Happiness Break: A Meditation to Help You Sit with Grief

This guided meditation with end-of-life doula Andrea Sexton-Dumas offers a gentle way to make space for grief by imagining sharing your heartache with a plant, releasing it into the soil, and nurturing the earth that holds it.
How To Do This Practice:

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Take a few deep breaths: Find a comfortable position, gently lower your gaze or close your eyes, and breathe slowly as you settle into the present moment.

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Imagine a plant friend: Picture a plant in your mind, noticing its leaves, flowers, scent, and texture. Ask whether it is willing to share in your heartache today.

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Connect with the earth: Imagine holding a handful of soil. Notice its color, texture, and moisture, and observe any feelings that arise without judgment.

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Share your grief: Imagine digging a small hole in the soil and sharing who or what you're grieving. Speak aloud or silently, expressing whatever you need to have witnessed.

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Let the earth hold your grief: Imagine the soil receiving your heartache with care. When you're ready, gently refill the hole, smooth the earth, and sprinkle fresh water over the spot as an act of nurturing.

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Express gratitude and return to the present: Take a deep breath and offer a quiet thank-you to the plant and earth for holding your grief. When you're ready, gently open your eyes.

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.
Today’s Guide:
ANDREA SEXTON-DUMAS is a death and grief doula based in Oakland, California.
andreasextondumas.com
Related Happiness Break Episodes:
A Meditation on Love and Interconnectedness: tinyurl.com/3jsjvxtv
A Guided Meditation on Embodied Love: tinyurl.com/5brfa93x
A Meditation to Connect With Your Roots: tinyurl.com/bd6cmeym
Related Science of Happiness Episodes:
What If Thinking About Death Could Make Us Feel More Alive?: tinyurl.com/292whwh4
How Rituals Keep Us Connected: tinyurl.com/4unkssnd
How Thinking About Your Ancestors Can Help You Thrive: tinyurl.com/3wzx44ux
We’d love to hear about your experience with this practice! Share your thoughts at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
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Transcription: tinyurl.com/3bxsvs5a