What is a letting go meditation?

One of the biggest challenges of the human condition is how difficult it can be to move on from the past. We are able to use our minds to actively rehash and relive past experiences, this practice can cause us emotional and mental suffering and prevent our ability to live in the present moment, enjoying new experiences and choices.

We can use meditation in a number of ways to help us let go of the past, as well as letting go of anger and other challenging emotions. There is no single meditation on letting go, and in this blog we discuss some different methods of meditation about letting go, as well as offering you a letting go meditation script and a free letting go guided meditation to help you on your journey.

For more personalised guidance to help you with letting go, in whatever way you need, contact us for meditation coaching and private guided meditation sessions.

Meditation for letting go

During our work with clients, we are often asked for a session involving a letting go of the past meditation. Most people understand that holding onto some past experiences causes difficulties in their present life, but are unable to find a path forward.

The guided meditations we give are unique to each person and situation but we have included a short guided meditation for letting go of the past here for you to try.

Guided meditation on letting go

How can we use meditation for letting go of the past?

One of the primary experiences of meditation is being brought into the stillness of the present moment. In meditation we prioritise sensations in the body, the breath, mantras and positive visualisation - among many other possibilities - over the thoughts of the mind. With practice, this can train your mind towards catching thoughts which cause you emotional suffering at their beginning and choosing to place your focus elsewhere before they grow and spiral. Thoughts that are not given energy, eventually desist.

When it comes to letting go of the past, meditation can be like a training centre, a place you come to practice placing your focus on that which makes you feel at peace. It is a conscious effort, just in the same way you may visit a gym to make a conscious effort to increase your aerobic stamina. The more you come to your training centre, the easier you find it to realign your focus in day to day life.

The above is a likely outcome of meditation, no matter what style of meditation you try. The more regularly you practice, the more easily you will be able to draw on the tool when you need it most. When it comes to something more specific, like a meditation for letting go of someone, a visualisation meditation can provide a powerful outlet for moving forward.

Letting go meditation, guided visualisation

In a visualisation meditation, we use the power of our imagination, our inner sight, to transport ourselves to a place of our choosing. We can then fill this visualisation with anything we choose. By creating the visualisation in detail, taking the time to experience sounds, colours, textures and aromas, our system reacts in a very real way to it. We can then use this visualisation to say goodbye to a loved one, to offer words of forgiveness or perhaps to let a person walk away from us while we maintain a feeling of peace, or are surrounded by supportive beings, who allow us to feel that we are not alone. We can return to this practice as many times as we need, and in this way work through a challenging experience. This is a great method of meditation for forgiveness and letting go.

When using a visualisation meditation in this way, it is important to have diligence about creating a place of safety, peace and love. Visualising the situation with pain and sadness over and over again is just a heightened version of the thoughts of suffering and won’t be helpful in aiding you to let go. If you are not an experienced meditator, or you are not sure how to create a safe visual space, it is best to ask for guidance. There are many guided visualisation meditations available online, or you can contact us for an in person or virtual session, tailored to your specific needs.

Letting go of anger meditation - a how to

Anger is generally described as a secondary emotion; this means that it is a cover story for another emotion you are less comfortable with expressing, such as fear or sadness, or that anger comes about as a result of something else, such as a feeling of something being unfair. Some experts believe that anger can also be a primary emotion, something that is experienced on it’s own. You can spend some time considering this; learning to be open to exploring your own experience of emotions is a great way to start navigating through them with more ease when they occur.

The next time you feel anger rising, you may be able to notice it, and ask yourself ‘what am I angry about?’, and start unpacking the complex emotion into smaller, more manageable pieces.

‘What am I angry about?’

‘I’m angry because of what they just said to me!’

‘Why did what they said make me so angry?’

‘Because it’s a lie! I’m not like that at all!’

‘Why don’t I like that they think I’m like that?’

‘Because I place value on being the opposite kind of person.’

‘Is this person someone who it matters what they think of you?’

‘Yes’

‘Will being angry make them think highly of you?’

‘No’

‘Talk to them when you’re calmer, maybe you can see something you could have done differently to be more like the person you wish to be, maybe it’s something of their own to work through. If they matter to you it’s worth taking the time.’

During the pause, some of the strong sensation will have dissipated and it will be easier to communicate effectively.

If your anger is connected to something from the past that you’ve been unable to let go of, try the visualisation meditation method suggested above.

Try this simple breathing meditation for letting go of anger.

Find a comfortable place to sit, or lie down if sitting isn’t comfortable for your body - take a look at our Best Meditation Postures blog for guidance.

Take a moment in your seat to let your body come to full rest, the body will likely be drawn to fidget in periods of anger, give yourself the space and time to find stillness, there’s no need to rush.

Place your hands palm downwards on your thighs or the ground, feel your energy being drawn downwards.

Close your eyes, if you haven’t already, and take your attention to your breath. Breathe fully, from the base of your navel, all the way to the top of your chest. As you exhale, allow the breath to completely leave your body and take a short pause before you breathe in again.

Allow your breath to come slow and full, breathing in and out through your nose, pausing at the top and the bottom of your breath now.

Keep your awareness on the sensation of the breath, the rise and fall of your abdomen and chest, the sensation of breath in your nostrils. Notice if you can feel your breath in your arms, legs, fingers and toes. Explore breathing.

If your mind wanders, as you notice, just bring your awareness back to your breath, without frustration. It’s normal for the mind to do this.

Stay as long as you wish; when you are ready to return become aware of the ground beneath you again and make some small movements in your body. Wriggle your fingers and toes, and stretch and sway as you like.

When you feel ready you can open your eyes.

Letting go of fear meditation

Many of us have fears and anxieties which make it difficult to do certain things that we would otherwise like to do. This can be extremely frustrating and can lead to challenging feelings of shame and resentment towards the self and towards others who aren’t able to understand or help.

As we build a regular meditation practice we often notice that we become more fearless, more accepting of the many risks associated with life, and more certain that ultimately we will be ok. This could be due to the decrease in stress related hormones that meditators experience, and the increase in other chemicals that tend to make us feel calm, safe, rested and happy. Others note an increased feeling of connection to something divine, and this can have the effect of an increased feeling of safety and wellbeing.

When feelings of fearfulness arise, you can use the techniques and tools discussed previously in this blog to help overcome the uncomfortable sensations and prevent a spiralling in the mind that can lead to increased feelings of fear and anxiety.

If you are working to move past a particular fear, we recommend speaking to a coach or guide about creating meditations that can help you.

What else can I use a letting go meditation for?

Letting go of control meditation
Meditation for letting go of a relationship
Letting go of ego meditation
Letting go of stress meditation
Healing and letting go meditation
Letting go of grief meditation
Meditation for forgiveness and letting go
Letting go of resentment meditation
Letting go of attachment meditation
Meditation letting go of the past
Meditation on letting go of someone

Letting go meditation - further resources

Jason Stephenson letting go before sleep (guided meditation)

Letting go meditation script pdf

Tara Brach meditation: letting go

Jack Kornfield letting go meditation

Melody Beattie language of letting go daily meditation

Letting go Meditation Exercise

We’d love to hear about your experiences with the meditations and exercises we’ve suggested in this blog. Please get in touch with us directly, or leave a comment below.

Letting Go Meditation - how we can use meditation for letting go + FREE guided meditation for letting go