Today’s meditation brought me face-to-face with a theme many of us try to avoid: loss and grief. These are not abstract ideas—they show up in our daily lives in ways both subtle and sharp.
When I think of grief, it’s not just the loss of a loved one. It can be the traffic jam that robs us of the time we wanted to spend differently, the relationship that changes in ways we didn’t expect, or the promotion that didn’t materialize. Even something as ordinary as waking up with a stiff back can carry its own sense of loss—of how we thought the day would feel versus how it actually does.
The practice began with the breath. Each inhale offered space, each exhale invited acceptance. Acceptance didn’t mean liking what happened. It meant allowing myself to hold the weight of reality, the way we keep the weight of a grocery bag we didn’t plan on carrying—it’s heavy, but it’s ours now.
From there, we scanned the body, noticing where those losses tend to lodge. For me, it’s often in the shoulders, rising up toward my ears when I’m stressed. For others, it might be the belly tightening during an argument or the jaw clenching when a child refuses to listen. Wherever it appears, the body is honest about what we’re holding.
We then brought in a gentle swaying movement, side to side, forward and back—a reminder that we are never stuck. Just as we keep walking through a tough workday or keep moving after hearing difficult news, our bodies can remind us that forward movement is always available.
The practice closed with gratitude. Gratitude isn’t meant to cancel grief, but to stand alongside it. Like light filtering into a dark room, gratitude softens the edges of heaviness. For me, that looked like feeling thankful for the breath itself, for the chance to sit, and even for the reminder that being human means being alive to both joy and sorrow.
This meditation reminded me that resilience is not about pushing pain away. It’s about being with it—kindly, patiently, and fully—while still remembering that we can move forward.
May you, too, find space to hold both the grief and the gratitude.
Timestamp Breakdown + Real-Life Applications
* 00:01:05 – Naming the theme (loss & grief):
Application: Recognizing that grief isn’t only death—it’s traffic jams, changes at work, shifting relationships.
* 00:01:38 – Anchoring with the breath:
Application: Inhale space when a meeting runs over, exhale acceptance when a child won’t cooperate.
* 00:02:28 – Body scan:
Application: Notice the clenched jaw in a tense conversation or the tight belly during financial stress.
* 00:03:23 – Gentle swaying movement:
Application: Even in long lines or during long nights with a newborn, remind yourself you’re never fully stuck.
* 00:05:41 – Setting a wise intention:
Application: Entering practice—or your workday—with kindness rather than judgment.
* 00:10:25 – Inviting a memory of loss:
Application: Recall a time plans didn’t go your way and use breath to hold it with compassion.
* 00:16:19 – Heart-centered awareness:
Application: When you feel disappointment in your chest, breathe into the heart to soften it.
* 00:23:25 – Rocking as resilience:
Application: During heavy days, small movements (stretching, walking, swaying) remind us of forward momentum.
* 00:26:15 – Welcoming gratitude:
Application: Even on hard days, find a small thanks—warm coffee, a kind word, or simply the breath.
💬 Let’s Reflect Together
* Where do you notice grief or tension showing up in your body?
* What helps you move when you feel emotionally “stuck”?
* How has gratitude helped you hold something painful more gently?
* Can you recall a time when staying with discomfort taught you something important?
Share your reflections in the comments—I’d love to hear how impermance is alive in your practice.
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