Welcome to this guided meditation.
The purpose of this guided meditation is to take you on a journey.
A journey in your own mind.
Somewhere peaceful.
Somewhere soothing.
And somewhere that provides escapism for you.
The subject of this meditation is Shinrin-yoku,
Or the Japanese art of forest bathing.
We will explore the beauty of nature and its healing therapeutic properties through the power of our own minds.
So to begin with,
I want you to be comfortable.
Make sure that you're sitting in a neutral position.
Perhaps sitting upright so that your back is straight without being too rigid.
Or perhaps lying down so that you're comfortable.
But ensure that wherever you are,
You're able to concentrate on the meditation.
If there is a risk of you falling asleep,
It may be better to sit upright.
You can choose to sit on either a mat,
In a chair,
On the floor,
Or wherever is comfortable for you.
To help adjust your body to relax for this meditation,
Gently tilt your head back and forth three times,
But only as far as is comfortable.
And this is just to help loosen up your neck and give your muscles the chance to get rid of any underlying tension.
Then gently look to your left,
As far as is comfortable,
Over your left shoulder.
And then slowly move to look through the centre and over your right shoulder.
To your left.
And to your right.
To your left.
And to your right.
Now bring your head to a central position and rest so that your head,
Your neck and your spine are aligned.
This will help to allow energy,
Oxygen and blood flow evenly through your body as you enter your meditation.
Close your eyes.
We're going to take three deep breaths.
Nice and slowly inhale through your nose,
Feeling the air come into your body,
Feeling your tummy expand,
Then your lungs and lastly your chest as you breathe in.
Then slowly and steadily breathe out through your nose,
Releasing any tension that you may have.
Take another deep breath,
Really feeling that expansion in your body,
Feeling your muscles responding and the sensation of air entering your body.
And in your own time,
Slowly breathe out.
Try not to rush your out-breath,
It's just as important as your in-breath.
And finally take a third,
Deep,
Cleansing breath,
Really feeling that expansion in your body,
Drawing the air into your tummy,
Into your lungs,
Into your chest.
And breathe out,
Releasing any remaining tension with your exhale.
Breathing normally now,
Just take a few moments to centre yourself and focus on the flow of your breath.
Don't try to force anything or a particular pattern,
Just let the natural flow of air come in and out.
You may notice noises or movements around you,
Depending on where you are practising this meditation,
And that's okay,
They don't need to be distractions.
We can acknowledge their presence and choose not to let them participate.
If you notice any thoughts come into your mind,
That's okay too.
Simply acknowledge them and then let them drift away.
You don't need to dwell on them or give them any attention at this time.
This time is for your journey,
Nothing more,
Nothing less.
I want you to think about a forest.
It might be somewhere that you've been before,
Or somewhere that only exists inside you.
But it's somewhere that you feel comfortable,
Safe and at peace.
Above you there is a hint of golden sunlight around the green leaves that sway gently in the warm breeze.
It's a beautiful day.
The forest is light and spacious and there is a sense of freedom and openness.
Beneath your feet is a path and you can follow that path to lead you out of the forest.
You know that you cannot get lost on this path,
It can only lead you to a place of calm and peace.
The tall,
Swaying trees frame your path as you begin to walk forwards.
Notice the shape of the trees,
The texture of their bark,
The pattern of their roots where they anchor into the earth,
The gentle rustle of the leaves in the breeze.
There may be bird songs,
Or perhaps just the sound of your footsteps.
There is a familiar and reassuring sense of belonging and connection to the natural world.
You feel at peace here.
You are part of this wonder of nature.
As you walk,
The path starts to widen a little as you continue on your journey forwards.
Golden shafts of sunlight start to fall through the canopy of leaves above you.
And you notice that there are a number of flowers that line the path.
Beautiful,
Brightly coloured flowers guiding you forwards.
The brightening sun lights each one,
Bringing it to life.
Soft lilacs and snowy whites.
Deep indigos.
Brilliant blues.
Lush greens.
Glowing yellows.
Vibrant oranges.
And rich reds.
As you continue to follow the path,
Leaving the flowers behind you in their pools of sunlight,
You notice that the trees are starting to thin and that the path is coming to an end.
It's time to leave your forest now.
But know that you can always come back to it whenever you need to reconnect.
And you take the memory of the colours with you as you step out into the sunlight.
Taking a deep,
Cleansing breath in through your nose.
Invigorating your body with oxygen.
Feeling that energy flow through you.
And exhaling through your nose.
Releasing any tension that you may have been holding.
Resetting and settling your mind and your body.
Enjoy the sensation of calm and peace.
This moment of the day that you have carved out for yourself.
And when you are ready,
Open your eyes.
