Namaste and welcome to this autumnal equinox meditation.
Begin by finding a comfortable and quiet place to sit or lie down.
Close your eyes and let's take a few breaths together to center ourselves.
Start by bringing your attention to your breath and simply notice the rise and fall of your chest as you breathe in and out.
On each inhale try to fill up your lungs as much as possible and on each exhale slowly release as much air as you can.
Continue taking these very complete and present breaths in and out.
With every exhale imagine releasing any tension,
Worries,
Or thoughts or beliefs that no longer serve you.
Visualize them leaving your body every time you exhale.
Imagine you are standing in a beautiful autumn forest,
The trees around you shedding their leaves.
Feel the wind in your hair,
The air on your skin,
The rustle of the leaves,
And the sounds of nature all around you.
Every exhale is letting go of something from your past and something that is weighing you down,
Letting it drift away like the leaves,
Shifting your focus to gratitude.
Think about all the things you are grateful for in your life.
Family,
Friends,
Health,
Nature,
Resources,
Creature comforts,
Hobbies,
Passions,
Anything else that brings you joy.
With every inhale imagine you're breathing in the essence of gratitude and joy.
Just feeling your heart and expanding within you.
Every inhale is an invitation to receive.
Every breath is a chance to silently express your gratitude for all of the blessings in life.
Connecting down to the earth as though you were rooted just like the trees around you.
Picture your feet growing long roots that reach deep into the earth.
Feel the stability,
The strength,
And the support of earth below you and let the energy and vitality flow up from the ground into your body.
Take a few breaths to connect with this grounding energy knowing that you are a part of nature.
As you continue in this autumn forest take a moment to reflect on the changing season.
All of the leaves are letting go and the earth is preparing for winter.
Honor whatever comes up.
Sometimes autumn can bring about a sadness because everything around us seems to be dying.
Resources seem barren and it starts to get dark more often and for longer periods of time.
But really it's just taking a break to go within and reflect and so shall we.
So shift your thoughts of sadness more to preparing for this upcoming season.
What changes can you make to ensure your well-being during the colder months?
Who or what can you draw nearer to to feel safer,
To feel warmer?
In what ways can you spend more time reflecting and going within?
Visualize yourself gathering strength and wisdom knowing that you have everything within,
That you are safe,
You are loved,
You are protected,
You are guided,
You are grateful,
You are grounded,
You are connected,
Grateful to let go,
Grateful for the blessings and abundance around you,
Grateful to connect to the earth,
Grateful to prepare for the winter.
When you're ready gently open your eyes coming back to the present moment,
Coming back to the space,
Fluttering open the eyes and looking around you,
Taking note of what you see,
Feeling refreshed,
Grounded and ready to embrace this new season.
Thank you for meditating with me today.
The light in me honors the light in you.
Namaste.
