As you settle into a relaxed position,
Let's begin by gathering your attention to yourself.
Gathering it in,
Right here,
Right now,
Leaving all other matters on your heart and in your mind aside,
Or letting them just float away for a while,
Bringing yourself instead to settle in and on this moment,
This very moment,
And notice how your body is settling into the position that you've chosen to be in for this short visualisation.
Notice any sensation or pressures on your body,
The touch of the ground or your clothing.
Notice any sounds around you,
How easily they appear and disappear,
Come and go.
Notice too that your mind is doing what it's supposed to do,
Thinking.
But for this time,
Letting thoughts appear and disappear too,
Just like the sounds,
Letting them come and go with no effort.
Your part is just to let them go,
Melt away as you continue to bring yourself and your attention to one place,
One time,
This time.
So let's just relax a little more by taking in a few deep breaths and keeping the out breath a little longer than the in breath,
Nice and slow,
Nice and deep,
Good.
Letting the breath return to its normal rhythm now,
And as you listen to my voice,
Knowing that you can tune in or tune out at any time.
As we go on,
Try leaving just a little of your attention,
A little awareness of your breath and the movement of your body as you breathe,
Using the breath and your attention on it as a kind of anchor during and throughout the visualisation,
Keeping it as a place to come and rest before continuing,
A place that's always there,
The breath as it moves in and out of your body,
Rising and falling,
In and out,
Good.
And now,
Imagine someone or something that's important to you,
Something of value.
It may be a face of a person or a group of people,
It may be the natural environment,
It may be human rights,
Healing,
Justice,
There may be a sense of a feeling,
Like satisfaction or peacefulness,
Or it may be an activity you do that engenders a value like gratitude or respect.
It may be something to do with the world at large,
Your relationships,
Your personal or spiritual life.
Whatever it is,
Rest with it for a few moments and try to get a sense of what it's about.
If it's a person,
What is it about that person?
What is it about that feeling,
That thing,
That you value?
Can you name it?
It's time to ask another question of yourself.
What do you want?
Or maybe it's what do you want to know?
What can help you move closer to those values?
Now as you consider all this,
Let yourself imagine a favourite place.
Maybe a place in nature,
A garden,
The forest,
The beach,
A special quiet spot.
Is there somewhere,
Is there anywhere that you sense a need to go?
Maybe it's a pathway through the grasses.
Maybe you're already sitting in your imagination in that place.
Or maybe you're walking to it.
Maybe you're running to it.
Maybe you're flying to it.
Can you engage your other senses?
Can you smell?
If you're on the beach,
Can you smell the ocean,
The iodine?
Can you feel the wind on your face?
If you're in the bush or the garden,
Can you smell the flora,
The leaves,
The flowers?
Is there a breeze?
Is the sun out or is it overcast?
Relax and be in this lovely place.
And as you're there,
Notice that there is a person,
A person coming that you know or have known,
Someone you feel grateful to have known in your life.
Maybe someone you love or have loved,
Or a teacher,
A friend.
Feel the gratitude that you have for them.
Feel the mutual pleasure in seeing each other in this way.
There's a gift in their hand and it's for you.
What does the wrapping look like?
You're offered and you receive the gift.
So grateful,
You're smiling as you open it and look inside.
What's there?
You thank them for the gift.
You watch them turn and leave you.
So grateful to have seen them,
Been with them,
Allowing yourself now to begin to return to the here and now,
Letting the threads of the visualisation go,
Gathering and gently breathing in your own space as we meditate together and remembering now.
What was that gift?
What did you receive?
How does this gift relate to your questions on values,
On what's important to you?
Take a moment to consider and as we move into the close of this small visualisation and meditation,
You may want to consider further ways in which you can bring more of what you want,
More of what's important to you and what you value into your life.
