Let us start by finding a comfortable position to meditate from today.
Once you're comfortable in your space,
Root yourself into the ground.
Imagine your roots running deep.
There's no reason to fear a flood.
Settle your retention into the natural ebbs and flows of your breath.
Imagine your body as the banks in which your breath flows through.
Use your breath as a handrail to the present moment as I guide you through this meditation.
If you're struggling to settle into your space or your mind is very busy,
Then gently persevere.
Bring your mind back to your breath as many times as it takes.
Bring it back over and over again.
A river cuts through rock not because it's powerful,
But because it's persistent.
Every river starts from such humble beginnings,
Steadily growing in strength and size over time.
At source,
The river is fragile and innocent.
But once the river is in full flow,
It is strong,
Powerful,
And resilient.
Yet still it manages to retain the ability to have a softness,
Flexibility,
And beauty.
Every river starts its journey oblivious to the simple fact that all rivers,
Regardless of their advantages and disadvantages at source,
Are all heading to the same place,
The sea.
Some rivers are better than others at adapting themselves to whatever they encounter.
Some are better at gathering strength from the rivers they meet along the way.
But regardless,
All rivers are heading to the sea.
None of us know where we'll meet our sea or how long it will take us to get there.
However,
We will all have sections in our lives that will flow without any real sort of direction,
Idly meandering with no real plan or intention.
There will also be segments in our lives that will flow with purpose and direction,
Carving mountains,
Creating new landscapes,
Spreading life,
And ultimately filling oceans.
All rivers will flow with an inevitability.
That smooth waters will become rough,
Rough waters will become smooth.
Sometimes our river will run low,
Other times they will flood.
Obstacles will always get in our way,
Creating waterfalls and rapids,
Churning up old life sediment and muddying the waters.
But troubled waters will always pass.
Rivers will eventually slow to a gentle meander.
Rivers will always calm.
Old sediment will eventually settle.
There's no point comparing our journeys and paths with other rivers.
No point comparing our twists and turns.
After all,
The only certainty we share with other rivers is that we will all end up in the same place.
Our rivers will keep flowing until they merge with the sea.
Nothing can stop the flow of life,
So don't fight it.
Try not to hold on to things that slow you down and focus your energy on flowing forwards.
Take delight in the unknown adventures around every bend.
Enjoy the journey.
Focus your mind back onto your breath,
Savouring the gentle flow of each inhale and exhale.
Try to flow with the river of life and not against it.
Try not to battle the currents.
Try not to fight the inevitable changes in course.
Try not to go faster than the river intended.
Try to simply move in harmony with it.
Try to feel at home in the inevitable ebbs and flows of life.
Try to see the adventures waiting for you around every corner as an opportunity to learn and grow.
Remember that the landscape of life will always be changing,
And the river will always have to evolve by changing directions and the speed of its flow.
Have faith that your river will always end up where it's meant to go.
So don't fight the journey.
Slow down and flow with an ease and softness through the adventures of your life.
Enjoy the feeling of your breath flowing through the banks of your body.
Savour the sweet release from each calming and cleansing breath.
Life is teeming with countless fish and opportunities,
Just waiting for us to be present enough to see them,
Present enough to try and catch them.
If you don't allow yourself time to slow down,
You'll be fishing blindly,
Using nothing more than a simple rod and luck for bait.
But if we can make time to meditate regularly,
We can hone our patience,
Develop our clarity of thought,
Become focused,
Enabling us to fish with an expert's eye and a large net.
Ian Shamir offers sage advice.
Dear friend,
Go with the flow.
Be thoughtful of those downstream.
Slow down and meander.
Be clear.
Follow the path of least resistance for rapid success.
Immerse yourself in nature.
Trickling streams,
Roaring waterfalls,
Sparkles of light dancing on water.
Delight in life's adventures around every bend.
Let difficulties stream away.
Live simply and gracefully in your own true nature,
Moving,
Flowing,
Allowing,
Serene and on course.
Rough waters become smooth.
If you find yourself babbling,
Just smile.
Go around the obstacles.
Stay current.
The beauty is in the journey.
I'll leave you now to meander downstream and to explore your breath.
In a little while,
You will hear the chime of some bells.
When you do,
Keep your eyes closed and relax in the peace and stillness you've created.
Until then,
Enjoy.
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