Welcome to the Pathways to Peace Starter Kit
Begin your healing journey with grounding tools, meditations, affirmations, and practical tips.
Find Stability and Strength
Morning Ritual: Setting the Tone for the Day
1. Affirmations
- Begin the day by reading or reciting 2–3 affirmations that resonate with your current feelings.
- Example: With each breath, I grow more grounded and centered.
2. Grounding Exercise
- Practice the Roots Visualization or Box Breathing for 2–5 minutes to center yourself before starting your day.
3. Gratitude Practice
- Write down one thing you are grateful for, no matter how small (e.g., a sunny day, a kind word from a friend).
Midday Ritual: Finding Calm During the Day
1. Breathing Break
- Take a 2-minute breathing pause using Mindful Breathing (e.g., inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 6).
- Pair this with a comforting affirmation: I am safe in this moment.
2. Sensory Awareness
- Use the 5-4-3-2-1 Exercise to ground yourself in the present moment, especially if you feel overwhelmed.
3. Gentle Movement
- Stretch or go for a short walk to release tension and reconnect with your body.
Evening Ritual: Releasing the Day
1. Reflection and Journaling
- Spend 5–10 minutes journaling about your emotions, memories, or challenges from the day.
- Use the journaling prompt : What brought me comfort or peace today?
2. Guided Meditation
- Listen to the included guided meditation to relax and transition into a restful state.
3. Healing Affirmation
- End the day with a soothing affirmation, such as: I release what I cannot control and welcome peace into my heart.
Throughout the Day: Managing Emotions
- Use the EFT (Tapping) Script to address overwhelming emotions as they arise. Spend 5–7 minutes tapping to calm your nervous system.
- Carry a comfort item (like a grounding stone or token) to touch whenever you feel disconnected or anxious.
Weekly Ritual: Deepening the Practice
- Dedicate one day each week to a more extended practice, such as journaling for 30 minutes, trying a new visualization exercise, or combining multiple tools for a mini-retreat at home. By weaving these tools into daily life, you can create a consistent, supportive routine that fosters healing, resilience, and peace over time.
Healing Affirmations
Words of Comfort and Empowerment
Practical Healing Tips
Gentle Guidance for Your Journey
Here are Practical Healing Tips to include in your Pathways to Peace Starter Kit, providing
survivors with actionable steps to navigate their grief and move toward healing:
1. Create a Daily Routine
Establish small, manageable routines to provide structure and a sense of control, such as
waking up and going to bed at consistent times, enjoying a cup of tea, or journaling for 5
minutes.
2. Stay Hydrated and Nourished
Grief can take a physical toll. Remember to drink water, eat nourishing meals, and avoid
skipping meals, even if appetite is low.
3. Get Fresh Air
Spend time outdoors daily, even if it’s just sitting on a porch or walking to the mailbox.
Nature can provide calming and grounding effects.
4. Limit Overwhelm
Break tasks into small, manageable steps. For example, instead of “clean the house,” start
with “clear one corner of a room.”
5. Practice Mindful Breathing
Use simple breathing exercises, like inhaling for 4 counts, holding for 4, and exhaling for
6, to calm your mind and reduce stress.
6. Connect with Support
Reach out to a trusted friend, support group, or therapist. Sharing your feelings can help
ease the weight of grief.
7. Allow Yourself to Rest
Grief is exhausting. Give yourself permission to nap, sleep in, or take breaks without
guilt.
8. Journal Your Feelings
Write down your emotions, memories, or even letters to your loved one. Journaling can
help process complex feelings and release emotional tension.
9. Limit Exposure to Stressful Media
Avoid overwhelming news or social media that may heighten anxiety. Instead, seek
uplifting or neutral content.
10. Celebrate Small Wins
Acknowledge and celebrate even the smallest achievements, such as taking a shower or
making a meal. Each step forward is a sign of resilience.
11. Use a Comfort Item
Carry or wear something meaningful, like a piece of jewelry or a photo of your loved
one, to feel their presence and connection.
12. Practice Gratitude
Each day, note one thing you’re grateful for. It can be as simple as a warm cup of tea or a kind word from a friend.
These tips can be presented as a checklist or a beautifully designed printable resource, making it
easy for participants to integrate them into their daily lives.
Meditation Vault
Guided Pathways to Calm, Clarity, and Healing
You’re not alone. This is the first step toward a more peaceful and resilient you.
Dear Friend,
First, let me say how deeply sorry I am for the loss that brought you here. I know the weight of grief after losing a loved one to suicide—it can feel isolating, overwhelming, and at times, impossible to bear. Please know this: you are not alone. I see you, and I honor the incrediblestrength it takes to simply be here, reading these words, searching for a glimmer of healing.
I created this Pathways to Peace Starter Kit with you in mind. When I first began my own healing journey, I was lost. The pain felt like it would swallow me whole, and I didn’t know where to turn. Over the years, I’ve discovered tools and practices that helped me find moments of peace, anchor myself in the present, and, most importantly, begin to rebuild a life that felt meaningful and whole again. These tools became my lifeline, and now, I want to share them with you.
The practices you’ll find here are gentle yet powerful steps toward resilience. They’re not meant to “fix” your grief—grief isn’t something to be fixed. Instead, they’re here to support you, to remind you that even in the midst of deep pain, moments of calm and connection are possible. Healing is not about forgetting or moving on; it’s about learning to carry your loved one’s memory in a way that brings comfort instead of only sorrow.
Take your time with this kit. Maybe today, all you can do is breathe deeply for a few moments. That’s enough. Or perhaps you’re ready to try a grounding exercise, write in your journal, or recite an affirmation. Whatever step you take, no matter how small it feels, is a courageous act of self-care and love. I want you to know that healing is possible. It doesn’t happen overnight, and it’s not a straight path—but it is a journey worth taking. Along the way, you will discover strength you didn’t know you had, and you’ll begin to see that even in the shadow of loss, there is light.
You’ve already taken a brave first step by opening this kit. I am so proud of you. Please keep going. One moment at a time, one breath at a time. And remember, you are never alone on this journey.
With compassion and love,
Jayne Madigan
A Fellow Survivor and Your Companion on the Path to Peace