The goal of this meditation is to encourage mindfulness of your breathing and thoughts using guided imagery and breathing.
Please know that the mind is designed to wander,
So when you do just that,
Notice where your mind wants to go without judgment,
And then when you're ready,
Consider coming back to your breathing.
Please start by finding a comfortable seat or reclining.
Perhaps you'll want to sit on a cushioned or folded blanket,
Or lie on your bed.
Wherever you are,
See if you can't take a few more moments to make yourself just a little more comfortable.
To start,
Please take a breath in through your nose,
And sigh it out through your mouth.
Good.
Let's do that a few more times.
In through your nose.
Sigh it out.
Once more,
If that feels good.
In and out.
Now seal your lips and breathe slowly through your nostrils on your own.
Slowly and deeply,
In and out.
I hope you'll bring to mind a natural setting where you might feel comfortable.
Perhaps this is an outdoor path with greenery all around you and the sun gently shining down on you.
If that imagery feels okay,
Please notice the colors and textures of the leaves,
The plants,
And the earth all around you.
As you find yourself in this natural setting,
Perhaps you'll start to walk down a natural path.
Here you'll notice the sound of water nearby,
And see that the path takes a turn toward a gently bubbling stream.
Drawn to the water,
Perhaps you'll follow that path and find a soft spot to sit and rest just on the bank of the stream.
Take a few breaths here to relax and take in the setting around you.
As you continue to enjoy this natural setting,
You may have noticed a distracting thought or two coming up for you.
Maybe it's a working to-do list,
Something that happened earlier in the day coming to mind.
See if you can't acknowledge those thoughts,
And set them one at a time into the gentle stream,
Watching them float away.
You can always come back to them later if necessary,
But see if you can't be just aware of them,
And set them down for this moment.
Take a few more breaths as you see how that feels.
From here,
I invite you to notice any other sensations that might be available in this setting.
Perhaps you'll notice the sound of the water cascading along some rocks,
The cool temperature of the stream as you glide your hand over the surface,
The smell of the earth and greenery around you,
The warm sunlight on your face and body.
Whatever you notice,
See if you can take it all in as you continue to breathe in this peaceful setting.
Feel free to spend as much time here as you would like.
If it's okay,
Maybe just notice the impact that a setting like this can have on you,
Your mind,
And your body.
Take a few more moments to absorb all the sensations around you,
Connecting them to your slow,
Natural breath.
Take as much time here as you need,
Knowing you can come back at any point,
Anywhere.
When you're ready to go on with your day,
Start by just moving your hands,
Your feet,
And maybe try shrugging your shoulders up and down a few times.
Flutter your eyes open and reorient yourself to your space.
I hope you find this imagery relaxing and helpful.
Have a wonderful day.
Namaste.
