Movement, Mind, & Meaning Podcast

Grief Leave: Navigating Loss With Compassion, Spaciousness, And Self Care


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Grief is a profound journey, but you don’t have to walk it alone. In this episode, I share my personal experience with "grief leave" and offer tools to help you navigate loss with compassion, presence, and self-care. From understanding the layers of grief to simple practices that soothe the heart and body, this episode is here to support you through tender times.

In the episode we'll explore:

  • How a grief leave creates space for deep healing and transformation in this tender time
  • Why taking the time to lean into these emotions rather than avoid them brings powerful understanding and appreciation for the life you're living
  • Learn a powerful breathing practice to help you self-regulate and hold yourself through the hardest moments.
  • 💌 Don’t forget to download the free Power Pause Pocket Guide for more grounding tools and resources to help you find calm and clarity during difficult times: https://www.megan-nolan.com/pocket 

    You’re not alone in this journey—let’s navigate it together.

     

    Please find the show notes below. Since it is a transcription there may be spelling errors and/or weird grammar. Ignore that and enjoy!

     

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    Hello and welcome to a movement of people

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    who care so much about how they feel that

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    they make time for themselves and their

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    health every day. I'm a leader of this

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    movement and the host of this podcast,

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    and my name is Megan Nolan. I am a

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    personal trainer, a yoga instructor, a

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    mental fitness coach, a best-selling

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    author, an award-winning speaker, and I'm

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    neurodivergent. So yeah, I got lots going

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    on too. But I'm on a mission to help

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    you make sure that not only you get to do

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    all the big, incredible things that are

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    on your heart to do in the world, but you

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    also get to actually enjoy your

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    life and everything that you've created

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    too. And that's what this podcast is all

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    about, helping you to do just that. So

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    let's jump in to today's episode.

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    Hello and welcome back. Today we're

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    talking about taking a grief leave.

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    Navigating loss through compassion,

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    spaciousness and self-care. Welcome to

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    this episode of the Movement, Mind and

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    Meaning podcast and I'm your host, Megan

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    Nolan. So I don't know if I

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    officially made it up, but last week

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    I came up with a term grief leave

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    and I looked it up and there wasn't

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    really anything that came through, but I

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    uncovered that there is something that is

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    traditionally recognized as a bereavement

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    leave. And essentially, they mean the

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    same thing when you're experiencing the

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    grief or the mourning or the sadness

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    or the confusion or the void or

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    the emptiness that comes after you

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    lose someone or something that you love.

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    That period of grief

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    that needs to be honored, that deserves

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    to be tended to, is

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    what?I feel is what we're

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    doing when we take space for

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    ourselves and taking a leave and

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    mourning, mourning the loss and

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    bereavement is an older word that

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    means all of that and actually comes from

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    the root is to take away or to

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    deprive and so it really

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    represents that. You know, when we lose

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    someone or something that that's been

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    taken away and removed from our life and

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    we're we're mourning the absence of that

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    person or that being or that

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    quality or what relationship or whatever

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    it is, right?Because we can grieve many

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    things. And I think it's really important

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    that we honor the tenderness.

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    And when I'm presented this

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    on my social media to acknowledge

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    that I was taking this. So many

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    people were grateful for this recognition

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    because The thing is, is that we all

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    experience grief, unfortunately, right?If

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    we're lucky enough to to love and to

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    lose, to live long enough

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    to be able to experience this deep

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    connection in this love and relationship

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    with something. And oftentimes the

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    other side of that is to lose that

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    right is to have that be taken away.

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    Because as much as some people resist

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    this, death is a natural part of life and

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    andWhether it's death or a change in

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    relationship or whatever it is that

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    you're grieving, you know, oftentimes

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    it's, and in my case it was the loss of

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    our pet. So Bailey was our 16 year old

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    dog and he had congestive heart disease

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    and it was time, you know, and it was a

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    compassionate decision. It was a really,

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    really hard decision.

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    And at the point of recording

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    this, it's been a week

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    and I'm

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    really, I'm navigating it.

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    Because the reality is, is that when we

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    are tender in the heart space

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    and we're navigating what it feels like

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    to be in this space of

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    fragility and to

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    navigate what it feels like to have feel

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    like our heart is broken and and

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    sad and heavy and still

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    navigate life at the same time, that can

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    be extremely difficult. Because the one

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    thing I've come to realize about grief is

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    that the only thing that's predictable

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    about it is its unpredictability,

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    and how it literally just

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    blindsides you out of nowhere, and

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    how it's so important for us to

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    take the time to hold

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    ourself in this tenderness

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    and in this feeling

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    of. Sadness and loss and

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    grief and pain and anger and resentment

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    and frustration and and and

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    denial and acceptance and all of these

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    aspects of the spiral that is grief. And

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    it's not a linear process, right?You

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    know, and you've likely heard of those

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    those stages of grief by Elisabeth

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    Kubler-Ross and and she

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    reworked that a little bit because people

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    were frustrated that they weren't

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    naturally progressing through the stages.

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    And that's what she uncovered is that

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    there's no. Natural, you know, step by

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    step of this is that these are things

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    that you likely might experience, but not

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    necessarily in sequential order and maybe

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    sometimes all at the same time. And The

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    thing is, is that when we're experiencing

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    this tender vulnerability of loss,

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    it can be really challenging for us to

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    be present to the the natural

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    demands and requirements of our

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    day-to-day the way that you normally

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    would be. Essentially there's

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    this. It's almost like emotionally

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    we are needing this space to

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    heal, like when we have an

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    illness, right?Well, like when we're

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    sick, it's that energy that we're in.

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    When we're in grief, it requires a

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    slowing down. It requires a

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    gentle tending that isn't

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    necessarily going to happen. If we just

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    jump right back into life and we try

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    to pretend like we're not feeling this

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    way and try to just, you know, put on a

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    happy face and go about it, which

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    for many of us who've had mental health

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    challenges is unfortunately something you

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    might be capable of doing, right?And so

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    this is called masking. It's just putting

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    on a happy face and putting on a mask and

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    pretending that it's, you know,

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    everything's fine and. If you were

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    dealing with anxiety or depression, you

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    likely are familiar with that, right?You

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    just kind of plodding through life or

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    making your way through the day when

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    you're feeling this way internally and

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    you know how conflicted it is. But I feel

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    like there's a level that we we can't do

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    that at, at least for me. There's a level

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    that of emotional intensity that I simply

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    cannot pretend that I'm OK. And that to

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    me is why the grief leave is so

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    important, because it really

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    does support us.

