Welcome, caregiver, to the meditation for grief. Please know that it is perfectly natural to grieve what you have lost and the losses yet to come. The Negative Space is here with you in this and all the moments to come.
Caregiver, taking time for yourself is essential for your well-being. This time and this space are for you. We’re so glad you’ve chosen to be here.
Let’s begin. I invite you to take a moment to find a comfortable position, honoring whatever feels best to your body right now. You can close your eyes or softly rest your gaze in front of you. Notice whatever is physically supporting your body. If possible, feel yourself sink a little deeper into that support. Notice that you are breathing in and out. If you like, you can place one hand on your breastbone and one hand on your belly. Let yourself feel the gentle movement of your breath without any effort to control or change it.
During this guided meditation, you’ll notice thoughts arise. This is natural, and not a problem. Simply notice when you are distracted and welcome yourself back to the sound of my voice. You might have to do this again and again, and that’s ok.
If you like, check in with your body. Notice how your body feels right now. You might observe areas where there is tension and areas where there is more ease. Perhaps there are places that don’t feel good or bad, but simply feel neutral; or places where you don’t have much awareness. With each thing you notice, just be as curious as possible. There is no need to fix anything.
Grief is a universal human emotion. As a caregiver, you are likely mourning not only your loved one’s diagnosis, but the changes in your life and your hopes for the future. It is perfectly natural to grieve what you have lost and the losses yet to come.
Each person experiences grief differently, and there is no set path for navigating it. Sometimes grief feels huge and overpowering, and other times it’s more like a whisper. As you listen to this meditation today, know that whatever it feels like, your grief is valid, and it is perfectly natural to grieve what you have lost and the losses yet to come.
Grief is often infused with fear. Consciously or unconsciously, people may feel that if they let their grief come to the surface it will overwhelm them. So they might avoid grief with things like busyness, distraction, and numbing. If this sounds familiar to you, please offer yourself kindness. Grief is hard. You are doing the best you can.
When faced with potentially overwhelming feelings, it can be helpful to touch into them just a little bit. Instead of diving all the way under the water, you can dip your toes in where it is shallow and then retreat to dry land, building your capacity to experience these feelings. Starting small and giving yourself permission to pause at any time will help you support yourself through this process. Let’s give it a try together.
We can begin with grounding. Invite your awareness to come back to whatever you are sitting, standing, or lying on. Feel yourself being supported, and then let your body sink a little deeper into that support. Imagine you are sinking into sand and your body is making an imprint. Take a few gentle breaths here, sinking deeper into support with each exhale.
And then, if you like, begin to turn some of your attention toward your emotions. Like all emotions, grief is something that happens in your body. If it feels okay, you can begin to notice – with a very light awareness – where and how grief is showing up right now. Everyone is unique. You might feel it in your chest or your shoulders. Maybe it feels dull or heavy. Maybe it feels like an absence of sensation: an area where you feel disconnected from your body. Take just a brief moment—maybe just two or three breaths—to experience the physical sensations of grief while still maintaining your awareness of whatever is supporting you.
Now return all of your awareness to the physical support under your body. This support is solid enough to support the weight of your grief. Give your body permission to sink into it.
I’m going to be quiet for the next 30 seconds. If it feels welcome, continue to feel yourself: your body and your grief, being held and supported by whatever you are sitting, standing, or lying on. Take one gentle breath at a time. You don’t need to do anything else. Just let yourself feel supported.
As this meditation draws to a close, you might choose to place your hand on your heart to acknowledge the importance of showing up for yourself and to honor the choice you made to be here, setting aside this time for your well-being. Then take a moment to gently move your body, maybe wiggling your fingers and toes or gently turning your head, and then slowly blink your eyes open. Your experience of grief is unique, and it is perfectly natural to grieve what you have lost and the losses yet to come in your own way. Just like the ground beneath you, we at The Negative Space are here to offer you support.