There are points in our journeys where it is valuable to find a place to rest a while.
Reflect on the path we have just traversed.
Acknowledge how far we have come.
Marinate in stillness for a while and then look to the new horizon.
What we want.
What it will require of us.
And what we need to call forth in ourselves for the duration.
Some of these points are seasonal.
Some emerge through circumstances.
And some through inner shifts and seasons.
This track is an invitation to take that time for yourself.
Whether it is a new year,
You are in a life transition,
You have decisions to make,
Or you are utterly exhausted or overwhelmed and need to pause and regroup.
I will take you through three phases of reflection.
The first,
Looking back at the path you have just found your way through.
The second,
Taking a moment of stillness in this present moment.
And the third,
Looking to the path ahead.
You may want to pause the track after each section and take more reflection time.
I shall leave that with you.
Let's begin.
Put down your expectations.
Negotiate with your body to find balance and ease as much as is possible today.
And close your eyes.
Taking a nourishing breath in,
And as you breathe out,
Settle into yourself a little bit more.
I invite you to imagine you are on a journey.
The light is waning and you have come to a place to rest.
Notice what this place is like.
You put down your bag,
Take off your shoes,
Rub your feet and refresh yourself.
From where you are seated,
You can see the path you have just traversed with the sun setting on it.
What was that landscape like?
You take a memory scan through the past year.
Staying open and curious about what comes up and what your heart and mind pay attention to.
What do you notice?
What have you found your way through?
What were the greatest challenges?
And what were the greatest celebrations?
What have you learned about yourself through it all?
And what perspective would you like to have on that part of your journey?
If it were a chapter in a book,
What would you call it?
And how would you like to leave it?
In your own way,
Step away from that path and turn towards this moment,
This place of rest and reflection.
And as you turn,
You notice some shelter.
You take your bag and shoes and you step inside.
And you see that this shelter is just the place of rest that you need in this moment.
You light a fire and create a space to rest.
You are here,
Now.
So how are you?
What is present in you right now?
And where and how does that sit in you?
This is a place of stillness,
To be with whatever is present in you and wherever you are at.
What are you unsure of in this part of your journey?
There is always uncertainty in life.
By connecting with what you do know about yourself,
About life,
About your journey,
You will deepen your roots.
So whatever uncertainty is in your life right now,
What do you know?
Staying by the fire,
You open the backpack you have come with.
A symbol of your inner resources and other things you have gathered along the way.
What in it kept you going all this time?
What have you forgotten you had with you all this time?
And what are you still carrying that you need to let go of?
Are you ready to release that to the fire now?
And if not,
What do you need in order to feel ready?
What in your backpack needs particular care and consideration at this point on your journey?
You take a moment to clear out what you need to and remember what you need to do.
Remember what you do have.
And then when you are ready,
You put your bag to the side.
What questions do you have in you right now?
Which of those need releasing?
Which of those do you want to sit with and contemplate?
That might be for now,
Or it may be that these questions are for holding gently at this time to unfold beneath your surface,
Allowing them time to gradually come to light.
This is a time of germination.
So what in you is waiting to emerge?
What is next to discover about yourself?
For now,
In this place of pausing and stillness,
Which parts of you need rest and nourishment?
And what could that rest and nourishment look like?
How do you need to nourish yourself so that you emerge replenished?
Invite yourself in to a moment of deep rest.
Noticing if you need to place a loving hand on any part of you.
Notice the nourishment of the stillness.
And the nourishment,
Simplicity,
And holding rhythm of your breathing.
Then when you are ready,
Knowing that the fire is there for you whenever you need it,
You gradually come out of this place of rest.
And as you rise,
Greet yourself with love,
You greet life with gratitude.
What's important to you about being here,
Alive,
In this moment?
You walk to the opening of your shelter and see the sun rising on your new bed.
The sun rising on your new horizon,
Shedding light on the path ahead.
What do you want from this part of your journey?
What are you heading for on this next horizon?
If there is something you have been circling around,
What would it be like to set a direct path there?
What truth do you need to speak or live on this next part of your journey?
Look to that horizon.
What do you know about it?
What do you want to be feeling,
Saying,
Doing when you get there?
What are you waiting for?
Is there something you need to give yourself permission for?
Then I invite you to come back to where you are at now.
We need to find the balance of holding that horizon in our sights and being present in this moment.
By being grounded here,
We are able to quieten our brains when they want to hop to the horizon and have it all sorted.
After all,
We can only take one step at a time.
Before it is time to set off on this next part of your journey,
It is time to check in on what you need for the path ahead and what resources you have within you.
So,
What do you need?
What of this can you source from within yourself?
And what do you need to reach out for?
What resources do you have within you that will keep you going?
You may want to come back to your backpack.
In it are your truths,
Your values,
Your strengths,
Your gifts to the world,
Your dynamic energies,
And your wisdom.
You have an abundance of resource within you.
You are everything you need for your journey.
Take care of yourself on the path ahead.
Stay hydrated and nourished.
Rest well.
Care for yourself when you fall down,
Get injured,
Or grow tired.
Ask for help with directions when you need it.
Keep checking in that you are on the path you want to be on.
Challenge yourself.
You are more capable than you are aware.
Again,
Take a moment to look to your horizon,
Grounded in the present,
Knowing that the next step is all you need to take care of right now.
Being open in your heart,
Mind,
And soul for the path ahead.
Keeping faith in yourself and the journey.
May you own your path and trust yourself.