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    In being present to the

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    emotions and

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    acknowledging that it is a difficult and

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    challenging place to be by slowing

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    down and

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    really being a witness to the

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    spirals of it and how it catches you and

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    to use the tools, right. And we're going

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    to use a tool in a little bit. We're

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    going to take a power pause. I'm going to

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    teach you a breathing pattern that's

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    really been super helpful for me

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    and there's a lot of tools. And a lot of

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    it is just allowing yourself to

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    witness the feeling and to feel

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    into it. And that might seem

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    counterproductive because when

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    I started to explore this with my

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    therapist is that to feel the feeling

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    seems terrifying because it's already so

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    painful. But the crazy thing is, is that

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    when we are just looping in the mind.

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    And having the mind tell us all these

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    stories and just be in this torment and

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    the pain and and acknowledge that. I

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    acknowledge that that's very real. But

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    when we allow ourselves to settle

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    and to be in the feeling, to be in the

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    heaviness, to be in it, but be resourced,

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    be held in in love and be surrounded

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    either, you know, energetically by your

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    your seen and unseen team, right?You

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    know, your spirit guides or you're just

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    surrounded by. By this knowing that you

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    know this too will pass, like there's so

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    many beautiful ways to to resource

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    yourself, to support yourself through

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    these moments. And for me that has been

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    to just really visualize this

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    beautiful, almost

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    big, massive healing

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    energy in the in the shape of a heart, in

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    the shape of of love, of of

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    the unending on.

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    Deniable presence of the energy

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    of the universe, the energy of creation,

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    the energy of the divine that is at its

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    deepest core love. And that in

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    order for us to be able to be

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    present with this sadness and this grief

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    is an acknowledgement of the love that we

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    had for whatever you may or may not have

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    lost and. That's really

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    what grief is. It's it's the opposite

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    side to the depth of which we loved

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    someone or something and appreciated it.

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    It's the balance, right?It's the yin and

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    the yang and the duality. And so it's

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    this really interesting thing is to think

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    about like when we go into that feeling

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    of sadness and we feel the grief and we

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    allow ourselves to be in it and we be

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    in the feeling of it, but in that place

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    of being held by this resource of

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    whatever it is of the. The waves of love

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    or this feeling, or like the warm blanket

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    that's supporting you, the mat, the floor

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    that's underneath you, like to be held by

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    something or someone, right?If

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    you if you have people around you that

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    can hold you, it's literally really

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    taking you to a place where you can,

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    where you can allow

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    yourself to feel. Because so much of what

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    00:09:47,367 --> 00:09:49,927
    we do in the mind is is to try to bypass

    239
    00:09:49,927 --> 00:09:52,767
    the the harder emotions. And not

    240
    00:09:52,767 --> 00:09:55,247
    feel them to get to the other side. And

    241
    00:09:55,247 --> 00:09:57,927
    that's where this practice of

    242
    00:09:58,007 --> 00:10:00,367
    just allowing yourself to be in it and to

    243
    00:10:00,367 --> 00:10:03,287
    it's a sacred practice in a sense,

    244
    00:10:03,447 --> 00:10:04,927
    right. And you're allowing yourself to

    245
    00:10:04,927 --> 00:10:07,047
    feel the emotions because if we're just

    246
    00:10:07,047 --> 00:10:09,367
    trying to get back to regular life, we

    247
    00:10:09,367 --> 00:10:12,047
    bypass it and we're not allowing

    248
    00:10:12,047 --> 00:10:14,967
    ourselves the that beautiful richness

    249
    00:10:15,007 --> 00:10:17,047
    of this part of the human experience that

    250
    00:10:17,047 --> 00:10:19,847
    is the opposite to this deep love is

    251
    00:10:19,847 --> 00:10:22,247
    this grief. And so it's.

    252
    00:10:22,647 --> 00:10:24,808
    Really holding space for yourself in this

    253
    00:10:24,808 --> 00:10:27,048
    compassionate way and

    254
    00:10:27,688 --> 00:10:28,888
    you know there's so many beautiful

    255
    00:10:28,888 --> 00:10:30,968
    practices and and I think of in the

    256
    00:10:30,968 --> 00:10:33,128
    Jewish tradition where they sit in Shiva

    257
    00:10:33,328 --> 00:10:36,008
    and Shiva and they sit together

    258
    00:10:36,248 --> 00:10:38,048
    and they sit and they are there and they

    259
    00:10:38,048 --> 00:10:39,968
    are in stillness and they they are in

    260
    00:10:39,968 --> 00:10:42,888
    that place together and

    261
    00:10:43,208 --> 00:10:46,168
    it's that nobody knows what to say. So

    262
    00:10:46,648 --> 00:10:48,408
    you know and and I'm not super familiar

    263
    00:10:48,408 --> 00:10:50,168
    with the practice so please you know I.

    264
    00:10:50,568 --> 00:10:52,728
    I'm only going on what little I know, but

    265
    00:10:52,728 --> 00:10:54,968
    I do know that it is a beautiful, sacred

    266
    00:10:54,968 --> 00:10:55,688
    container.

    267
    00:10:57,968 --> 00:10:59,288
    And we all need that.

    268
    00:11:00,888 --> 00:11:03,128
    We need, we need these

    269
    00:11:03,128 --> 00:11:05,608
    practices to truly experience these

    270
    00:11:05,608 --> 00:11:07,608
    feelings. And when it's these

    271
    00:11:08,488 --> 00:11:11,168
    tighter, contractive emotions, we tend to

    272
    00:11:11,168 --> 00:11:14,008
    not want to feel them. But grief is such

    273
    00:11:14,008 --> 00:11:16,808
    a rich, deep

    274
    00:11:16,888 --> 00:11:19,048
    place and.

    275
    00:11:19,768 --> 00:11:22,568
    It is, of course it's not comfortable.

