Hello my friend,
It's time to slow down,
To rest your body and open your imagination.
Let's take a quiet journey together.
You don't need to do anything at all.
Just listen and breathe.
In.
.
.
And out.
Breathing in.
.
.
And out.
Now,
Let's take a journey together to the peaceful bushland.
Imagine yourself standing at the edge of a warm,
Gentle bushland.
The air feels soft like a cosy blanket around your shoulders.
Above you,
The sky is a calm blue and sunlight peeps through the gum leaves,
Making little dancing patterns on the earth.
As you step forward,
You notice how peaceful the bushland feels.
Tall trees stand quietly and soft grasses sway in the breeze.
You can hear the wind moving gently through the leaves.
Whoosh!
Like the land is breathing with you.
In.
.
.
And out.
Soon,
You hear a gentle humming sound floating through the air.
It's calm and steady,
Like nature's music.
These are cicadas,
The tiny bushland singers of Australia,
Sharing their song on a warm summer's day.
Even though cicadas are some of the loudest insects on earth,
Here,
Their sound feels soft and soothing.
Their song rises and falls slowly,
Never rushing.
Cicadas don't sing with their mouths.
Only the male cicadas make music and they use special drum-like parts on their tummy.
When the cicada moves them in and out,
They make a rhythmic clicking sound that turns into a beautiful song.
Isn't that interesting?
As you listen,
Your shoulders relax,
Your arms feel loose,
Your breathing stays slow and steady.
In.
.
.
And out.
You walk along a smooth,
Safe path.
With every step,
Your body feels more and more relaxed.
All around you,
The bushland feels alive,
But calm.
Cicadas rest on tree trunks and branches.
They are small insects with shiny wings that catch the sunlight like tiny rainbows.
The cicadas feel friendly and safe.
They are not here to bother you,
Only to sing.
Their song is part of the bushland,
Just like the trees and the sky.
If you look closely,
You might notice something curious about their faces.
Cicadas have five eyes.
Yes,
Really,
Five eyes.
Two big eyes on the side of their heads and three tiny ones on top.
These extra eyes help them notice light and dark,
Helping them know when it's time to rest and when it's time to wake.
Just like you know when it's time to be calm,
Time to sleep.
Most of cicadas' lives are spent underground.
Some cicadas rest beneath the soil for many,
Many years,
Even up to 17 years.
Wow!
Underground,
It is cool,
Dark and quiet.
They wait patiently,
Growing slowly near tree roots.
Cicadas are very patient creatures.
Thinking about that long,
Peaceful rest makes you feel calm too.
You don't have to rush.
Right now,
It is okay to be still.
Right now,
Resting is all you need to do.
Breathing in and out.
One cicada gently flutters onto a nearby leaf.
It stays still,
Letting you admire its delicate wings.
They look like tiny windows,
Light,
Strong and beautiful.
Cicadas are gentle creatures.
Even though they are big and noisy sometimes,
They don't bite,
They don't sting,
And they don't hurt people or animals.
They are peaceful bushland neighbours.
When cicadas finally wake up,
They emerge from the underground.
Then they climb up a tree and gently step out of their old skin.
You might see one of those empty shells on tree bark.
Brown,
Runchy and completely harmless.
That shell means the cicada has grown and changed.
They are now an adult.
Growing doesn't have to be noisy.
Sometimes it happens quietly.
Sometimes when cicadas wake up,
They do something amazing.
They all emerge together.
Millions,
Sometimes even billions at the same time.
Wow!
It's like the bushland is suddenly full of life.
There are so many cicadas that the birds who visit feel full very quickly.
When the birds are no longer hungry,
Many cicadas are able to stay safe.
This gives them time to sing,
To find one another,
And to gently lay their eggs,
Helping new cicadas grow for the future.
Nature has a clever way of keeping balance,
Making sure all life can continue.
Isn't that wonderful?
Did you know cicadas don't chew food like we do?
Instead,
They sip watery tree juice called sap using a tiny straw-like beak.
They drink so much of it that sometimes on a sunny day,
Little drops fall from the trees.
The cicadas begin to sing together now.
Their sound rises and falls like waves rolling onto a quiet shore.
Sometimes louder.
Sometimes softer.
Always steady.
Always soothing.
Their song reminds you that rest is important.
Just like cicadas spend so much time underground being quiet before they sing,
You are allowed to pause,
To breathe,
And to be still.
You find a comfortable place under a tree.
You can sit or lie down here,
Whatever feels best.
The earth beneath you feels steady and warm.
The tree above you feels strong and protective.
Take a deep breath in and out.
The cicada song becomes a gentle rhythm.
Your legs feel heavy and relaxed.
Your arms feel loose.
Your breathing is slow and easy.
Did you know that when cicadas sing together,
They create one big bushland chorus?
Their sound fills the air,
Reminding everyone that they belong right where they are.
As you listen,
Imagine the cicadas are singing a calm song just for you.
A song of safety,
Rest,
And peace.
A soft breeze moves through the bushland once more,
Rustling the leaves like a quiet whisper.
You feel safe here.
You feel calm here.
There is nothing you need to do but breathe in and out.
A warm golden light spreads gently through the bushland,
Wrapping around you like a gentle hug.
It fills your chest,
Your arms,
Your legs,
All the way to the tips of your toes.
Slowly the cicadas begin to quiet their song.
Some rest on branches,
Some hide among the leaves.
The bushland begins to settle into stillness.
Take a moment now to notice how you feel inside.
Calm,
Quiet,
And steady.
This peaceful feeling belongs to you.
You can carry it with you,
Just like the cicadas carry their song inside them.
Now,
Let's take a deep breath together in and out.
As you slowly bring your attention back to wherever you are,
Remember that calm and quiet feeling inside of you.
You can carry this gentle peace with you wherever you go.
And you can come back to this peaceful feeling whenever you need,
Anywhere and anytime you need.
You are safe.
You are calm.
And you may now continue to rest or gently move throughout your day again.
Bye for now,
My friend.
