Be Still
One December morning, Janice sat in her living room, surrounded by ornaments, lights, and the smell of pine from the tree. Everything looked perfect on the surface, but she felt a hollow ache that she could not put into words. She also felt a twing of shame because this was the season that Jesus was born. This was supposed to be a time of celebration and joy. But Janice didn't feel joyful and she didn't know why.
She tried to name it: sadness, loneliness, loss? Nothing fit exactly. Janice found herself holding her breath, stiffening in her chair, trying to force the feelings away because the holidays were supposed to be happy. She decided to simply be still before the LORD.
Without an audible prayer, Janice visualized herself being held to God's chest and felt safe enough to allow herself to simply notice what was there, with no judgment or explanation.
To her surprise, in time, the feeling began to soften. It was not gone, but it was no longer locked away. That is the power of acknowledging grief.
The holiday season can be magical and joyful, filled with lights, laughter, and traditions we have held close for years. But for many people, the same season can also bring grief, even if we do not have words for it. Perhaps it is the empty chair at the table, a text that goes unanswered, or the sudden ache of memories from holidays past. Perhaps it is the quiet, unnameable sorrow of feeling disconnected from the warmth and connection we long for. The first step toward healing is simple, but powerful: noticing that grief exists and not blocking it.
Grief: The Body’s Truth Waiting to Be Felt
Grief does not always look like tears or wailing. It can be quiet, shapeless, and hard to define. Sometimes it shows up as restlessness, tension in the shoulders, emptiness in the chest, or a gnawing sadness that has no obvious trigger. The body remembers what the mind may not yet have understood. When we ignore these sensations, we inadvertently store them, allowing grief to linger without relief.
Grief is not a problem to fix. It is a natural response to life, love, and loss. Allowing it to surface, even when it feels inconvenient, painful, or uncomfortable, is the first step toward true healing. As difficult as it can feel, simply not blocking our grief can create space for the body, heart, and mind to begin processing what has been held inside.
Embodiment: Allowing the Body to Participate
Embodiment is a concept that might feel foreign, but it is surprisingly simple. It is the practice of letting your body express what it knows without judgment or interference. Most of us learned early to prioritize the mind over the body, intellectualizing emotions and experiences rather than feeling them. We think we're supposed to take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ. Oftentimes our feelings seem out of control and unholy. Trauma and grief, however, are not sin. And they are stored in the body. They reside in the muscles, the nervous system, the breath, and the subtle tensions we carry daily.
When we allow ourselves to embody grief, we give the body permission to release tension, process emotion, and move energy that has been trapped. Embodiment can be as simple as noticing your posture, softening your shoulders, letting a tear fall, taking a deep breath, rocking gently, or stretching when you feel tight. It can also be integrated with mindful awareness, where we simply observe the sensations rising and falling without trying to control them.
This is not “woo-woo” or unbiblical. It is a recognition that God designed the body to respond, release, and heal. To ignore the body is to ignore part of God’s creation, the vessel through which He experiences, carries, and expresses life with us. If you are experiencing grief this holiday season, we encourage you to let yourself feel what you feel. If this is new to you, it may be helpful to schedule time with one of our clinicians and learn tools and strategies for navigating the physical side of grief in a way that nurtures and supports your body.
Mindfulness: Presence Without Judgment
Mindfulness, at its core, is about presence. It is the act of observing without judgment, resisting neither the emotion nor the sensation. For many Christians, mindfulness may feel unfamiliar or even suspect, but it is not separate from faith. In fact, Psalm 37:7 encourages: "Be still before the LORD."
Mindfulness is the practical expression of being still within God's grace, without assessment or judgment of sin's presence. It is noticing that your chest tightens when you think about a lost loved one, or that your hands tremble when memories of childhood hurt rise up. It is sitting with these sensations and acknowledging them without trying to fix them or push them away. Mindfulness allows grief, embodiment, and the presence of God to intersect. It creates a safe internal environment where the body can release, the heart can soften, and the mind can witness without interference.