    276
    00:11:23,448 --> 00:11:25,568
    And so really just watching that, you

    277
    00:11:25,568 --> 00:11:27,768
    know, for me at least I can speak to is

    278
    00:11:27,768 --> 00:11:30,408
    that at least lately,

    279
    00:11:31,288 --> 00:11:32,888
    you know, I'm sitting in it allowing

    280
    00:11:32,888 --> 00:11:34,408
    myself to grieve. I'm having these

    281
    00:11:34,408 --> 00:11:37,288
    periods of of intentional grieving, right?

    282
    00:11:37,288 --> 00:11:40,008
    And and during this, this spaciousness

    283
    00:11:40,008 --> 00:11:42,168
    that I'm giving myself in my life, I'm

    284
    00:11:42,168 --> 00:11:44,008
    taking these periods throughout the day

    285
    00:11:44,248 --> 00:11:46,608
    and when they come, you know, as needed

    286
    00:11:46,608 --> 00:11:48,169
    because they just come when they want to

    287
    00:11:48,169 --> 00:11:50,409
    come sometimes. But I am taking these

    288
    00:11:50,409 --> 00:11:52,809
    intentional moments to be in the energy

    289
    00:11:53,089 --> 00:11:55,969
    of the feeling that I feel and to,

    290
    00:11:56,489 --> 00:11:59,409
    you know, feel my my heart weeping these

    291
    00:11:59,409 --> 00:12:02,249
    tears of sadness for this absence of this

    292
    00:12:02,249 --> 00:12:04,409
    beautiful being that was my doggy for so

    293
    00:12:04,409 --> 00:12:07,329
    many years. And I

    294
    00:12:07,329 --> 00:12:10,129
    allow that to come and I and it just it

    295
    00:12:10,809 --> 00:12:12,849
    it's rough, right?It's rough and it's

    296
    00:12:12,849 --> 00:12:14,689
    intense and I'm feeling it and I'm there

    297
    00:12:14,689 --> 00:12:16,329
    and I'm in it. But then this

    298
    00:12:17,209 --> 00:12:20,129
    settling comes after. And

    299
    00:12:20,129 --> 00:12:22,089
    this groundedness comes after

    300
    00:12:22,649 --> 00:12:24,969
    and this feeling of

    301
    00:12:26,089 --> 00:12:28,169
    peace comes after because that's what

    302
    00:12:28,169 --> 00:12:30,569
    we're looking for, right?And in order for

    303
    00:12:30,569 --> 00:12:33,369
    us to get to the other side and to have

    304
    00:12:33,369 --> 00:12:36,209
    that be our reality again is we

    305
    00:12:36,209 --> 00:12:38,009
    have to go through it. We can't ignore

    306
    00:12:38,009 --> 00:12:40,809
    it. We can't bypass it. We can't pretend

    307
    00:12:40,809 --> 00:12:42,489
    it's not happening because it won't let

    308
    00:12:42,569 --> 00:12:45,449
    you, right?For me, it won't let me. It

    309
    00:12:45,449 --> 00:12:47,089
    just comes at me in waves and it just

    310
    00:12:47,089 --> 00:12:49,169
    keeps coming back because. We haven't

    311
    00:12:49,169 --> 00:12:51,289
    equalized in this new reality yet. We

    312
    00:12:51,289 --> 00:12:53,929
    haven't recalibrated to this new reality

    313
    00:12:53,929 --> 00:12:56,809
    where that loved one is not physically

    314
    00:12:56,809 --> 00:12:59,769
    present anymore, and it takes time for

    315
    00:12:59,769 --> 00:13:02,009
    that to happen. And

    316
    00:13:02,569 --> 00:13:05,129
    navigating these periods with this

    317
    00:13:05,289 --> 00:13:07,369
    devotion to your healing

    318
    00:13:08,249 --> 00:13:11,130
    is so powerful and that's so intentional

    319
    00:13:11,690 --> 00:13:14,530
    because it's really important to

    320
    00:13:14,530 --> 00:13:16,610
    do this and to take the grief leave. And

    321
    00:13:16,610 --> 00:13:19,450
    so maybe you're able to. Take some actual

    322
    00:13:19,450 --> 00:13:21,610
    time away from work, you knowAnd

    323
    00:13:21,610 --> 00:13:23,530
    traditionally some employers do have a

    324
    00:13:23,530 --> 00:13:26,410
    bereavement leave and time for

    325
    00:13:26,410 --> 00:13:28,330
    mourning and time for that spaciousness.

    326
    00:13:28,730 --> 00:13:31,210
    If you're self-employed like me, you're

    327
    00:13:31,210 --> 00:13:33,530
    the one that needs to make that call,

    328
    00:13:33,930 --> 00:13:36,890
    right?And so this is where this

    329
    00:13:36,890 --> 00:13:39,210
    really interesting protective pattern is

    330
    00:13:39,210 --> 00:13:42,170
    coming in. And I'm witnessing of OK,

    331
    00:13:42,210 --> 00:13:44,330
    I'm taking this grief leave, but what do

    332
    00:13:44,330 --> 00:13:47,130
    I do?And I'm finding this interesting.

    333
    00:13:47,410 --> 00:13:50,250
    Desire to do, you know, and to to

    334
    00:13:50,490 --> 00:13:53,410
    to make the most of the time, which is

    335
    00:13:53,850 --> 00:13:56,730
    totally counterproductive. But, you know,

    336
    00:13:57,290 --> 00:13:59,370
    I don't need to be productive on my grief

    337
    00:13:59,370 --> 00:14:01,450
    leave. And in fact, that's not really

    338
    00:14:01,450 --> 00:14:03,530
    honoring the grief leave. If I feel like

    339
    00:14:03,530 --> 00:14:05,850
    I need to. For example, yesterday I was

    340
    00:14:05,850 --> 00:14:08,090
    trying to tell myself I should clean

    341
    00:14:08,090 --> 00:14:09,290
    under the kitchen sink

    342
    00:14:12,250 --> 00:14:14,370
    because it's something I, you know, have

    343
    00:14:14,370 --> 00:14:15,890
    been thinking about doing for a while.

