This Too Shall Pass: A Guided Meditation for Letting Go
True letting go takes conscious, repeated effort; it does not happen all at once. If you are carrying the grief of a life path that shifted away from your dreams, or feeling the subtle weight of resentment, try this short meditation practice.
I'll be holding a quiet, sacred space for you here for about seven minutes so that we can soften together.
Who This Meditation Is For
This meditation is for anyone still mourning a specific expectation, a timeline or a dream, a vision or a version of your life that didn't quite happen the way you planned. This could be:
a career path ending or never even beginning
a relationship failing
the loss of someone else through illness, or your own ill health causing you to live a different way than you once imagined
Before You Begin
Find a posture that's kind to your body, comfortable and encourages you to be fully conscious and not drift into sleep. Sitting up supported works well, either on a chair or the floor or on cushions. Allow your spine to be tall yet soft, and supported if it wants to be.
The Words of the Meditation
And when you're ready, gently close your eyes.
Take a slow, deep breath into your belly, feeling it expand like a warm wave. And as you exhale through your mouth or nose, let your shoulders drop completely away from your ears.
Take two more slow, deep breaths, just like that, inhaling space and exhaling tension.
Allow the outside world to fade away. You are right here in this moment, holding yourself with compassion exactly as you are.
Now bring your awareness inward to your memories. I want you to bring to mind a specific expectation, a timeline or a dream that you're still mourning, a vision or a version of your life that didn't quite happen the way you planned.
This could be a career path ending or never even beginning, a relationship failing, or the loss of someone else through illness or your own ill health causing you to live a different way than you once imagined.
Acknowledge it honestly. There's no need for false positivity here. Let yourself feel whatever sadness, frustration or longing is attached to it, without any judgement or self-blame. Just being with your feelings as honestly as you can.
Notice where in your body you feel this emotion most, where you're holding that old expectation, the old dream and desire. Is it a tightness across your chest or arms, a knot in your stomach, or tension locked in your jaw, or somewhere else? Bring your attention right to that spot.
As you inhale, imagine drawing your breath directly into that tight space, filling it with warmth and compassion. You might like to see this energy of compassion as a colour infusing into the physical space. I like pink because it represents gentle love to me, but choose a colour that you like.
As you exhale slowly through your mouth, silently whisper these words to yourself:
This too shall pass. I release the need for it to have been any other way. I release the need to control.
Let's breathe that in again. Inhale deeply into the space where you feel the tension most. Exhale and let it soften again.
This too shall pass. I release the need for it to have been any other way. I release the need to control.
Keep breathing gently in and out, focusing on the breath to hold your awareness, and repeat the words again.
This too shall pass. I release the need for it to have been any other way. I release the need to control.
And one more time.
This too shall pass. I release the need for it to have been any other way. I release the need to control.
Notice how your body softens a little as you say these words. Let your tears flow if they wish to. Let yourself be with all the emotions that arise. This is your time to feel and heal.
Now I invite you to place both your hands gently over your heart centre to connect to your heart chakra. Through the hard lessons of life, you have become wiser. Allow yourself to also feel the resilience that you've built, the unexpected gifts that you've carved out of life's twists and turns, and the depth of character that you've earned through every single plot pivot.
Breathe into your heart space and whisper to yourself:
“I did my best with the consciousness I had at the time. I am enough. I love and accept myself exactly as I am in this exact moment.”
And again:
“I did my best with the consciousness I had at that time. I am enough. I love and accept myself exactly as I am in this exact moment.”
And take one more beautiful breath in, filling your entire body with the energy of love and self-compassion, and let it all go with a gentle sigh.
When you feel ready, slowly wiggle your fingers and your toes, gently open your eyes and welcome yourself back into the room. And carry this release and peace with you into your day.
If this meditation stirred something you would like support with, I have walked alongside people through grief and change for over 30 years as a shamanic healer and hypnotherapist. You can explore my 1-to-1 therapies in Margate here.
Further Reading
Sound Healing for the Nervous System
Natural Herbal Support for Your Nervous System
Herbs to Heal Our Hearts: Plant Allies for Grief and Remembrance
Soul Counsel: 1-to-1 sessions with me