Somatic Therapy: Healing Through the Body
For many Christians, anything outside of prayer or Bible study can feel unnecessary or even unsafe. Somatic therapy may sound intimidating, but it is simply a method of helping the body participate in emotional and spiritual healing. Trauma and grief are not only emotional or spiritual experiences; they are physical experiences stored in the nervous system. Consider Psalm 6:6-7 when David says,"I'm wary from groaning all night I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears my eyes fail from grief; they grow dim from all of my foes."
Somatic therapy uses body awareness, breath, movement, and gentle touch to support the nervous system in completing the stress responses it could not finish in the moment of trauma or loss. It is entirely compatible with faith. It does not replace prayer, Scripture, or spiritual reflection. Instead, it complements them. When the body is allowed to release tension, shake, cry, or move naturally, the heart and mind follow. God works through this process, meeting us where we are and helping integrate what has been held inside.
The Intersection of Grief, Embodiment, Mindfulness, and God
Grief is emotional truth. Embodiment allows the body to participate in processing it. Mindfulness creates compassionate awareness. When these three meet, healing begins. And this is where Psalm 46:10 becomes profound: Be still and know that I am God.
Stillness does not mean shutting down emotion or pretending everything is fine. It means allowing the truth of your internal experience to be fully present, knowing that God is near. It is in this stillness that grief can soften, the body can release, and the heart can be held. Being still allows God to meet us in our very real human experience, confirming that we are never alone in our pain or our healing.
Why the Holidays Can Heighten Grief
December and the holiday season can magnify grief because they bring traditions, memories, and expectations into focus. Even people who normally manage well may find themselves overwhelmed by emotion they do not fully understand. Missing loved ones, reflecting on difficult years, or feeling the gap between idealized expectations and current realities can stir grief, sometimes in subtle ways that we cannot immediately name.
Recognizing this is important. You may not have a clear story for what you are feeling. You may not even know if it qualifies as “real” grief. That does not matter. The first step is simply noticing it. Pausing. Allowing the body to move, the heart to feel, and the mind to witness. Letting yourself be present with whatever arises, even if you cannot put it into words, is the beginning of healing.
Practical Steps for Healing During the Holidays
Here are gentle practices you can try, alone or with guidance, to integrate grief, embodiment, mindfulness, and spiritual presence:
Notice your body: Pay attention to tension, restlessness, or heaviness. Softening the body allows emotion to move.
Allow the feeling: When grief or sorrow arises, allow it to exist. You do not need to explain or fix it.
Breathe with intention: Slow, deep breaths signal to the nervous system that it is safe to release.
Use grounding techniques: Place your hands on your chest or stomach, rock gently, or feel your feet on the floor.
Journal or speak your truth: Speak aloud or write what you feel without editing.
Incorporate prayer: Invite God into your stillness. Speak from the heart. Listen. Be open to His presence.
Move if the body wants to move: Stretch, sway, shake, or pace. Movement helps process emotions physically.
These practices are simple, safe, and effective. They integrate spiritual, emotional, and physical healing without requiring you to be “perfect” in your faith or your process.
Counseling Can Help
Grief, trauma, and emotional overwhelm can feel isolating, especially during the holidays. At Boundless Hope, we offer a range of services to support the whole person:
Grief therapy to process loss safely
Trauma therapy for past wounds that continue to affect life today
Somatic therapy to release stored tension and complete the nervous system’s natural stress responses
Embodiment practices to reconnect mind, body, and spirit
Mindfulness integration to remain present and compassionate with yourself
You do not have to navigate grief alone. You do not have to suppress it or pretend it does not exist. Healing begins with noticing, being present, and allowing God to meet you in your heart, mind, and body.
Remember, grief is not weakness. It is a sign that what was lost, what was loved, or what was wounded mattered. Healing is not a linear process, but when grief, embodiment, mindfulness, and God intersect, your nervous system, heart, and spirit can begin to integrate and find relief.
This holiday season, choose to be still. Notice your grief. Let your body feel. Watch your heart soften. Allow God to meet you in your pain and your healing. You are not alone, and healing is possible.