    344
    00:14:15,890 --> 00:14:18,850
    I'm like, really?Am I gonna throw out

    345
    00:14:18,850 --> 00:14:21,210
    all cleaning products when I'm in this

    346
    00:14:21,210 --> 00:14:24,090
    place?No, noLike, it doesn't need to

    347
    00:14:24,090 --> 00:14:26,650
    be a productive time. And in fact, the

    348
    00:14:26,650 --> 00:14:29,410
    slowing down and the spaciousness and

    349
    00:14:29,410 --> 00:14:32,330
    observing that tendency to want to go

    350
    00:14:32,330 --> 00:14:34,171
    back into that protective pattern of

    351
    00:14:34,171 --> 00:14:36,331
    doing and taking action and just getting

    352
    00:14:36,331 --> 00:14:38,931
    through, you know, fast tracking it in a

    353
    00:14:38,931 --> 00:14:40,971
    sense. I'm like, wow, that's crazy.

    354
    00:14:41,451 --> 00:14:43,451
    That's really interesting, you know, of

    355
    00:14:43,451 --> 00:14:45,251
    how this tendency to.

    356
    00:14:46,731 --> 00:14:49,531
    Make, you knowThis tendency

    357
    00:14:49,531 --> 00:14:52,171
    to want to distract myself, which is

    358
    00:14:52,171 --> 00:14:54,571
    normal, but we don't need to distract

    359
    00:14:54,571 --> 00:14:57,291
    ourselves by going back to to

    360
    00:14:57,291 --> 00:14:59,371
    work and just going back into the old

    361
    00:14:59,371 --> 00:15:01,611
    patterns. And the interesting thing I'm

    362
    00:15:01,611 --> 00:15:03,691
    noticing, and this might be something for

    363
    00:15:03,691 --> 00:15:06,571
    you to consider, is that in

    364
    00:15:06,571 --> 00:15:09,371
    this moment when it feels like

    365
    00:15:09,451 --> 00:15:12,411
    everything has fallen apart and you don't

    366
    00:15:12,411 --> 00:15:15,291
    recognize the world or the reality that

    367
    00:15:15,291 --> 00:15:18,011
    you're living in because of the loss.

    368
    00:15:18,411 --> 00:15:20,731
    And it feels like everything is in

    369
    00:15:20,731 --> 00:15:23,371
    shambles and everything is just scattered

    370
    00:15:23,371 --> 00:15:26,131
    all over the floor, which is where I feel

    371
    00:15:26,131 --> 00:15:27,611
    like I'm at currently. And

    372
    00:15:29,451 --> 00:15:30,811
    we get to look at

    373
    00:15:32,171 --> 00:15:34,571
    this as an opportunity.

    374
    00:15:35,451 --> 00:15:37,771
    What are you gonna let go of too?Because

    375
    00:15:37,771 --> 00:15:39,611
    you're letting go of this loved one,

    376
    00:15:39,611 --> 00:15:42,011
    right?What patterns in yourself

    377
    00:15:42,651 --> 00:15:45,131
    are you willing to let go and to be done

    378
    00:15:45,131 --> 00:15:48,091
    with and to allow to fade away and shed?

    379
    00:15:48,651 --> 00:15:51,371
    Because the brain

    380
    00:15:51,371 --> 00:15:53,531
    wants to just go back to the status quo.

    381
    00:15:53,611 --> 00:15:55,331
    And that's why you may find yourself just

    382
    00:15:55,331 --> 00:15:56,651
    wanting to, you know, get back to, get

    383
    00:15:56,971 --> 00:15:58,572
    back to it and this and that. And there

    384
    00:15:58,572 --> 00:16:00,252
    will be a time and you will know when

    385
    00:16:00,252 --> 00:16:01,852
    that's time. But

    386
    00:16:02,892 --> 00:16:05,452
    what are you going to pick up back up off

    387
    00:16:05,452 --> 00:16:07,852
    the floor and bring back into your

    388
    00:16:07,852 --> 00:16:10,092
    reality?That's what you get to decide in

    389
    00:16:10,092 --> 00:16:12,012
    this grief leave and

    390
    00:16:12,972 --> 00:16:15,052
    looking at it from this place of what's

    391
    00:16:15,052 --> 00:16:17,772
    really important, right?Because. death

    392
    00:16:17,772 --> 00:16:19,532
    always gives us this perspective of

    393
    00:16:19,532 --> 00:16:22,332
    what's really important in life and

    394
    00:16:22,972 --> 00:16:25,172
    What you were doing before may not

    395
    00:16:25,172 --> 00:16:27,692
    necessarily Feel like

    396
    00:16:27,692 --> 00:16:30,612
    something you want to continue because

    397
    00:16:30,612 --> 00:16:32,572
    when you go through these powerful

    398
    00:16:32,572 --> 00:16:34,492
    experiences these portals of

    399
    00:16:34,492 --> 00:16:36,892
    transformation of loss of deep loss

    400
    00:16:37,692 --> 00:16:39,492
    You come through the other side as a

    401
    00:16:39,492 --> 00:16:42,372
    different person 1000%

    402
    00:16:43,212 --> 00:16:45,852
    and in this moment of this sort of

    403
    00:16:47,692 --> 00:16:50,012
    Uncertainty and unsteadiness and this

    404
    00:16:50,012 --> 00:16:51,932
    agitation and this discomfort.

    405
    00:16:52,812 --> 00:16:55,372
    It is, of course our mind just wants to

    406
    00:16:55,372 --> 00:16:56,612
    get us through to the other side and not

    407
    00:16:56,612 --> 00:16:58,532
    want to deal with this. But in the

    408
    00:16:59,692 --> 00:17:01,892
    discomfort is the

    409
    00:17:01,932 --> 00:17:04,812
    opportunity for transformation. Ram

    410
    00:17:04,812 --> 00:17:07,292
    Dass calls it the sandpaper of

    411
    00:17:07,292 --> 00:17:10,172
    suffering. And so it's that

    412
    00:17:10,172 --> 00:17:13,012
    polishing away at these old patterns. And

    413
    00:17:13,012 --> 00:17:15,652
    so as you walk through this. Period in

    414
    00:17:15,652 --> 00:17:17,452
    your life and you take this grief leave,

    415
    00:17:17,452 --> 00:17:19,132
    hopefully in whatever form. And it might

    416
    00:17:19,132 --> 00:17:21,213
    just be taking these moments throughout

    417
    00:17:21,213 --> 00:17:22,973
    the day to really sit in the sacred

    418
    00:17:22,973 --> 00:17:24,653
    practice of grieving and be present with

    419
    00:17:24,653 --> 00:17:27,453
    it intentionally so that

    420
    00:17:27,693 --> 00:17:30,493
    it lessens it a little bit gradually. Or

    421
    00:17:30,493 --> 00:17:32,253
    maybe you're able to take some time off.

