The softest touch

A poem for fresh starts in grief

Come, heart, to the quiet,

to this seat that bears the weight

of what moves in unseen moments,

this blanket stitched with stories

you ravel and unravel, smooth 

down like water for the whale songs 

that beat in your chest.

Come, heart, to the whisper,

earth murmur that rises through feet,

finds a resting place in collarbone, 

that sacred hollow where stones

and your empty throat meet.

Come, dearest,

the morning is tender,

the silence deep.

Everything you fear you cannot hold

is a rattle inside these ribs.

Everything you long to release 

seeks a blessing that you can give,

even if you feel far from courage,

have journeyed too long in skins of sorrow

to welcome this sweetness in.

Come, heart, to the seat,

the table, the candle, the red silk 

of your trembling knowing,

cup of your cobalt thirst.

There is the grief that circles endings

and the grief that comes to guide us,

soft touch on an ancient ache 

turning us to begin.

(For anyone embracing joy when they thought they’d never know its warmth again, making plans after being afraid to dream, choosing adventure after living small and safe, opening once more to love after every protest of “never” and “not me,” letting life in after loss has broken trust, shuttered the heart … and feeling the perfectly normal grief of beginning as they leave the familiar behind. )

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Some holiday support for tender hearts

Whether you’re feeling the weight of world events, of the expectations that come with this time of year, of loneliness, of life looking so very different than you imagined it would, this is a welcome space for all griefs.

Join me for a virtual hour of care at noon EST on Dec. 23. Together, we’ll share in a grounding practice, do some journaling to make room for our grief and what it’s asking of us and find some resourcing by honoring our truth in community.

Self-investment is $22.

Register here.

Zoom link will be sent upon registration and payment.

Looking for more personalized support? 3-session grief coaching packages are 20% off if purchased by Dec. 15 and used by Jan. 31 (that’s $300 for 3 hour-long sessions). Sessions are offered virtually and in-person and could include sacred listening and witnessing, guided meditation, journaling, embodied practices to move with grief and other tools and invitations that feel aligned depending on the circumstances.
Gift certificates are also available for the ones you love.

Email naila@thishallowedwilderness.com to learn more or book your session today.

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Share your practice of grief tending

My Breathing Wind podcast co-host and I are wondering:

How do you make space for and tend to your grief during the holidays? Do you have a practice that is particularly nourishing this time of year? Perhaps it’s a way of staying connected to your loved ones who have died. Or it’s an intentional choice to unplug from the frenetic energy of doing and buying. Maybe you’ve created a unique tradition for yourself that allows you to stay close to your heart and listen to your body’s needs. Or you’ve reinvented and reimagined certain aspects of the holidays for you and your family.

What would you want to share about your grief practice that could help our listeners?

Send us a voice memo at this link, and you just might appear on our holiday episode.

You can also listen to our latest episode here.