Grief is a difficult and painful emotion that's a natural part of life. And while it is important that you allow yourself the full experience of grief, using guided meditation can help you through a difficult time. Meditation is a tool that can help you safely experience and process feelings associated with grief and loss.
Guided Meditation for Grief
The following guided meditation can help you to allow the sensation of grief. The meditation does not seek to alleviate grief, as the only way past grief is by going through it. However, working with this grief guided meditation allows you to process your emotions in a safe environment so you can experience the full sensation of grief, for it is only when you allow grief that you can process it fully and begin to work through it.
To do this meditation, sit or lie comfortably somewhere that you won't be disturbed. Close your eyes, breathe comfortably, and allow each sensation as it arises, approaching it with the intention of fully experiencing your emotions and sensations instead of blocking them.
Grief Guided Meditation Script
This script is for the above meditation if you'd like to do your own self-guided meditation.
Sit or lie comfortably. Close your eyes, place your hands over your heart, and begin to breathe deeply into your stomach. With each breath, breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Feel your chest rise and fall below your hands with your breath. If your attention wanders, gently bring it back to your breath.
Now, breathe deeply in through your nose for a count of four, allowing the breath to flow through your lungs and into your stomach. Hold your breath for a count of four, and then slowly exhale through your mouth for a count of eight.
Continue breathing in this manner. With each exhale, feel your body relaxing more deeply.
Now, allow yourself to sense your grief or any other emotion that may come up. Notice where in your body this sensation arises. Welcome the sensation with a sense of curiosity and with compassion for yourself. If you feel judgments about your emotions, gently let them go with the awareness that anything you feel right now is completely natural. Allow any and all emotions that arise with love and self-compassion.
Know that no matter how you feel, you are safe, supported, and deeply loved.
Now, visualize the one you are grieving, Imagine that person is standing in front of you, ready to have a conversation. What would you like to tell them? What would you like them to tell you? In your mind's eye, have the conversation you need to have without judgment. Say what you need to say and hear what you need to hear.
When your conversation is over, know that if you need to see your loved one again, you can return to this safe, non-judgmental space of communication. Wish your loved one good-bye for now and allow them to fade from or step out of view.
As your loved one fades from view, once again allow yourself to experience whatever emotion arises without judgment or fear. Visualize drawing that emotion into your heart where it suffuses with the energy of love and compassion.
Return your attention to your breathing once again. Breathe deeply in through your nose and out through your mouth. As you breathe in, visualize white, loving light entering on your breath, moving into your heart and lungs, and pumping throughout your entire body with every beat of your heart. As you exhale through your mouth, visualize your pain, sadness, and negative emotions flowing out with your breath where they are surrounded with the loving light of the universe.
Continue breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth, noticing any emotions that surface without judgment and releasing them as soon as you are able.
Return your attention to your body now. Notice where your body connects to whatever it is you are sitting or lying on. Make small movements, wiggling your fingers and your toes, followed by larger movements and stretches. When you're ready, open your eyes.
How to Use a Grief Meditation
You can close your eyes, lie back, and play the video anytime you feel the need to process grief, or you can use an approximation of the script to guide your own meditation. If guiding your own meditation, consider the following tips:
- Begin by focusing on your breathing until you are in a relaxed state.
- Allow any feelings of grief you have to surface without judgment. Do not attempt to avoid or suppress them.
- Notice where you feel your emotions in your body and visualize sending white, loving light to those feelings.
- If you feel there are things left unsaid with your loved one, imagine them in your space and have a conversation with them, saying everything you need to say and allowing them to say everything you feel you need to hear from them.
- Finish by breathing in loving white light with your breath and allowing it to suffuse your body.
Grief Is a Process
Grief is a natural emotional process that everyone experiences at some point in their life. While many people try to suppress grief, doing so can cause the grief to linger and remain unresolved. Using a guided meditation to take you safely into your grief can help you to experience the emotion fully so that it moves through you without getting stuck in you. You can use this meditation any time you feel a deep sensation of grief.