    422
    00:17:32,653 --> 00:17:34,653
    It is this sense of

    423
    00:17:35,853 --> 00:17:38,493
    who are you becoming in this process and.

    424
    00:17:39,333 --> 00:17:41,333
    What are you really seeing as valuable

    425
    00:17:41,333 --> 00:17:42,573
    and important?And there's such a

    426
    00:17:42,573 --> 00:17:44,293
    tenderness because you're deep in your

    427
    00:17:44,293 --> 00:17:46,693
    heart space and you're very present. And

    428
    00:17:46,693 --> 00:17:49,293
    many indigenous practices and

    429
    00:17:49,293 --> 00:17:52,253
    cultures and traditions suggest that

    430
    00:17:52,253 --> 00:17:54,013
    when someone is in grief, you are far

    431
    00:17:54,013 --> 00:17:56,253
    closer to the spirit realm and you get so

    432
    00:17:56,253 --> 00:17:58,733
    many more insights and so much more

    433
    00:17:58,733 --> 00:18:01,693
    guidance. And it's it's a really potent

    434
    00:18:01,693 --> 00:18:04,573
    place to be if you allow yourself

    435
    00:18:04,573 --> 00:18:06,973
    to be there, right?And. And because in

    436
    00:18:06,973 --> 00:18:08,613
    our culture, we're, you know, we kind of

    437
    00:18:08,613 --> 00:18:10,253
    try to want to bypass the negative

    438
    00:18:10,253 --> 00:18:13,093
    emotions. But here in this community, all

    439
    00:18:13,093 --> 00:18:15,813
    of you is welcome. All of all emotions

    440
    00:18:15,813 --> 00:18:18,093
    are valid. And so it's important that we

    441
    00:18:18,413 --> 00:18:20,973
    allow ourselves to sit in this and of

    442
    00:18:20,973 --> 00:18:22,653
    course get support, get support, you

    443
    00:18:22,653 --> 00:18:23,893
    know, reach out to your friends and

    444
    00:18:23,893 --> 00:18:25,293
    family, your loved ones, maybe your

    445
    00:18:25,293 --> 00:18:26,973
    therapist, maybe different modalities,

    446
    00:18:27,373 --> 00:18:29,453
    get support, right as needed, of course.

    447
    00:18:29,933 --> 00:18:31,933
    But really what we're doing here is we're

    448
    00:18:31,933 --> 00:18:34,333
    practicing this, this intentional

    449
    00:18:34,813 --> 00:18:37,773
    gentleness. And you

    450
    00:18:37,773 --> 00:18:40,093
    know, what I uncovered with my therapist

    451
    00:18:40,093 --> 00:18:42,573
    was this pattern in my brain that said,

    452
    00:18:42,813 --> 00:18:44,534
    you know, you have to have these big

    453
    00:18:44,534 --> 00:18:47,214
    emotions to to to not be alone in

    454
    00:18:47,214 --> 00:18:50,094
    this or or it's it's

    455
    00:18:50,094 --> 00:18:52,294
    going to be so brutal to go through this

    456
    00:18:52,294 --> 00:18:53,654
    and why would you want to sit in it?It's

    457
    00:18:53,654 --> 00:18:55,614
    just going to be horrible. And that's the

    458
    00:18:55,614 --> 00:18:58,094
    mind keeping us in this

    459
    00:18:58,094 --> 00:19:00,494
    protective pattern. Because when I go

    460
    00:19:00,494 --> 00:19:02,654
    into my heart and do the practice I was

    461
    00:19:02,654 --> 00:19:05,054
    speaking to earlier of. Feeling where I

    462
    00:19:05,054 --> 00:19:07,854
    feel it in my body, holding myself like

    463
    00:19:07,854 --> 00:19:10,134
    I'm wrapping an energetic blanket around

    464
    00:19:10,134 --> 00:19:12,334
    this part of myself, sitting in it,

    465
    00:19:12,334 --> 00:19:15,054
    breathing in it. And the peace that

    466
    00:19:15,054 --> 00:19:17,294
    comes, and sometimes it

    467
    00:19:18,334 --> 00:19:20,494
    takes time, it takes breath to get there,

    468
    00:19:20,494 --> 00:19:22,734
    it takes patience. Sometimes it's rather

    469
    00:19:22,734 --> 00:19:25,694
    quick. And I recognize that in the body,

    470
    00:19:26,174 --> 00:19:28,014
    that sense of knowing, that sense of

    471
    00:19:28,014 --> 00:19:30,734
    peace, that sense of deep, deep, deep

    472
    00:19:30,734 --> 00:19:33,294
    love, it's always right there. It's

    473
    00:19:33,294 --> 00:19:35,654
    always available to us and we can just

    474
    00:19:35,654 --> 00:19:37,934
    drop into it and it gets to be gentle

    475
    00:19:38,974 --> 00:19:41,854
    and it's just a different approach.

    476
    00:19:42,654 --> 00:19:44,654
    And it's that that willingness to

    477
    00:19:44,654 --> 00:19:47,294
    navigate the waves, right?And to to

    478
    00:19:47,534 --> 00:19:49,774
    tend to ourselves and to turn towards

    479
    00:19:49,774 --> 00:19:51,774
    ourselves, that part of ourselves that is

    480
    00:19:52,014 --> 00:19:54,494
    feeling that deep loss. And notice the

    481
    00:19:54,494 --> 00:19:56,574
    part that's the mind that's like, why

    482
    00:19:56,574 --> 00:19:57,934
    would you do that?You can't do this, you

    483
    00:19:57,934 --> 00:19:59,214
    know, and like, don't go into that dark

    484
    00:19:59,214 --> 00:20:00,974
    place. And and of course there's this

    485
    00:20:00,974 --> 00:20:03,134
    balance, right?Especially if we are prone

