Hello,
And welcome back to session two of Stillness Speaks.
My name is Colleen,
And today's practice is called Among the Redwoods,
A meditation on finding safety,
Strength,
And wonder.
This is your invitation to pause,
To breathe,
To listen,
And to return to the quiet space within.
I am so grateful you're here.
When I was a little girl,
I often felt like I didn't fit in.
I was very tall for my age,
And different from my peers.
That made me an easy target for bullying.
Those days were very hard,
And I spent a lot of time feeling unsafe,
But a couple times a year,
Our family would visit the redwood forests of Northern California.
My Norwegian grandmother told me those woods were home to gnomes and fairies,
And her stories made the forest come alive.
Among those towering trees,
I felt protected,
Rooted,
And part of something magical.
Today I want to take you into that forest,
So you can feel the same sense of safety,
Strength,
And wonder for yourself.
Please find a comfortable place to land,
Gifting yourself a moment to arrive wherever you are.
We begin with eyes gently closed.
Feel the ground beneath you,
Steady and unmoving.
Imagine it stretching down deep into the earth,
Like roots.
Now imagine those roots belonging to a giant redwood tree,
Its trunk rising higher than your eyes can see,
Its bark rough,
Weathered,
And wise.
Around you,
The forest breathes.
A cool mist hangs in the air.
Sunlight filters through branches far above.
The air smells of earth and rain.
Here in the hush of the forest,
You are safe.
The trees have stood for centuries,
Through storms,
Through drought,
Through time itself,
And they stand with you now.
This is a place where you can rest,
Where the world slows and the heart steadies,
Where wonder lives in every shadow and ray of light.
Let your shoulders soften.
Release your jaw.
Rest your hands gently.
Soften your belly,
Allowing your breath to move more freely.
Breathing slowly in and out through your nose.
No rush,
No forcing,
Just a steady,
Natural rhythm.
Continue breathing in and out through your nose.
And on your next inhale,
Silently repeat to yourself,
I am.
As you exhale,
Silently repeat,
Safe here.
Again,
Inhale,
I am.
Exhale,
Safe here.
Once more,
On your own.
Let the words wrap around you like the forest's embrace.
Let the breath root you deeply in this moment.
Feel the quiet strength of the redwoods within you,
Their roots anchoring you,
Their branches sheltering you.
Inhaling,
I am.
Exhaling,
Safe here.
The forest holds you the way the earth holds the trees.
Steady,
Protected,
At peace.
Let your awareness rest here,
In the calm,
Grounded presence of safety.
When thoughts arise,
Gently return to your breath.
Inhaling,
I am.
Exhaling,
Safe here.
My voice will be quiet for a little while.
Rest here in the stillness of the forest.
When you're ready,
Feel the earth beneath you.
Notice the weight of your body supported fully.
Begin to move your fingers and toes.
Roll your shoulders.
Take a deep breath in.
And an even deeper breath out.
When it feels right,
Softly open your eyes.
Like the redwoods,
You carry strength and resilience in your roots.
Safety isn't always about where you are.
Sometimes it's about what's within you.
May you be well.
May you remember this sense of safety whenever you need it,
And stand tall in your own quiet strength.
And may you always feel the wonder of the world around you.
