This visualization will help create a mental image of a place that can feel peaceful and safe.
And so beginning by finding a comfortable position to be in for the next few minutes,
Closing the eyes if that's comfortable,
Or you can feel free to leave the eyes open,
Simply settling into a softened gaze.
And allowing the body to relax into the seat or the mat,
Noticing if there are any areas that are tense or tight or holding,
And seeing if you can soften and release into any of these areas,
And initially bringing attention to breath sensations,
Finding the place where you feel sensations of breath most vividly.
This may be at the tip of the nose or the edge of the lips,
The chest or the abdomen,
And simply resting attention at this place for a few breath cycles.
Each time the mind does what it naturally does and pulls you into distractions or thoughts or images,
Simply notice that you've been pulled away,
And without adding to the story,
Adding judgment,
Simply returning attention to breath sensations.
And now bringing to mind a place,
A place you imagine being calm and peaceful.
This may be a place you've been to,
A place you've dreamed of going to,
A place you've seen a picture of,
Or a place you create in your mind's eye.
And with the image of this peaceful place,
Bringing attention to the senses,
Beginning with the sense of sight,
And looking around your peaceful place,
Noticing what you can see,
Noticing landscapes,
Objects,
Sounds,
Colors,
Shapes.
And now directing the focus of attention to the sense of hearing in your peaceful place,
And noticing sounds,
Nearby sounds,
Faraway sounds,
Noticeable sounds and subtle sounds.
And perhaps silences that interrupt sound.
Now shifting attention to the sense of smell and noticing aromas in your peaceful place,
Earthiness,
Freshness,
Saltiness.
And now shifting attention to the sense of touch and noticing skin sensations in your peaceful place,
The temperature of air,
Any movement of air,
The earth beneath you,
Or whatever may be supporting you,
And anything else you may be able to touch.
And now directing attention to emotions while in your peaceful place,
And noticing how you're feeling,
Breathing deeply into this emotion.
Now expanding the field of awareness to include all of these senses while in your peaceful place.
Sights,
Sounds,
Smells,
Touch,
And emotions.
Noticing sensations in the body as you visualize all of the senses in your peaceful place.
While in your peaceful place,
You might imagine a word or phrase representing your place.
It may be a name,
An emotion,
A sense.
Repeating this word or phrase brings up the images,
Sensations,
And emotions of being here.
So noticing sensations in the body as you silently repeat the word or phrase.
Now gradually beginning to leave your peaceful place,
Expanding attention to breath sensations,
Noticing the mind's tendency to leap forward into the future as though that moment may in some way be better than this one.
And so taking a moment to rest,
Savoring any sense of grounding or calm this practice may have brought the mind and the body.
And on the next exhalation,
Extending it just a little bit longer,
And gradually,
As you're ready,
Releasing attention from the practice and opening the eyes if they were closed.
This is a practice that you can bring with you anywhere,
Recalling the visualization of your peaceful place,
Perhaps a thought or an emotion.
Perhaps by repeating the word or phrase you came up with,
Recalling the senses while there.
And so to allow a sense of grounding to return anytime you need it.
