So welcome to this guided visualization meditation that I'm recording on the day of the full,
The evening of the full moon 19th of August 2024.
It's just started raining here in London so we may be lucky and have some nice rain sounds sort of seeping their way into the practice.
I wanted to record this practice on the full moon,
Not so much of an intention to work with the energy of the full moon.
I know that the full moon can often be related to in terms of manifestation,
Things coming to fruition,
But we'll all relate to it slightly differently.
So today what I'm doing is working with the full moon in a way that I'm comfortable with which is usually today,
Yesterday and probably tomorrow I'll feel like I'm at my peak kind of intuition and able to access sort of deeper layers of myself.
So I want to bring that into the practice therefore there's no script,
There's no plan.
I'm gonna see what comes.
My rough frame is to do a body relaxation,
Hopefully get us all into a really nice peaceful relaxed state and then I'm going to freestyle a visualization and then I'm going to record some shamanic drumming to sort of take us out as a kind of outro so that my voice isn't the last thing that you hear but the drumming will sort of just taper off.
So that's the frame for the visualization and I'll be using a ethically sourced reindeer drum.
It's very nice bassy sound so I hope that resonates with a few of you.
But for now I'd like you to pause this recording and go and get any extra blankets,
Pillows,
Eye masks,
Anything that you need to make yourself comfortable.
So you can pause this and then go off and get your bits and then restart.
So hopefully now you've got everything that you're going to need to be absolutely comfortable and I'd like you to take a position that is your kind of sweet spot.
The spot that you would or the position your body would take is if you were having a power nap or wanting to take some time out during the day or about to fall asleep.
For some of you this may be lying on your back,
Maybe taking a classic Shavasana corpse pose for those familiar with yoga.
For others it may be sitting in a chair.
For some it might be in child's pose,
Again another yoga term that will be familiar to some of you.
The fetal position is also very nice for some.
Also is lying on the tummy.
If you are sat in a chair don't feel the need to be sat upright if that's uncomfortable.
Choose comfort over it needing to be or look a certain way.
So just take some time to really get into that good position and if you need to use any of those props that I suggested now's the time to use them.
Good.
I invite you to close your eyes.
I'm trusting that you're all somewhere safe and familiar where closing your eyes is going to be okay,
You're safe,
Comfortable.
Phones are on silent and your family members have been told not to disturb you for the next however many minutes.
The invitation is to close the eyes.
Don't close them tightly shut.
Let the eyelids be soft.
Relax your jaw.
If you want there to be a little parting between the teeth to help let there be one.
And the tongue can just rest against the teeth or back of top of the mouth or bottom of the mouth.
If you are sitting in a chair my suggestion would be that your feet would be on the floor flat on the floor even if that means propping them up.
Let's take in three deep breaths together.
Inhale inflating the lower middle and upper parts of the lungs and then exhale fully.
One more time deep breath.
Filling up like a balloon and then exhale.
One more deep breath in filling up as much as you can and then again exhale.
And now let the breath to a natural resting breath.
The attention,
The awareness is an even hovering awareness and that awareness rests on the sensation of the breath.
The soft rising and falling of the tummy and chest.
Noticing the breath's rhythm.
No need to change it or for it to be a certain way.
Just a natural resting breath.
Feel the sensations in the nostrils.
The temperature of the air as it enters.
The temperature of the air as it leaves.
Any sensations in the back of the nostrils and the back of the throat.
Just be fully with the sensation of the breath and if the mind wanders to something else just as you catch it doing so just gently bring it back without judgment without telling yourself off.
Just come back to the breath.
Enjoy being with the breath.
Notice how it feels to give it some attention.
As you breathe out now maybe feeling the body starting to relax.
With every exhale softening the body.
Releasing what tension you're able to release.
However that works for you.
And as tension is released the body becomes heavier.
As it sinks onto the floor or the mat or the bed or the chair.
Really releasing and letting go into whatever position you're in.
And notice that heaviness.
The weight of the body.
Notice that sense of pressure as it meets the solid surface beneath you.
Through the clothes.
Maybe a blanket.
Maybe a yoga mat.
Mattress or cushions of a chair.
But notice how your body feels against the surface that it touches.
And feel that surface extending down into the flooring of the building that you're in.
The room that you're in.
Wooden flooring or tiles.
Maybe carpet.
Concrete beneath that and bricks.
Feel that solid foundation of the building.
Also contributing to your relaxation by supporting your body allowing you to let go.
And below that the foundations of the building.
I'm sure will go down several meters of brick and concrete.
A bit like the roots of a tree.
Also supporting your body.
And down still into the earth,
The rock,
The soil.
Hundreds,
Thousands of meters of support.
Allowing your body to really be held in one place without fear.
Let the ground really support you.
Let the earth really support you.
And then notice the sensation of the clothes that you're wearing.
Notice if they're loose or tight fitting.
Rough or smooth fabric.
Do you like them?
Do they feel good?
Are they warm?
Are they cooling?
Just notice how they feel.
