Receiving Difficult News

Hi, it's Eve here. Welcome to this guided practice. If you are navigating some difficult news or processing a loss, I'm deeply sorry. Throughout this process, there can be so much to hold, so much to process, and our body holds that stress and pain. So we need to find ways to gently allow it to move through us with tenderness and kindness. I think what makes this journey so painful at times is that it can pick away at your hopes and dreams, almost like a thousand paper cuts. But processing the losses does take some time, and they need to be acknowledged. I've been working with the practice of equanimity, this notion of being with each moment, whether it's painful or joyous, with ease and compassion. When I think of equanimity, the words that come to mind are balance, strength, courage, and steadfastness. In life, we will encounter difficulties, we will receive news that we don't want. So my hope is that this practice not only supports you on your fertility journey, but in life overall. So let's get started. Inviting you to get into a comfortable position, either sitting down or lying down. And starting with a couple of slower, deeper breaths. Breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. And with the next out breath, gently closing the eyes or resting the gaze downwards, breathing at your own rhythm and rate. And it's okay if you're experiencing any emotional or physical discomfort. Be really gentle with yourself. And if at any point you need to pause and rest, that's okay. In our practice, we're going to gently move through sensations in the body that feel pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral. And if being with a difficult sensation is too much, that's okay. Gently come back to the breath. So taking a moment to connect with the different contact points in the body, that feeling of the whole body being held and supported. And then focusing the attention on a part of the body that perhaps feels at ease or relaxed. So breathing into this area that feels pleasant in nature. Allowing the mind to gently rest there, and saying silently to yourself, may I be at ease with whatever arises, may I meet this moment with compassion and acceptance. So gently letting go of any focus on that area. And now with great tenderness, focusing the attention on a part of the body that is perhaps tight or tense, where there might be some discomfort, or perhaps it's a feeling of numbness. So breathing into this area that feels unpleasant in nature, allowing the mind to gently rest there, and saying silently to yourself, may I be at ease with whatever arises, may I meet this moment with compassion and acceptance. So gently letting go of that area, and now focusing the attention on a part of the body that feels neutral. It's neither pleasant or unpleasant. And allowing the mind to gently rest there,...