Welcome.
In today's meditation,
You will imagine a peaceful place using all your senses.
You can come back to this place whenever you need a moment of calm or joy.
So settle into your present surroundings and start to get comfortable.
You can keep your eyes open or closed,
Whatever will help you feel most relaxed.
Start to turn inwards,
Finding that still place within you.
Take the next few moments to anchor into your breath,
Feeling your body breathe in and out,
In and out.
Now start to reflect on moments in your past when you have felt peaceful.
Your peaceful place could be real or imagined.
If it feels really hard to think of a moment from your own life,
Perhaps there is a scene from a movie,
A book or a song that makes you feel peaceful.
Many people find peace next to bodies of water.
Perhaps a sparkling calm lake,
A trickling stream,
The gentle crash of the blue tide coming in and out.
Other people find peace in the forest,
Birdsong,
Green leaves,
The soft forest floor.
So once you've settled on your peaceful place,
We'll start tuning in to all the different senses to make this moment as real as possible.
So take a look around in your mind's eye and notice what you see in your peaceful place.
The colours,
The textures,
Movement or stillness.
Are you alone?
With others?
With an animal?
Do you see any elements of nature?
The sky?
Water?
Plants?
Let yourself enjoy the peaceful view.
Next,
Start to notice what you can smell in your peaceful place.
Take a deep breath in and imagine the pleasant scents you would be able to notice in your peaceful place.
It's okay if you can't imagine smelling anything.
You could also bring to mind a scent that you do find enjoyable,
Even if it doesn't quite fit with your peaceful place.
Let yourself enjoy the peaceful smells.
Now start to tune in to what you can touch in your peaceful place.
What is the temperature of the air on your skin?
What does the ground feel like under your feet?
If you sit or lie back,
How does the earth feel?
What types of textures can you touch with your hands?
Is it soft or hard?
Let yourself enjoy the peaceful tactile sensations.
Start to notice what you can hear in your peaceful place.
Do you hear voices?
Music?
Wind?
Water flowing?
Leaves rustling?
Birdsong?
Soak in the sounds around you.
Let yourself enjoy the peaceful sounds.
Finally,
Notice if there's anything you can taste in your peaceful place.
Perhaps you enjoyed a meal or a snack in this place in the past.
Perhaps there's a favourite taste you want to imagine now.
The taste of a loved one's cooking.
Freshly picked fruit.
A cool glass of lemonade.
A warm tea on a cosy day.
Let yourself enjoy the peaceful tastes.
Stay a while in your peaceful place,
Integrating all the sights,
Smells,
Sounds,
Tastes and things you can touch.
You can stay in this peaceful place for as long as you need,
And can come back to visit any time you need a moment of calm.