And then noticing the parts of you that are in the open.
Face,
Maybe hands,
Feet.
Maybe more of you.
If it's warm maybe arms are out.
Notice the sensation of the air against your skin.
Temperature of the air.
If there's any draft or breeze blowing against you,
Just feel the sensation of the air against your skin.
Now feeling all of those sensations together.
Clothes,
The body's weight,
That sense of pressure against the floor.
The air against your skin.
Feeling all of those sensations together.
And then letting go of that and just bringing the attention to the right arm.
From the fingertips up to the shoulder.
Feel the whole right arm.
Now all the sensations in the right arm.
Feeling the right arm relaxed.
And feel the left arm.
Fingertips to the shoulder.
Feel the whole left arm relaxed.
And feeling both arms together.
Both arms relaxed.
And feel the whole right leg,
Toes to hip.
Feeling the whole right leg relaxed.
Feel the whole left leg.
Feeling the whole left leg.
Toes to hip.
Whole left leg relaxed.
Feeling the whole lower body relaxed.
Both legs all the way to the hips relaxed.
Feeling the tummy and the lower back relaxed.
Solar plexus and the middle of the back relaxed.
Ribcage is relaxed.
The upper chest,
Upper back,
All the way to the shoulders,
Shoulder blades.
Feel the whole trunk of the body relaxed.
The whole trunk of the body,
That whole midsection sinking down.
Fully supported,
Relaxed.
And feel the neck,
Front,
Back,
Sides,
Blood,
Bone.
Necks relaxed.
And then feel the head relaxed,
Jaw,
Teeth,
Eyes,
Nose,
Ears.
Back of the head,
Top of the head.
Feeling the whole upper half of the body now.
The whole upper half of the body relaxed.
And feel the whole body together.
The whole body.
Top of the head to the tips of the toes.
Tips of the toes to the top of the head.
The whole body relaxed.
Counting down from five.
Feeling very settled now and relaxed.
Four.
That sense of relaxation deepens.
The body becomes heavy.
Three.
Even more relaxed.
Tension all disappeared.
Two.
So relaxed almost on the verge of sleep.
One.
Deep relaxation.
Deep feelings of peace.
Zero.
Complete total relaxation.
Complete total full body relaxation.
And I want you to imagine that you're walking through a forest or a wood along a path.
Perfectly safe.
And you know it's just you there.
And that you won't be disturbed.
It's a magical place.
A place just for you.
It's created just for you.
In your mind's eye.
It's perfect.
The trees all around you are perfect.
The sensation of the leaves beneath your feet perfect.
The temperature is just absolutely perfect.
It's nighttime and you continue walking slowly down the path that winds its way deeper and deeper into the wood.
With each step you become more comfortable.
You observe the sounds around you of the forest,
Animals,
Birds going about there.
Nighttime.
Busyness.
It all feels perfect and safe.
Magical.
Just for you.
You continue walking deeper and deeper into the wood.
Smelling the damp forest air around you.
And the smell itself is healing.
Perfect earthy healing smell.
And you continue walking until the trees open up into a small clearing.
You step into the clearing knowing that this special very safe magical place it's just for you.
No one can see you.
No one can disturb you.
It's only you.
Move to the center of the clearing and lie down.
The grass is soft.
It's perfect.
Perfect softness.
Perfect temperature.
It's made just for you.
Lying down you look up at the sky and as you do you see the full moon rising.
Bright.
Incandescent with light.
The full moon rises to its peak.
It feels like it's just above the clearing and it's rays spill down illuminating the whole of the clearing.
You know that that's just for you.
That this full moon is magical.
It's yours.
Lying down you allow the beams of the moon to land against your body.
And as they touch it's as though they massage,
Caress and stroke you.
Releasing any residual tension that you might be feeling.
And the more you relax the more the light of the moon is able to heal.
These healing moonbeams are just for you.
Perfect.
Allow them to wash over you.
To pass through you.
And as they do they don't just soothe the physical but heal any of the emotional wounds that you're carrying.
The ones that only you know about.
Feelings of shame,
Inadequacy,
Fear,
Insecurity,
Loss,
Grief,
Loneliness,
Self pity.
Maybe you're caught up in addictive behaviors.
Whatever it is that's going on for you whilst you're lying here let the light of the moon dislodge it.
Maybe it's a sadness and maybe you're not able to fully let go of everything.
There might be such a deep deep reservoir of suffering that you can't let it all go.
But just let go what you're able to let go of.
As this cool healing moonlight washes over you.
And then slowly if it's part of your practice offering a little thank you to the moon.
You get up and stand.
Turning back towards the path beginning to walk slowly step by step.
One foot after the other along the forest path.
The animals still going about their business undisturbed by your presence.
The perfect trees swaying in the perfect breeze.
All created just for you.
With each step the trees become a little bit thinner.
The forest less dense.
Still walking the path.
Coming back and out until the vision begins to fade.
And we're back.
Lying or sitting in whichever position you take it.
Resting here for a moment longer.
