Let yourself be in the present moment,
Just as you are,
And take a moment to remember why you're here.
You are here because you are human.
You are here because you've known love,
And because you've known loss.
Bring your attention gently to the breath.
Notice the movement of your inhale,
Your exhale.
Is your breath deep,
Shallow,
Fast,
Slow?
Let the breath sweep through your mind like a gentle breeze,
Clearing,
Softening,
Loosening.
Now recall gently the loss that has touched you.
Perhaps it's fresh,
Perhaps it's something you've carried for years,
Or maybe it's the quiet anticipation of a loss yet to come.
Allow whatever arises to be here,
Not rejecting,
Not clinging,
Simply breathing with it.
Now repeat these phrases quietly in your mind,
Words that speak to the truth of grief.
May I be open to the pain of grief.
May I be open to the sorrow that lives within me.
May I find the inner resources to be present for my sorrow.
May I find the inner strength to feel what I feel.
Now notice if resistance or judgment arises,
Just let it be.
These too will pass.
Continue.
May I accept my sadness,
Knowing I am not my sadness.
May I accept my sadness,
Knowing it is not all of who I am.
If you've ever felt that you didn't do enough for someone you loved,
Whisper this to yourself.
May I forgive myself for not meeting every need.
May I forgive myself for the mistakes I have made.
May I forgive myself for things left unsaid or left undone.
Because this is true of every human life.
And now repeat.
May I be open with myself and others about my experience of loss.
May I receive the kindness of others and let it support me.
Grief is not just a mental event,
It is a full body experience.
It aches in the muscles,
It weakens the knees,
It stirs the belly,
It tightens the throat.
Use your breath now as a steadying hand.
Breathe into the places that hurt.
Breathe into the places that feel numb.
Your breath is your anchor,
Your quiet source of strength.
You don't need to apologize for your grief.
You don't need to hide it.
Grief has no expiration date.
It moves in waves.
And while you cannot stop the waves,
You can learn to surf them.
If the waves crash over you,
Reach for something or someone who brings refuge.
Create those spaces where your sorrow is welcome and not questioned.
And know this,
It is possible to find joy again.
It is possible to feel grace and gratitude even while carrying pain.
Grief does not mean the absence of joy.
It means your heart has been stretched wide.
And in that widening,
There is room for beauty as well.
They live within you,
The ones you've loved.
They live within your breath,
Your dreams,
Your gestures,
Your laughter.
Let's close now with this intention.
May I and all beings learn from and transform sorrow.
May grief humanize me and deepen my compassion.
May I find light in the shadow and courage in the waves.
Take a few more gentle breaths.
And when you're ready,
Return gently to the world around you.
You are not alone.
