Find a position on the ground that you can hold comfortably for this journey.
Use blankets,
Props,
Or pillows to create your ideal resting place.
When you have found a comfortable position,
Close your eyes and invite your body to relax into the nest you have created for yourself.
Bring attention to your natural breath.
Explore the depth or shallowness of each inhale and exhale.
Notice the area of your lungs you're breathing into.
Are your breaths shallow at the top of your lungs?
Are they expanding deeper into your mid-chest or does your breath reach all the way to the bottom of your lungs?
As you exhale,
Release any tension you are holding onto in your neck or chest.
Feel the ground your body is resting on,
Starting with your feet,
Moving up your calves,
Your thighs,
Your sitting muscles.
Notice the earth supporting your back as it presses into the ground.
Now moving to the back of your head,
Expanding your awareness to your entire body,
Allowing it to rest into this journey of healing.
Feel the heat setting in all around you.
The air becomes very warm.
Imagine that you are in a beautiful desert in the heat of the midday.
The ground below your feet is hard and rocky.
It is cracked from the dry heat of the air.
The sun is directly above you.
You can feel your skin absorbing every ray of the sun at its fullest.
Around you,
There are desert plants that have grown tall and strong despite the intense power of the sun.
Birds are enjoying the nectar of the bright flowers that crown the tall green cacti.
Even though the desert can be a challenging environment,
You can see life all around you in the desert shrub and the towering cacti.
The air is very dry and very hot.
The heat can be felt warming the top of your head and shoulders as you walk through this beautiful and rocky desert.
In the distance,
You can see a snow-capped mountain on the horizon.
It feeds a river that has carved its way through the mountain and flows into the heart of the desert.
You make your way towards the river to seek its relief and comfort from the powerful sun.
You are determined to reach the river that supplies the desert land with its refreshing cool water.
Although it appears like the river is beyond your reach,
You are closer than it seems.
As you travel towards the water,
A bird flies alongside you as though guiding you to this life-giving river.
You continue through the desert knowing that you will reach the sacred waters.
The strength and perseverance of your body and mind has led you to the cool waters of the gentle river.
Enter the waters and imagine how wonderfully cold the water feels.
It is supplied by the freshly melted snow from the top of the mountain.
The gentle sound of the water fills the air around you.
You submerge into the water,
Releasing any aches and tension from the journey across the arid terrain.
Life can be found in the water all around you.
There are fish,
Beetles,
Locusts,
And birds that flock to the sacred oasis to recharge.
There are a few trees clinging to the edge of the river,
Feeding their roots with the pure water that flows by.
The desert no longer feels so hot or dry as the water gently flows around you.
The heat and dust on your skin is carried away by the rejuvenating water.
A feeling of refreshment and renewal washes over your body.
Even the warmth of the blazing sun is welcomed as the cold water flows all around you.
As your body slips into comfortable bliss,
A feeling of complete trust and gratitude for the river travels through your body and mind.
Even in the heat of the desert,
Life finds a way not only to survive but to thrive.
Notice the coolness of the air that now surrounds you.
Feel your body laying upon the ground,
Your feet pressing into the floor.
Connect to your breath,
Noticing the natural rhythm.
Imagine the space around you,
The walls and ceiling,
The objects in that space,
Your body in the room.
It is time to invite your consciousness back into your physical body.
Slowly moving your fingers and toes,
Inhale,
Stretching your arms above your head or wherever they are comfortable.
When you are ready,
Open your eyes and slowly come back into a seated position.
Inhale,
Stretching your arms above your head or wherever they are comfortable.
