand of your grief.
Resting in this sense of tenderness and care for the final few moments of your practice.
And when you feel ready,
Slowly beginning to draw your breath in a little bit deeper once again.
Finding small movements through your fingers,
Your toes.
Finding small movements through your fingers,
Your toes.
Taking any movements or stretches that you need
as you start to ease your way out of this practice slowly and mindfully.
When you feel ready.
When you feel ready.
Taking your time to return to a more alert and awake state as you draw this practice to a close.
