Hi there,
This is Kathy Votaw,
And welcome to our tropical beach walk meditation.
This meditation incorporates mindfulness as we keep our mind's eye and our attention focused on the guided imagery,
As well as helping to calm our nervous system as we take a few breaths together.
I hope you've already found a cozy and comfortable space where you can spend the next few minutes in quiet.
This meditation is best enjoyed with your eyes closed if that's supportive for you.
First,
Let's take a couple breaths together just to get us a little bit more grounded and centered before we start the meditation.
Let's do a four,
Seven,
Eight breathing rhythm,
Inhaling for four,
Pausing for seven,
And exhaling for eight.
Let's begin.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Pause,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
One more,
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Pause,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven.
And exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
Great.
Now that we're just a little bit more settled,
Let me take you on a journey.
Imagine in your mind's eye stepping out onto a warm tropical beach.
You look around you and see brilliant,
Tall palm trees,
Colorful,
Exotic flowers everywhere.
You're in a postcard perfect oasis.
You glance down at your bare feet and see them softly enveloped in the powdery white sand.
You watch as you scrunch your toes a few times into the softness and then move your feet back and forth a little to feel a bit more grounded.
Next,
You look up and you start walking towards the water's edge.
As you walk,
You can hear the gentle waves crashing softly against the shoreline in front of you,
Beckoning you closer.
You can feel the joy and anticipation building inside you.
You reach the water's edge and pause.
Looking down,
You watch as the crystal clear turquoise water laps over your feet again and again.
The waves coming in and going out.
As you stand there,
You take a long,
Slow,
Deep breath in and out.
It brings with it the salty tang of the sea air and you can taste it on your lips.
You feel a warm breeze caress your face and lightly move through your hair.
This rhythmic sound of waves crashing gently on the shore become more pronounced.
A soothing symphony that harmonizes perfectly with the quiet rustle of the palm leaves swaying in the wind overhead.
As you stand here,
You begin to slowly scan the horizon from left to right.
You notice you're in a cove and can see to your left a lush landscape filled with palm trees and tropical plants as well as umbrellas and chairs and people enjoying a day at the beach.
You can just barely hear their happy voices mixed with a touch of tropical music playing.
As you slowly start to move your gaze to the right,
You can look out over the water and see the sun,
A radiant orb in the sky and can feel as it bathes your skin in warmth,
Inviting you to relax and let go of the day's worries.
As you continue to look out,
You see the endless expanse of blue water meeting the sky in a seamless embrace at the horizon.
The beauty of this moment fills you with a profound sense of peace and contentment.
With each breath,
You feel more and more connected to the natural world around you and grounded in the present moment.
This restorative oasis continues across the horizon until your gaze lands on the beach to the right.
Here,
You see that it is much quieter with only a few people stretched out on towels and blankets on the sand.
You turn to the right and start to slowly walk towards this area to take a few minutes to yourself.
With each step,
Your feet sink slightly into the sand,
Leaving behind fleeting footprints that mark your passage through this peaceful landscape.
You reach just the perfect spot on the beach where you plan to rest for a bit.
It's quiet and serene.
You reach into your bag and take out the soft white blanket you brought with you.
You find two corners and open it up into the breeze and watch as it billows down.
You begin to stretch it out on the sand,
Walking around the blanket,
Adjusting the corners,
Smoothing out the wrinkles,
Before finally taking a well-deserved seat.
First,
You're sitting cross-legged with your back nice and tall and straight,
Your head and eyes looking out over the blue water.
You gently place your palms on your thighs,
Closing your eyes.
You begin taking a few minutes to be mindful,
Taking in your surroundings,
Smelling the salt air,
Hearing the waves crashing,
Feeling the warm breeze against your sun-drenched skin.
When your time is done,
You very slowly begin to unfold your legs and stretch them out in front of you.
Taking your time,
You stand up and start to dust any sand off your hands and legs.
Walking to the back of your blanket,
You gently pick it up and begin to shake it out as you're taking in the last glimpses of this beautiful,
Restorative,
Healing oasis.
After packing your blanket back in your bag,
You turn and begin to walk back to your day.
This beach walk,
A simple journey along the water's edge,
Has been a meditative experience,
Leaving you rejuvenated,
Centered,
And ready to return to the world beyond the beach with a renewed sense of clarity and purpose.