    486
    00:20:03,134 --> 00:20:04,974
    to that slippery slope of sadness. But

    487
    00:20:04,974 --> 00:20:07,535
    it's it's just that acknowledgement of

    488
    00:20:07,535 --> 00:20:09,455
    this part of you that deserves to be

    489
    00:20:09,455 --> 00:20:11,775
    witnessed. So one of the

    490
    00:20:11,775 --> 00:20:14,015
    tools that I've been using

    491
    00:20:15,055 --> 00:20:16,535
    and that I would love to share with you

    492
    00:20:16,535 --> 00:20:19,175
    now is the

    493
    00:20:19,695 --> 00:20:22,495
    breath of release. Learning how to

    494
    00:20:22,495 --> 00:20:24,735
    release tension and stress from your body

    495
    00:20:25,295 --> 00:20:27,295
    through the breath. So we're gonna take a

    496
    00:20:27,295 --> 00:20:28,855
    power pause. I'm gonna teach you how to

    497
    00:20:28,855 --> 00:20:31,775
    do this now. And I would love

    498
    00:20:31,775 --> 00:20:34,215
    for you to place your hands, one on your

    499
    00:20:34,215 --> 00:20:36,935
    belly, one on your heart. So this is the

    500
    00:20:38,095 --> 00:20:40,655
    physiological sigh. And you may be

    501
    00:20:40,975 --> 00:20:42,495
    in these moments here when you've been

    502
    00:20:42,495 --> 00:20:44,255
    experiencing grief and sadness and

    503
    00:20:44,255 --> 00:20:46,015
    heaviness, you might have heard yourself

    504
    00:20:46,495 --> 00:20:48,215
    make this same sound, that ah

    505
    00:20:49,775 --> 00:20:51,415
    And you kind of, you know that sort of

    506
    00:20:51,415 --> 00:20:54,255
    shuddery breath that happens after we

    507
    00:20:54,255 --> 00:20:56,335
    cry. It's actually a reset for the

    508
    00:20:56,335 --> 00:20:58,815
    nervous system that you are doing

    509
    00:20:59,135 --> 00:21:01,935
    instinctively. So when we use this

    510
    00:21:01,935 --> 00:21:03,535
    breath of release, you're doing it

    511
    00:21:03,535 --> 00:21:06,295
    actively to achieve the same calming and

    512
    00:21:06,295 --> 00:21:08,615
    regulating impact on your nervous system.

    513
    00:21:09,055 --> 00:21:10,855
    So it's a two-part inhale. We fill the

    514
    00:21:10,855 --> 00:21:13,455
    lungs once and then right to the top on

    515
    00:21:13,455 --> 00:21:15,935
    the second inhale and then on the exhale

    516
    00:21:15,935 --> 00:21:18,895
    we. Settle and sink

    517
    00:21:18,895 --> 00:21:20,775
    and ground yourself. So we try it

    518
    00:21:20,775 --> 00:21:21,615
    together. Ready.

    519
    00:21:24,095 --> 00:21:25,295
    So two-part inhale.

    520
    00:21:27,855 --> 00:21:29,215
    You can hear the two parts.

    521
    00:21:31,856 --> 00:21:32,336
    Try.

    522
    00:21:39,456 --> 00:21:40,336
    Now do it slower.

    523
    00:21:44,416 --> 00:21:45,536
    Longer on the exhale.

    524
    00:21:49,856 --> 00:21:50,576
    With sound,

    525
    00:21:59,226 --> 00:21:59,946
    keep going,

    526
    00:22:03,466 --> 00:22:05,306
    keep going. Feel the shift happening.

    527
    00:22:13,626 --> 00:22:14,186
    One more time.

    528
    00:22:19,786 --> 00:22:20,586
    Breathe normally.

    529
    00:22:29,296 --> 00:22:31,056
    So what we're doing in that breath, the

    530
    00:22:31,056 --> 00:22:32,896
    breath of release, this beautiful power

    531
    00:22:32,896 --> 00:22:35,576
    pause, is giving yourself the

    532
    00:22:35,616 --> 00:22:38,496
    opportunity to quiet

    533
    00:22:38,496 --> 00:22:40,256
    and regulate your nervous system. By

    534
    00:22:40,656 --> 00:22:43,576
    intentionally slowing down the

    535
    00:22:43,576 --> 00:22:45,376
    breath, we activate the vagus nerve. We

    536
    00:22:45,376 --> 00:22:47,176
    turn on the parasympathetic nervous

    537
    00:22:47,176 --> 00:22:50,056
    system. We shift you into a place of rest

    538
    00:22:50,056 --> 00:22:51,856
    and digest. We're slowing everything

    539
    00:22:51,856 --> 00:22:54,697
    down. We are increasing the

    540
    00:22:54,737 --> 00:22:57,617
    oxygenation of your body as well

    541
    00:22:57,617 --> 00:23:00,497
    as releasing more carbon dioxide. So

    542
    00:23:00,497 --> 00:23:02,657
    we're stimulating a balance in the breath

    543
    00:23:02,657 --> 00:23:04,737
    that way in the nervous system as well.

    544
    00:23:05,137 --> 00:23:07,697
    And what it does is it mimics that

    545
    00:23:07,697 --> 00:23:09,777
    natural reset that comes

    546
    00:23:10,017 --> 00:23:11,537
    after we.

    547
    00:23:12,737 --> 00:23:15,617
    That that side that happens. And so

    548
    00:23:15,937 --> 00:23:17,697
    it's such a powerful way. And we're also

    549
    00:23:17,697 --> 00:23:19,817
    expanding the lung capacity, which is so

    550
    00:23:19,817 --> 00:23:22,257
    important. We're expanding your capacity

    551
    00:23:22,257 --> 00:23:24,897
    to hold space for this

    552
    00:23:25,057 --> 00:23:27,977
    in your body, right, but also in your

    553
    00:23:27,977 --> 00:23:30,657
    nervous system to hold space in this

    554
    00:23:30,657 --> 00:23:33,617
    way of. This challenging emotional

    555
    00:23:33,617 --> 00:23:36,097
    state that is a natural part of our human

    556
    00:23:36,097 --> 00:23:38,297
    experience. So this is the impact of a

    557
    00:23:38,297 --> 00:23:41,057
    power pause. And so right now this

    558
    00:23:41,057 --> 00:23:42,817
    what we did just here is if you're

    559
    00:23:42,817 --> 00:23:44,497
    watching this on its own as a video on

    560
    00:23:44,497 --> 00:23:46,977
    YouTube, is part of this full experience

