Advent meditation,
A light in the quiet.
Let's begin by arriving,
Taking some time to find a comfortable position,
Allowing your body to be held by the chair or the floor beneath you,
Letting the hands rest softly in your lap or by your sides.
And when you're ready,
Take a slow,
Gentle breath in.
And an even slower breath out.
Advent is a season of waiting.
Not a pressured waiting,
Not a striving,
But a soft,
Luminous waiting,
A quiet tending of the small flame within.
Taking another deep,
Intentional breath here,
As if you're creating space inside your chest,
In your own heart space,
For a tiny candle to glow.
With each exhale now,
Let the body grow a little heavier.
Allow your shoulders to drop,
Your jaw to loosen,
Your belly to soften.
Imagine the breath moving like a slow tide through you,
In and out,
Steady and unhurried.
There is nothing you need to achieve,
Nothing you must fix or do.
This is your moment of sanctuary.
This is the advent light.
Now,
Bring your attention to the centre of your chest,
To the heart space.
Imagine a small,
Warm light there.
Maybe it's the size of a seed,
Or a spark,
Or a single star just rising in the early evening.
The symbol of what is quietly growing within you.
Even if you cannot yet see its fullness.
With each breath,
Imagine this light becoming just a little steadier,
A little warmer.
Never rushing,
Never straining,
Simply brightening in its own gentle way.
You might feel a whisper of warmth,
A softening,
Or simply a sense of presence.
Nothing needs to happen,
The image itself is enough.
Advent teaches us that hope is often small at first,
A flicker,
A glow at the edges,
A sense of something kind and true making its way towards us.
Let your breath become the keeper of this hope,
Tending it,
Protecting it,
Nurturing it.
Imagine your inhale as a way of drawing in quiet strength,
And your exhale as releasing what has grown heavy,
Tired,
Or tangled.
Inhale,
Receiving.
Exhale,
Letting go.
Staying with this rhythm now for a few breaths.
Tending your inner flame.
As this meditation begins to close,
Feel now the gentle glow in your heart space.
However faint or strong it may be,
Know that it is yours.
Know that it will stay with you,
And receive these words.
May your inner light grow gently in this season of waiting.
May it guide your steps,
Soften your burdens,
And remind you that even in the quiet,
Something beautiful is already on its way.
Take one more slow breath in.
One long breath out.
And when you are ready,
Begin to return to the room,
The physical space you are in.
Wiggling your fingers,
Gently rolling your shoulders,
And opening the eyes or lifting the gaze whenever it feels natural.
