The Returning To Still Water Meditation

Returning to Still Water is a short Tao Te Ching-inspired meditation using water, which doesn't strive or force its way through the world, but flows, yields, and always finds stillness as the visualisation focus.

The practice guides your awareness gently through the body: head, face, shoulders, chest, legs, feet, releasing tension the way water releases what it carries. It draws on the Taoist principle of wu wei, or non-striving, using the felt sense of the body to ease into relaxation.

Helps with: releasing physical and mental tension, calming an overactive mind, short resets during a busy day, and softening the habit of trying too hard.

Transcript

Welcome to the Returning to Still Water meditation. Inspired by the Tao Te Ching. So come into a comfortable position. Either seated or lying down. Allowing your eyes to close gently or softening your gaze towards the floor. Now take a natural breath in. And then sigh it out gently. And then just breathe normally, Noticing your breath. Going in and out. Of your nostrils, The chest rising and falling. In the Tao Te Ching, Which is one of the oldest wisdom texts in the world. There is a teaching that says the highest good is like water. Water doesn't strive, It doesn't push or force or argue with the shape of things. It simply flows. Finding its way around obstacles. Settling into whatever space it's given. Always moving towards stillness when it can. Right now, You are invited to be like water. Bring your attention gently to the top of your head. And let your awareness rest there, Soft and easy. Like water pooling in a quiet place. Now let that awareness flow down slowly. Trickling down like water across your forehead. Your eyes, Your jaw. So much of our striving lives in the face. And if you notice any tension there, You don't need to fix it. Just let your awareness rest on that. The way that still water reflects whatever is above it. Without judgment. Without effort. Now let your awareness trickle down into your shoulders and chest. This is where we often carry the weight of all the different things we think we should be doing. All the things we haven't finished. The effort keeps showing up. Day by day and doing all the things. Now breathe in gently. And as you breathe out Imagine that weight softening. Losing its grip as the water lifts it. And releases it downstream. Now let your attention flow all the way down through your belly. Your hips. Your legs. Right down to the soles of the feet. Feel the places where your body makes contact with the earth. Chair or the floor or the cushion holding you. Rest here for a moment. Your whole body, Your whole self. Settling like water, Finding its level. The Dao De Jing teaches us that water that appears weak that yields and flows around rather than through is ultimately what shapes stone. Or carp's canyons. The soft overcomes the hard, Not by force. But by returning. Again and again and again So whatever brought you here to this meditation. Fullness of your day. Fullness of your thoughts. You can simply let it all be. Simply return. To the breath to the body. Through this little place. It's been here all along. Is here always, Waiting for you to return. Now take one more slow breath in. Feeling your chest gently rising. Your heart space filling. And then gently release it. And now, Start to bring your awareness back to the room. You can wiggle your fingers and toes. Deepen the breath. And now as you return to your day. You can carry something of this stillness with you. And know that it is always available to you. Thank you for meditating with me. I've been your guide, Amanda Saint. Namaste.