    561
    00:23:46,977 --> 00:23:49,737
    inside this episode of the

    562
    00:23:49,737 --> 00:23:51,697
    Movement, Mind and Meaning podcast on a

    563
    00:23:51,697 --> 00:23:54,257
    taking a grief leave. And if you want to

    564
    00:23:54,257 --> 00:23:56,057
    watch the video and see what I did, you

    565
    00:23:56,057 --> 00:23:58,857
    can go over and watch it on YouTube. So I

    566
    00:23:58,857 --> 00:24:00,577
    would love to share this tool with you

    567
    00:24:00,577 --> 00:24:02,897
    because it's been so impactful for me and

    568
    00:24:02,897 --> 00:24:05,777
    power pauses are really an incredible

    569
    00:24:05,777 --> 00:24:08,737
    way to tend to your body, to shift your

    570
    00:24:08,737 --> 00:24:10,897
    inner state. So there is a free resource

    571
    00:24:10,897 --> 00:24:13,457
    in the description below on the Power

    572
    00:24:13,457 --> 00:24:15,777
    pause pocket guide that you can grab. So

    573
    00:24:17,298 --> 00:24:20,258
    I would love to really just wrap

    574
    00:24:20,338 --> 00:24:23,138
    up this episode on taking a

    575
    00:24:23,138 --> 00:24:25,778
    grief leave of really

    576
    00:24:25,778 --> 00:24:28,418
    honoring. The lessons

    577
    00:24:28,658 --> 00:24:31,298
    that grief

    578
    00:24:31,378 --> 00:24:33,578
    brings, right?It brings a deep

    579
    00:24:33,578 --> 00:24:35,978
    perspective, a recognition, a

    580
    00:24:35,978 --> 00:24:38,578
    love and you know it is an

    581
    00:24:38,578 --> 00:24:41,458
    opportunity for us to to slow

    582
    00:24:41,458 --> 00:24:44,338
    down and to practice deep, deep

    583
    00:24:44,338 --> 00:24:47,138
    compassionate self-care and power pausing

    584
    00:24:47,138 --> 00:24:49,538
    and listening to this and doing what

    585
    00:24:49,538 --> 00:24:51,858
    feels good for you to tend to yourself

    586
    00:24:51,898 --> 00:24:53,618
    and and for me over.

    587
    00:24:54,738 --> 00:24:56,818
    This period of taking this grief leave

    588
    00:24:56,818 --> 00:24:58,818
    is, you know, not strict,

    589
    00:24:59,538 --> 00:25:02,258
    but a regimen of

    590
    00:25:02,658 --> 00:25:05,458
    baths and naps and more

    591
    00:25:05,458 --> 00:25:08,018
    yoga and more meditation and a lot more

    592
    00:25:08,018 --> 00:25:10,338
    journaling and a lot more writing has

    593
    00:25:10,338 --> 00:25:12,098
    been really helpful for me,

    594
    00:25:13,858 --> 00:25:15,938
    you know, and and allowing the emotions

    595
    00:25:15,938 --> 00:25:17,498
    to come when they come. But taking these

    596
    00:25:17,498 --> 00:25:20,098
    secret, sacred moments of devotion to the

    597
    00:25:20,098 --> 00:25:21,938
    love that I had for Bailey and I still

    598
    00:25:21,938 --> 00:25:24,418
    have and. Really sensing into his

    599
    00:25:24,418 --> 00:25:27,298
    presence. Because The thing is, is that

    600
    00:25:27,538 --> 00:25:29,578
    death is part of this whole life human

    601
    00:25:29,578 --> 00:25:31,218
    experience and this life experience, and

    602
    00:25:31,218 --> 00:25:34,138
    that there's this energetic shift.

    603
    00:25:34,138 --> 00:25:35,498
    Although we can't see them in the

    604
    00:25:35,498 --> 00:25:38,058
    physical form, their spirit is still very

    605
    00:25:38,058 --> 00:25:40,379
    much present with you and within you. And

    606
    00:25:40,379 --> 00:25:43,019
    so it's really allowing yourself to

    607
    00:25:43,939 --> 00:25:46,739
    keep your heart open while

    608
    00:25:46,899 --> 00:25:49,859
    it feels maybe like it's broken,

    609
    00:25:50,099 --> 00:25:51,059
    right?And that might seem

    610
    00:25:51,059 --> 00:25:53,859
    counterintuitive. But what's happening

    611
    00:25:53,859 --> 00:25:55,899
    here is that when we allow ourselves to

    612
    00:25:55,899 --> 00:25:58,179
    deeply feel these emotions in a safe way,

    613
    00:25:58,179 --> 00:26:00,259
    whatever you have the capacity for,

    614
    00:26:00,979 --> 00:26:03,459
    is it allows that, you know, that

    615
    00:26:03,539 --> 00:26:05,939
    crack and that void and that brokenness

    616
    00:26:05,939 --> 00:26:07,539
    that we might feel like when we feel

    617
    00:26:07,539 --> 00:26:10,179
    heartbreak, it allows us to

    618
    00:26:10,579 --> 00:26:13,299
    widen and increase our capacity to feel.

    619
    00:26:14,659 --> 00:26:17,099
    And in that space that has been

    620
    00:26:17,099 --> 00:26:19,979
    created, you get to decide what you're

    621
    00:26:19,979 --> 00:26:21,779
    gonna fill it with. Are you going to fill

    622
    00:26:21,779 --> 00:26:23,619
    it with spaciousness and compassion and

    623
    00:26:23,619 --> 00:26:24,819
    love and care

    624
    00:26:26,499 --> 00:26:28,859
    and allow that deep love and

    625
    00:26:28,859 --> 00:26:30,819
    appreciation that you had for this being

    626
    00:26:30,819 --> 00:26:33,459
    or person or whatever you might have

    627
    00:26:33,459 --> 00:26:36,219
    lost to be able to

    628
    00:26:36,899 --> 00:26:39,619
    shift who you are at a deep level?Because

    629
    00:26:39,619 --> 00:26:41,299
    that relationship has changed you and

    630
    00:26:41,299 --> 00:26:42,899
    your experience of this part of the

    631
    00:26:42,899 --> 00:26:45,459
    relationship will transform you as well

    632
    00:26:45,459 --> 00:26:47,099
    if you allow it to become a sacred

    633
    00:26:47,099 --> 00:26:49,139
    practice. And really that's what this is

    634
    00:26:49,139 --> 00:26:51,779
    doing is. Is it's giving this a

    635
    00:26:51,779 --> 00:26:53,979
    sacred respect and a reverence and that's

    636
    00:26:53,979 --> 00:26:56,099
    ultimately what a bereavement leave is or

    637
    00:26:56,099 --> 00:26:58,259
    any sort of grieving practice is it's a

    638
    00:26:58,259 --> 00:27:00,259
    reverence and an appreciation and a love.

