November 1 is all about honoring those we loved who are no longer here and in this post, I am sharing a meditation to help address grief.
This year has been exceptional. I’ve lost five family members in six months – my mom’s three siblings and two cousins. The death of my favorite aunt in April was a significant loss to me. With the pandemic still raging on, someone described Facebook to be like a graveyard, with news of someone passing every day.
It’s said that because of the last two years we might be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). We know it as a kind of disorder that comes from those who have been to war or survived abuse, assault, accidents, and other forms of trauma. But everyone suffering from PTSD? According to Giving Compass, “People with PTSD are highly anxious, always on edge, screening for danger and easily startled. They can also have frequent nightmares disrupting sleep, flashbacks or sensory experiences, as though the trauma is happening here and now, and intrusive traumatic memories. Other symptoms include irritability, emotional numbness, social withdrawal, and avoidance of any reminder of trauma.”
Do you think this applies to us? Something worth thinking about.
When I was in New Mexico in 2019, I remember a combat-exposed marine veteran who joined the 45-day kundalini yoga, teacher training immersion. She couldn’t do the kriyas and meditations for longer than ten minutes. Her body would shake, and she’d cry a lot. She ended up quitting the program since it brought back so many memories during her time in Afghanistan.
In preparation for this November 1, let’s honor those who have passed on.
For those of you who miss your loved ones, I’m sharing this meditation that you can do for 40 days to help you deal with grief:
Sit in Easy Pose. Bring your left hand to rest on top of your heart center, the right hand over. Lift the chest and press gently at the heart center. Inhale through O-mouth and exhale through the nose. Eyes are closed and looking at the point between the eyebrows. Continue for 11 minutes.
My kundalini yoga practice has helped with dealing with grief plus the challenges I was faced with this year. You are welcome to join our weekly kundalini yoga or meditation sessions, or even arrange for a one-on-one. Let me know.
The key to dealing with grief is steering yourself not to dwell on it. Yogi Bhajan had said, “There are two things in your life which will make you sick and dead—anxiety and grief.”
In loving service,
Rosan
