Hello.
Welcome to this meditation,
Embracing the Sunset,
A Journey of Letting Go.
I invite you to find a comfortable position,
Either seated or lying down,
Whatever feels most best for you,
Allowing your body to settle in,
Letting your hands rest gently,
Perhaps on your lap,
Down by your side,
Or on your belly,
Again,
Whatever feels most comfortable for you.
If your eyes are open,
Perhaps softly closing them or softening your gaze,
Noticing how your body feels as you settle in.
Lengthening your spine,
Feeling the connection of the earth beneath you,
Supporting you.
As we prepare for this meditation that will guide you through the colors and symbolisms of a sunset,
Perhaps inviting calm,
Reflection,
And renewal,
I invite you to notice your breath,
Observing.
There's no need to change it.
Observing your own natural rhythm,
The rising and falling of your belly and chest with each inhale and exhale,
That life force that runs through you,
Automatic.
Inhale and exhales.
On your next inhale,
I invite you to inhale to the count of four,
Feeling the air fill your lungs,
And then exhale slowly to the count of six,
Letting go of anything that doesn't serve you.
Let's try that.
Inhaling,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhaling,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
You can try it on your own,
Your own pace.
Play with the counts,
Perhaps having inhales and exhales be equal or your exhales be longer than your inhales.
When ready,
I invite you to return to your own natural rhythm of breathing.
Ritchie Norton said,
Every sunset is an opportunity to reset.
On your next inhale,
I invite you to imagine yourself sitting quietly,
Watching the sun begin its descent.
See the sky painted in hues of gold,
Orange,
Pink.
With each breath,
Let the colors fill your mind and body.
I invite you to bring awareness to the top of your head,
Imagining the colors of the sunset enveloping you,
The rich hues of the gold,
Orange,
And pinks,
Allowing these colors to nurture you,
Surround you.
Breathing them in,
Slowly scan down through your body,
Your forehead,
Jaw,
Shoulders.
With each out breath,
Release any tension or anything that doesn't serve you.
Continue scanning through arms,
Chest,
And feet,
Feeling the support of the earth beneath you.
As Tara Brach reminds us,
Feel the earth receive you and the infinite expanse of sky grow even wider as your awareness reaches up to meet it.
The sky with its beautiful sunset.
As the sun lowers,
Imagine its warmth gently softening and nurturing you.
Bo Taplin reminds us that sunsets are proof that endings can be beautiful too.
I invite you to notice the gradual shift from brightness to twilight,
The way light surrenders to the coming night,
While you allow yourself to rest in its transition,
Embracing the symbolism of letting go,
Completion,
And renewal.
The beauty of the sunset before the transition to twilight,
The ray and hues of colors,
Resting in the spaciousness of this moment.
As Jack Kornfield teaches,
Rest where you are.
It is always now,
The eternal present.
Let yourself become the witness of all things,
As memories,
Luminous images,
Sunsets,
The joys and pains that arise are an endless creative display,
Appearing and dissolving.
Resting and observing in the sunset,
Sunset that you created,
Enveloping you,
Nurturing you.
It's a rhythm of life,
Sunset,
Completion,
Ending,
Ending before the next sunrise,
Cycle.
When you are ready,
I invite you to bring gentle movement,
Perhaps moving your fingers and toes,
Noticing how your body feels as you welcome yourself back into the space.
Gentle stretches,
Being kind to your movement.
If your eyes are closed,
Gently fluttering them open.
I invite you to take a deep breath in through your nose,
And exhale slowly through your mouth.
Morgan Harper Nichols reminds us that there is something magical about the way a sunset can make us feel at peace,
Grateful,
And alive all at once.
Remembering the sunset that you created.
May this meditation be a reminder that you can come back at any moment.
You too can create your sunsets.
Opening to the promise of each new day.
Thank you for joining in this meditation.
