As your day fades into night,
I invite you to take this time to slow down,
Soften,
And reconnect.
The gentle glow of the firelight invites you into stillness,
A space where the mind quiets,
The body unwinds,
And clarity emerges.
Let the soaring flame be your guide,
Helping you into release,
Let go of the weight of the day,
And settle into a deep sense of peace.
Now find your breath,
Breathe in,
Let it go,
And allow yourself to simply be.
This is your meditation for stillness and clarity.
I invite you to find a quiet space,
Either with a candle,
Fireplace,
Or maybe you're outside and you have a fire pit.
And wherever you land,
Sitting comfortably,
Ensuring the flame is about eye level or slightly below.
We'll take a few deep breaths to start,
Allowing your body to relax.
Starting with a full breath in through the nose,
Inhale,
And exhale,
Open the mouth,
Let it all go.
Taking as many breaths as needed.
One inhale,
Followed by one exhale.
Continue to breathe in this way,
And with every breath,
Imagining the body circulating with this oxygen,
Beating the fire inside.
A gentle rush of air in,
And a soothing breath out.
As you continue to breathe,
Gently gaze at the fire or the candlelight,
Observing how it moves,
How it flickers,
And how it glows.
As you observe,
Let your breath naturally sync with that rhythm,
Softening your gaze,
And allowing your sense of sight to take the driver's seat.
Noticing what you see,
Movements,
Colors,
The shapes of the flame.
And with your next inhale,
Imagine drawing in that warmth that the fire or flame provides.
As you exhale,
Visualize releasing any stress,
And drawing in a full body breath here.
This time we're inhaling clarity,
And then as you exhale,
Releasing any worries or confusion.
This time,
As you breathe in through the nose,
Inhaling with that breath a sense of peace.
And as you exhale,
Letting anything else go that feels as if it were weighing you down.
If and when thoughts start to arise,
Acknowledge them,
And let them drift off into the flame,
Dissolving like smoke in the air.
Again,
Acknowledging any arising thoughts that may be levitating up to front of the mind.
And as you exhale,
Let them drift away,
Dissolving into the air,
Inviting in a guest of inner stillness,
Closing your eyes as you continue to breathe,
Letting the eyelids shut,
And then imagining that same flame in your mind.
That image of a dancing flame or spark still with you,
Just in your mind,
Visualizing it,
And then feeling the warmth that comes along,
Letting that expand through your chest,
Igniting a sense of calm and presence.
Rest in the stillness,
Breathing softly,
Continue to visualize a sense of warmth,
Gently warming up the body from the inside out,
As thoughts may continue to arise,
Acknowledge,
And then let them burn off,
Dissolving into the air.
Drawing in smooth,
Easy inhales through the nose,
And a gentle exhale through the mouth.
When you're ready,
Bring your awareness back to the space around you,
Whisper a word of gratitude to yourself,
Or maybe in your mind,
Listening to an intention or whatever follows this meditation.
When you're ready,
Start to gently open the eyes,
Back into the breath,
Placing both hands on your heart to recognize this practice and acknowledge your efforts.
Thank you so much for your practice as you blew out your candle or let the flames simmer,
Maybe just using this time to reflect and letting it soak in.
Until we meet again,
Namaste.
