Welcome to step back from your thoughts.
I'm so glad you're here.
So,
Wherever you are today,
Whether your mind feels peaceful,
Busy,
Uncertain,
Or just tired,
Know that you are here right now.
And you don't need to quiet your thoughts before we begin.
You simply need to be here in this moment.
So find your comfy space warm and cozy gently close your eyes feel your body begin to soften Take a long,
Slow,
Comfortable breath in.
And a long easy breath out.
Breathing in.
And as you breathe out,
Allow your shoulders to soften.
You too,
Bella.
Your neck is soft.
Relax the muscles around your eyes.
Feel your hands becoming a little heavier.
Your body knows how to soften,
So just allow.
Allow your body to release into this moment.
So you may notice there are thoughts moving through your mind,
Maybe plans,
Memories,
Questions,
Concerns or little conversations.
So in this session,
We're not trying to stop your thoughts,
But we're simply discovering that you don't have to follow each one of them.
So now just visualize that you are standing beside a beautiful woodland river.
It's not a rushing torrent but a peaceful river that has flowed through this landscape for many years.
The air is fresh here and there are tall trees that are reaching towards the blue sky and their leaves are moving so gently in the breeze.
Birdsong is drifting through the woodland and sunlight is filtering through the branches and it's creating soft patterns of light upon the water.
Take a slow breath in and just simply arrive here.
Notice all the colors around you,
The sounds,
The gentle rhythm of the river and the nature around you.
And this place it is simply welcoming you.
As you look towards the river you notice something interesting.
Each leaf that is floating along the water carries a thought.
Some leaves are moving slowly and some are drifting more quickly.
One thought on one leaf might be saying,
What if tomorrow is difficult?
And another whispers.
I should have done that differently.
Another wonders,
Am I enough?
Some of your thoughts might feel quite small but others seem much louder.
Yet every single leaf continues downstream.
None remain forever.
So watch them with quiet curiosity.
There's no need to reach for them just notice.
Take a deep breath in.
Pause,
Feel the quiet within.
Breathe out,
Letting go.
Now you realize that you've actually been standing ankle deep in the river.
And each thought is gently tugged at your attention.
And each current has invited you to follow.
And this is simply because that's what minds naturally do.
I think.
They imagine,
They remember,
They create.
They try to protect us,
To solve our problems,
And that is its nature.
So offer your mind a little kindness today.
Because it has been working hard for you.
And now,
Very gently,
You take one small step backwards.
It's just one step.
And as your foot touches the soft grassy bank,
Everything changes.
The river continues flowing exactly as before.
And the leaves,
They continue drifting downstream.
The thoughts continue to come and continue to go.
But now you are no longer standing in the current,
You are standing safely beside it.
So just take a slow breath in,
Feel the steady earth beneath your feet and just notice how solid it feels,
How calm,
How supportive.
The river is still flowing but it no longer carries you away.
To spend a few quiet moments here.
Watching Breathing,
Allowing.
Just notice the stillness.
The coral.
You might notice another thought arriving and maybe it's one that feels so familiar to you.
But instead of climbing a board,
Simply smile gently to yourself.
There you are and just watch that thought continue on its journey.
Another arrives.
You notice it and you let it pass.
Another one.
And another one.
And just like the leaves floating downstream.
Each one is appearing,
Remaining for a moment.
And then disappearing around the bend.
Any thoughts or worries or concerns?
Just to let them drift away.
And as you continue standing on this riverbank,
You begin to notice something even deeper.
The river it has always been changing yet the riverbank has remained.
And this riverbank is so steady,
Quiet,
Patient.
And you begin to realize you are not every passing thought.
You are the quiet awareness that is noticing them.
And that is the calm presence.
That has been within you all along.
Because thoughts change,
Feelings change,
Days they change and the seasons change too.
But this beautiful place within you remains.
So rest here for a while.
Breathing gently.
Feel the flow of your breath Yeah.
And the gentle breath flowing out.
Take a moment to reflect on the quietness within you,
The stillness.
Your mind is so quiet now.
And you can rest in this moment taking the time.
To be with this awareness.
With who you are.
You are feeling so supported by the earth beneath your feet.
You are held by the magnificent trees around you.
And you feel so comforted.
By the simple rhythm of flowing water.
Now you notice a soft breeze moving through the woodland.
The leaves above shimmer with light.
A robin lands on a nearby branch.
Somewhere in the distance,
You hear the gentle call of another bird.
Life is continuing beautifully around you.
Without hurry.
And nature never asks the river to stop flowing.
It simply allows it to be.
Maybe you can offer yourself that same kindness.
Because you don't have to stop thinking or become perfectly calm.
You only need to remember that you can step back.
Again.
And again.
And again.
And remember that every gentle breath you take can create a little more space.
And every pause reminds you that you are more than the stories passing through your mind.
Now place one hand softly over your heart.
Feel its quiet warmth.
And just silently to yourself repeat these words.
I do not have to believe every thought.
I can choose where I place my attention.
There is peace beneath the noise.
And with each breath.
I return to myself.
Just breathe those words into your heart.
Just letting them rest within you.
Beautiful Now bring your hand down back to your lap.
You once again look towards the river.
The leaves are continuing their journey.
The water is sparkling in the morning light.
Everything is exactly as it should be.
And now you know something that you might have forgotten.
And that is that you always have a choice.
So when your thoughts begin to race,
When worry feels loud and when uncertainty appears,
You really don't have to jump into the current because you can pause,
Take one gentle breath,
Step back.
Feel the steady ground beneath your feet.
And remember your quiet riverbank within that has always been there,
Waiting patiently for you to return.
So notice your breathing once more,
The gentle rise.
And the gentle fall of your chest.
Feel the support beneath your body and the sounds all around you.
Maybe roll your shoulders if that feels good and give yourself a gentle stretch.
Slowly open your eyes and carry this feeling with you today.
It's not the absence of thought,
But the comforting knowledge that whatever your mind might be saying,
There is this peaceful place within you.
And that is a place you can return to.
One gentle breath and one gentle step back at a time.
So thank you so much for sharing this quiet moment with me.
And may you move through the rest of your day with a little more space,
A little more ease and the comforting reminder that beneath every passing thought your true nature is calm,
Steady and wonderfully at peace.
Namaste,
My friend.