    639
    00:27:00,899 --> 00:27:03,540
    So I am

    640
    00:27:03,540 --> 00:27:05,860
    sending you my love, my heart's

    641
    00:27:05,860 --> 00:27:07,940
    compassion if you are experiencing

    642
    00:27:08,260 --> 00:27:10,580
    similar emotions right now and really

    643
    00:27:10,580 --> 00:27:13,460
    just honoring you and know that it's

    644
    00:27:13,460 --> 00:27:15,940
    OK. To feel the way you feel and it's

    645
    00:27:15,940 --> 00:27:18,220
    important to love and support and hold

    646
    00:27:18,220 --> 00:27:20,340
    yourself in these moments because

    647
    00:27:22,260 --> 00:27:24,980
    it's part of life, right?And it's not our

    648
    00:27:24,980 --> 00:27:27,660
    favorite part of life sometimes or

    649
    00:27:27,660 --> 00:27:29,700
    anytime probably, but

    650
    00:27:30,900 --> 00:27:32,980
    it's something that we deal with and it

    651
    00:27:33,060 --> 00:27:35,380
    just like anything can become a practice

    652
    00:27:35,620 --> 00:27:38,500
    and it's it's the way that we.

    653
    00:27:39,340 --> 00:27:41,780
    We feel it and we go through it. That

    654
    00:27:41,780 --> 00:27:43,780
    shapes our experience of it and it shapes

    655
    00:27:43,780 --> 00:27:46,100
    who we become on the other side of the

    656
    00:27:46,100 --> 00:27:48,900
    experience. And we have a tendency to

    657
    00:27:48,900 --> 00:27:51,700
    bypass these, you know, oh, be

    658
    00:27:51,700 --> 00:27:54,620
    strong, just get through it. How

    659
    00:27:54,620 --> 00:27:56,580
    does that feel?To me, that feels like a

    660
    00:27:56,580 --> 00:27:58,420
    hard no, because I just can't. I don't

    661
    00:27:58,420 --> 00:28:00,140
    want to. I don't want to. It doesn't feel

    662
    00:28:00,140 --> 00:28:02,020
    like it's honoring the feelings that I

    663
    00:28:02,020 --> 00:28:04,580
    felt. So allow yourself to feel this and

    664
    00:28:04,580 --> 00:28:06,260
    give yourself the time and the space and

    665
    00:28:06,260 --> 00:28:08,420
    the grace and. And navigate it gently.

    666
    00:28:08,700 --> 00:28:11,060
    And so that's everything that I have for

    667
    00:28:11,060 --> 00:28:12,940
    you today. I would offer to

    668
    00:28:13,700 --> 00:28:15,780
    invite you to check out the Power Pause

    669
    00:28:15,780 --> 00:28:17,380
    Pocket guide, which is linked up in the

    670
    00:28:17,380 --> 00:28:19,900
    description below as a tool, right?As a

    671
    00:28:19,900 --> 00:28:22,060
    tool to help you to navigate through

    672
    00:28:22,060 --> 00:28:24,420
    these moments and to give yourself what

    673
    00:28:24,420 --> 00:28:26,581
    you need. And both in the moment of

    674
    00:28:26,581 --> 00:28:28,501
    grief, but also in other moments of life,

    675
    00:28:28,501 --> 00:28:29,861
    maybe when you're feeling stress or

    676
    00:28:29,861 --> 00:28:32,421
    anxiety or worry or sadness, the tools

    677
    00:28:32,421 --> 00:28:34,661
    are very versatile and so can be used in

    678
    00:28:34,661 --> 00:28:36,821
    a variety of different ways and settings.

    679
    00:28:37,221 --> 00:28:40,141
    So that is what I have for you

    680
    00:28:40,261 --> 00:28:42,381
    this week. Sending you so much love and

    681
    00:28:42,381 --> 00:28:45,301
    Aloha and I will hear

    682
    00:28:45,341 --> 00:28:47,861
    and see you next week. And until then,

    683
    00:28:47,941 --> 00:28:49,741
    take good care of yourself from my tender

    684
    00:28:49,741 --> 00:28:51,541
    heart to yours. Sending you so much love.

    685
    00:28:51,861 --> 00:28:54,741
    Bye bye. Thank you so much

    686
    00:28:54,741 --> 00:28:56,741
    for listening. I hope you really enjoyed

    687
    00:28:56,741 --> 00:28:59,061
    this episode and got a lot out of it.

    688
    00:28:59,541 --> 00:29:02,181
    Please let me know what landed for you by

    689
    00:29:02,181 --> 00:29:03,861
    taking a screenshot and sharing your

    690
    00:29:03,861 --> 00:29:06,501
    takeaways on your Instagram Stories. Make

    691
    00:29:06,501 --> 00:29:07,301
    sure to tag me

    692
    00:29:08,101 --> 00:29:10,981
    @IamMeganNolan for a shout out and future

    693
    00:29:11,021 --> 00:29:13,381
    episodes. And don't

    694
    00:29:13,381 --> 00:29:15,661
    forget to grab all the goodies that we

    695
    00:29:15,661 --> 00:29:17,621
    mentioned during the episode because

    696
    00:29:17,621 --> 00:29:19,981
    you're gonna love them. So all the links

    697
    00:29:19,981 --> 00:29:22,581
    are in the show notes. So until

    698
    00:29:22,581 --> 00:29:25,461
    next time, cheers to you living on

    699
    00:29:25,461 --> 00:29:26,581
    purpose every day.

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    Movement, Mind, & Meaning PodcastBy Megan Nolan