Nature is one of the most underutilized treasures in life.
It has the power to unburden hearts and reconnect to that inner place of peace.
Janice Anderson.
I want the previous quote to set the tone for our time together today.
As you settle into your space of meditation over the next few moments,
Releasing the day's attachment of built-up tension.
Consider what comes up in the mind when you think of nature and what it means to you.
When immediate memories and feelings come to the forefront.
The idea and intention behind into stillness was born out of how I feel when I'm in the wilderness.
And that feeling to others has become my purpose.
Shifting our awareness now to our direct connection to nature.
Our breath.
Feel the subtle movements created in the body as you inhale and exhale slowly through the nose.
Sending air deep into the abdomen initially and then allowing it to fill up from there into the rest of your body.
The natural world is another half of our life support system.
Without it,
We would not have the air we breathe.
It is as important to our well-being as almost anything.
It is a part of us.
Over the next little while,
Find a natural,
Slow,
And calming breath that suits your practice right now.
Let it feel easy and as it continues to take hold,
Allow us to slowly fade into the background of your awareness.
In the words of John Weir,
The clearest way into the universe is through a forest wilderness.
In your mind's eye,
Begin to see a vast forested wilderness slowly appearing before you.
Giant and vividly colored trees stand tall and proud in front of you.
Behind them in the distance,
A white capped mountain range stretches to the sky,
Sun glinting off the peaks like beautiful monuments of Mother Earth.
As you take in your surroundings,
The sounds of nature begin to form.
The call of birds from near and afar,
The high pitched chirping of familiar insects,
And the distinct rustling of leaves as wind blows gently through the trees,
Carrying with it the fresh floral scent of the forest.
High above,
The sun stands,
Spreading a comforting warmth throughout your body as it rays and lightly kiss your skin.
Glancing down,
You notice your bare foot.
The soft grass underneath your feet feels slightly cool and soft.
Looking up ahead,
You notice a slight gap in the trees and begin to walk towards it,
Entering the forest along a smooth,
Well-traveled trail that must have been formed over the years by the wildlife.
Overhead,
The trees form a natural arching canopy,
But the sunlight still filters through,
And golden rays dot the path before you.
As you continue to travel deeper into the wild,
You can't help but feel a deeper connection to this experience.
Like all of this is as much a part of you as you are of it.
So now,
As you continue on this journey on your own,
It becomes solely yours,
Where you choose to go from here and what you choose to do.
Know our individual paths will cross again soon,
And together we will transition out of this experience into the rest of the day.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Slowly begin to release from the world of your imagination.
Allow the past little while to fade from view and become another memory.
Allow the body to make any small movements it so chooses.
And if you are ready,
Feel free to open the eyes and let the light of the world back in.
As this meditation comes to an end,
I will leave you with one more thought.
Nature loves courage.
You make the commitment and nature will respond to that commitment by removing impossible obstacles.
Dream the impossible dream and the world will not grind you under,
It will lift you up.
Terrence McKenna.
Until next time,
And with love,
Namaste.
