Welcome to this Mountain Meditation.
Let's begin by getting comfortable.
This meditation is best done in a seated position,
Either on the floor,
A cushion or on a chair if that's possible for you,
Otherwise in any position that feels right,
Closing your eyes or lowering your gaze.
Begin by paying attention to the sensations of contact,
The places where your body contacts the floor or the chair or the cushion,
Sensing any support that might be available.
Becoming aware of your body,
Where possible allowing any tension to release.
Feeling into your feet,
Legs,
Hips,
Abdomen,
Chest,
Arms,
Shoulders,
Neck,
Head.
Feeling yourself connected to the ground,
To the earth.
Becoming aware of the breath,
Feeling each breath as it comes and goes,
Letting the breath be just as it is,
Without trying to change or regulate it in any way,
Allowing it to flow easily and naturally,
With its own rhythm and pace.
Knowing you are breathing perfectly well right now,
Nothing for you to do.
Now bringing to mind the image of the most beautiful mountain you know or can imagine,
Visualising it in as much detail as you can.
If visualising doesn't come easy to you,
Allowing a felt sense of the mountain,
Strong,
Majestic,
Grounded.
Perhaps your mountain has snow covered peaks or is covered in lush forest.
Perhaps it has rugged granite sides with streams and waterfalls cascading down the slopes.
Picturing your mountain as best you can,
In as much detail as you can,
Strong,
Majestic,
Grounded.
Now as best you can,
Imagining yourself as the mountain,
Your head as the peak,
Your arms as the slopes,
Your bottom and legs as the base,
Rooted to your cushion or your chair or the floor.
Feel yourself grounded,
You are one with the earth.
It is springtime on the mountain,
The sun is shining,
The air has a hint of warmth,
Trees are bursting with new leaves,
There are flowers blossoming,
Animals are caring for their young,
Insects are buzzing,
Life is everywhere.
And you notice it all as the mountain,
Strong,
Majestic,
Grounded.
Day turns to night and night turns to day,
The days get longer and the nights get shorter.
Summer comes to the mountain,
Some days are hot,
Swelteringly so,
Animals seek shelter in the shade,
Some days the wind blows softly,
Other days it's harsh.
Summer rains can fall gently,
At other times violent thunderstorms hit unpredictably.
And you notice it all as the mountain,
Strong,
Majestic,
Grounded.
Day turns to night and night turns to day,
The days get shorter and the nights get longer.
Autumn comes to the mountain,
The air gets cooler,
Leaves turn colour,
Red,
Orange,
Yellow,
Animals make preparations for the winter or leave,
Some days are still warm but others are cold.
And you notice it all as the mountain,
Strong,
Majestic,
Grounded.
Day turns to night and night turns to day,
The days get much shorter and the nights get earlier.
Winter comes to the mountain,
Many of the trees are barren,
Animals are seldomly seen,
Insects have all but disappeared.
Some days the sun still shines,
Other days it is bitterly cold,
Rain falls,
Hail,
Snow blankets the land in a sea of whiteness.
People come to visit the mountain,
Some comment on how beautiful it is,
Or how it's not a good day to see the mountain,
That it's too cloudy or rainy.
And you notice it all as the mountain,
Strong,
Majestic,
Grounded.
Day turns to night and night turns to day,
The days start to get longer again and the nights get shorter.
A whole year has passed,
Spring returns to the mountain,
Flowers bloom in the high meadows and slopes,
Birds sing in the trees once again,
Streams overflow with the waters of melting snow.
And you notice it all as the mountain,
Strong,
Majestic,
Grounded,
Embodying a sense of calm and wholeness regardless of the weather or season.
We can bring these qualities of the mountain into our everyday lives,
Remaining grounded regardless of the external conditions,
Not ignoring or denying the weather of our lives,
Holding it in awareness with compassion and wisdom.
In the time that remains I invite you to continue to sustain the mountain meditation on your own,
And when it feels okay to do so,
Gently opening the eyes and returning to the room to close the meditation.
