Welcome to this guided visualization,
Snowy Path to Serenity.
Before we begin,
Just check in and ask yourself from zero to ten,
How are you feeling in this present moment before we relax,
With ten being really stressed,
Zero being really calm.
Just give yourself a number and we'll check in at the end of the session to see if we've been able to lower it.
Start by getting comfortable and taking a nice long slow deep breath in,
Holding it and then letting it out slowly.
And again,
Slow deep breath in,
Hold it and let it out slowly.
This time when we take a deep breath in and hold it,
We're going to tense as many muscles in our body as we can all at once and let it go as we breathe out.
So a nice deep breath in,
Hold it and tense up as much of your body as you can,
Holding it as long as you can,
Every muscle and relax and just let it go.
Let's do that one more time and really see yourself releasing stress as you let it all go.
So a nice deep breath in,
Hold it and tense up every muscle you can,
As strong as you can and let it go and just let that tension drain away.
And now you can just let your breathing return to normal.
Picture yourself standing at the top of a gently winding path and around you are snowy mountains,
Their peaks glistening in the sunlight.
You feel the warmth of the sun on your skin,
Contrasted by the cool crisp fresh snowy air brushing against your face.
You slowly start to take steps forward and feel the satisfying crunch of the powdery snow beneath your feet.
As you walk along,
Notice the towering snow gum trees lining the path ahead of you,
Their graceful branches create a natural canopy above and the chirping of birds echoes softly all around you.
Take a moment to pause and breathe deeply,
Inhaling that clean crisp air.
Really feel it filling your lungs and invigorating your body with that pure oxygen you can only get at the snowfields.
You gently walk along and step by step the winding path draws you closer to calmness.
Just let yourself fully embrace the rhythm of walking,
Each crunch of snow,
Each breath bringing you deeper into relaxation.
Eventually the trees part,
Revealing a clearing with a breathtaking panoramic view that stretches for miles.
The beauty of the snowy landscape fills your heart with awe and stillness.
Take a moment here to really absorb the scene,
Letting it ground you into the present moment.
Ahead of you,
You notice steps that lead you down into a tunnel that's carved into the mountainside.
As you approach the steps,
You feel a real sense of curiosity and calm anticipation.
Each step down you take is going to take you five times deeper into relaxation.
Step one,
Your body becomes heavier and more and more relaxed.
Step two,
Your thoughts begin to slow right down,
Letting go of the need to think or analyze,
Just melting away like snow in the sun.
Step three,
Your breath becomes steady and rhythmic,
Slowing right down,
Relaxing you five times deeper still.
Step four,
A warm wave of serenity washes over you from head to toe.
You take the fifth and final step and feel so deeply relaxed,
Five times deeper again,
Completely at ease,
Letting go of anything that was weighing you down.
At the bottom,
You see a soft glowing light ahead that seems to be inviting you forward.
As you step into the light,
You find yourself in a clearing that feels like a dream come true.
It's the most beautiful sight you've ever seen.
Above you is a magnificent arch covered in a cascade of pink cherry blossoms.
They're delicate petals gently drifting to the ground right in front of you.
Beneath your feet is the softest,
Greenest grass.
You slip off your shoes and take slow steps forward,
Feeling the earth cradle your every step,
Grounding you further and further.
Ahead under the arch is a comfortable chair that seems to be made just for you.
You slowly walk forward to it,
Feeling a deep sense of peace with every step.
You sit down into it and feel completely weightless.
It's the most comfortable chair you've ever sat in.
You just relax completely and take in the beautiful sights all around you.
This is your very own private sanctuary,
A place where worries and pain cannot reach you.
A place where you are free,
Safe and at peace.
Listen to the gentle sounds all around you,
A sweet melody of birdsong and gentle music playing in the background.
As you lay there so comfortable and relaxed,
Take a good look around.
This place seems to be made just for you.
This is a place where you feel like you at your best.
A place where you're free of worries,
Concerns,
There's nowhere you need to be and nothing you need to do.
It's like time stands still.
It's also a place where you can tap into your highest wisdom.
The part of you that just seems to know what's right.
It's your highest self.
So as you lay there so comfortable and cosy,
Ask yourself is there anything I need to release in my life right now to make it even more calm and just see what pops up.
Now imagine inviting someone to join you under the cherry blossoms.
It could be someone you know or someone you don't know,
Someone who's past or someone who's living.
It could even be you at your best,
Your best version.
So just ask someone if they'd like to come in and visit and just see who walks in.
If someone has come in to visit you,
What do they look like?
What are they wearing?
What kind of energy do they bring with them?
Now ask them if they have any wisdom,
Advice or insights they might like to share with you.
Listen deeply to their words or maybe even it comes as images.
Just see what comes up.
And when they're finished,
Thank them for visiting and watch as they gently leave.
As you bask in the beauty of your own private sanctuary,
Just take a moment to really reflect on all the things you have to be grateful for in your life.
Scan through the people,
The places,
The beautiful memories you have.
Just scan through and fill your heart with gratitude.
Now with your heart filled with gratitude and peace,
Also scan back through your life and think of all the most beautiful moments that come to mind.
You at your happiest,
You at your best and cherished memories that you've had with loved ones.
Now feel that profound sense of calm and connection just settle into every cell of your being.
When you're ready to leave,
You slowly stand out of the chair and make your way back towards the tunnel.
But before you leave,
You take one last really good look around this magical place,
Your very own place,
Filled with all the things you love.
And just know this place is always there for you in your mind whenever you want to visit it.
In fact,
All you need to do is think of this place and a wave of calm will wash over you.
Slowly and gently,
You make your way back through the tunnel,
Coming to the stairs again where you start to ascend.
And we count back as you rise to the top.
Step 1.
A gentle awareness returns to your body.
Step 2.
Energy begins to flow through you from head to toe.
Step 3.
Your thoughts become clearer and your mind becomes sharper.
Step 4.
You feel completely refreshed.
Your mind is clear and you're full of insights.
Step 5.
Feeling fully present now,
Calm and awake,
Energized from head to toe,
But calm and relaxed at the same time.
Emerging from the tunnel,
You step back into the snowy mountains.
Walking along,
Feeling the sun on your skin,
The cool air on your face again,
And the crunch of snow beneath your feet.
You take a long,
Slow,
Deep breath in of that intoxicating snowy mountain air.
Letting that pure oxygen fill you from head to toe.
And as you slowly walk back down the winding path through the towering snowgum trees,
You feel gratitude from head to toe.
You've let go of all that was weighing you down.
And your heart feels completely full of peace.
Just take these few final moments to reflect on the calm of the sanctuary and any insights that you might have gained while you were there.
And you can start to deepen your breath a little bit more.
And maybe wriggle your fingers and toes as you bring your awareness back into the room.
And just check in and see how you're feeling from 0 to 10 now.
10 being stressed and 0 being really calm.
And just see if you've been able to lower that number.
And when you're ready in your own time,
You can gently open your eyes.
