Mother’s Day might feel tender, heavy, or unexpectedly calm. However it finds you this year, know this: Your grief matters. Your bond still exists. And you get to shape how you carry your mother's memory forward.
Grieving on Mother’s Day can bring a unique kind of ache. For some, it’s the absence of a mother who was a source of comfort. For others, it’s the complexity of a relationship that never felt safe or fulfilling. And for many, it’s both—a tangle of love, longing, and loss. No matter your story, if you feel the desire to stay connected to your mother—or to someone who mothered you—this practice is for you.
Whether your mom died recently or long ago, whether she was your biological, adoptive, or chosen mother, this day may stir something deep. That pull toward connection doesn’t mean you’re stuck. It means you’re human. And you deserve a way to honor that connection in a way that fits your grief and your truth.
This guided reflection draws from the Life Imprint Meditation, a practice adapted from the work of grief researchers C.J. Vickio and Robert Neimeyer, who emphasized that love doesn’t end when life does—it transforms. Through this lens, we explore how those we’ve lost continue to shape our identity, our values, and even how we care for ourselves.
Before You Begin
Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed for a few minutes. You might light a candle, wrap yourself in a soft blanket, or hold something that reminds you of your mom or your connection to her. Let this be a gentle space.
Guided Meditation: The Life Imprint
Close your eyes and begin by noticing your breath. Let each inhale bring you into the present moment, and each exhale release just a little of what you’ve been carrying.
Now, gently call your mother—or the person who filled that role—to mind. Not as a perfect image, but as a real person. Let her presence take shape in your memory or imagination: her voice, her scent, her energy. It may feel tender, conflicted, warm, painful, or all of the above. Let whatever comes arise without judgment.
Now, ask yourself:
- What part of her lives on in me?
- What beliefs, habits, or phrases have I carried forward—whether I wanted to or not?
- What values or quirks do we share?
- What do I still long for from her?
- What would it look like to offer that to myself now?
If your relationship with your mom was strained or painful, this meditation can also help you identify what you’re choosing to release or transform. The imprint may include things you’re healing from—not just qualities you want to keep. Let that be part of the reflection.
Continue breathing. Let yourself sit with the presence of this connection—not to fix anything, but simply to notice what’s there.
Journaling Prompt
After the meditation, take a few minutes to write freely. Begin with:
Dear Mom, I want you to know…
Let the words flow without editing. This is for you, not for anyone else. If the relationship was complicated, you might try this instead:
What I needed from you, and what I’m learning to give myself…
This is an invitation to reflect—not to resolve. The goal isn’t closure. It’s connection.
You’re Not Alone
In my grief support groups, we often return to the Life Imprint Meditation around Mother's Day. It helps people name what remains—even when someone is no longer physically here. It also opens the door to something equally important: reparenting. For those who didn’t get the love they needed, or who felt unseen or harmed, this practice can be the beginning of learning to tend to those unmet needs with compassion and care.
If you’d like to explore this more deeply in community, you're welcome to join the Awaken Grief Support Group or work with me privately in a grief counseling session. Together we can hold space for grief in all its forms—messy, quiet, beautiful, and real.
