Hello,
My name is Katherine Cototone.
This guided visualization is about finding a safe place for your worries.
I created this guided visualization because I sometimes struggled with meditations that asked me to put my worries on a leaf and let them float down a river or imagine my worries blowing away in a gentle breeze.
While I was meditating,
I would become distracted by the idea that later I'd have to go find my worries somewhere at the end of the river or in the ocean or wherever the wind might have blown them.
And I felt that some of my worries were really important and I didn't know if I wanted them to float away.
Of course,
While I was meditating,
I would come back to my breath and my meditation.
But I wondered if there could be a way that we could set our worries aside where we knew they would be safe.
A place that kept our worries safe and we could come back to them,
Honor them,
And be with them whenever we wanted or needed to.
And so I created the worry tree.
Before I start,
Be sure you are seated in a comfortable position and feel well grounded.
Some people like to listen to this story before they go to sleep.
And if that's you,
Then cuddle in.
Take a few deep breaths here.
And as you breathe,
Allow the breaths to get gradually deeper,
Deeper inhalations and deeper exhalations.
And focus on your breath here as we get started.
As you breathe,
Allow your mind to settle and open up to listening.
Open up to the I wonder of the story.
The worry tree is a gigantic,
Beautiful tree.
And this tree's whole reason for being is to hold worries.
In fact,
The more worries that the worry tree holds,
The stronger it gets.
So there is no concern that is too big for this worry tree because holding worries is its reason for being.
Handing your worries to the worry tree makes the worry tree stronger and happier.
Are you ready to travel to see the worry tree?
Now imagine yourself walking through the meadow,
A meadow with beautiful flowers.
They're just the flowers you like.
They're the colors you like,
The shape you like.
There's just the right amount of flowers.
Just breathing here as you're walking through the meadow past the flowers.
You might even stop to touch a flower or smell a flower if you'd like.
After you pass through the lovely meadow,
Imagine that you're walking into a light and friendly young forest.
You're seeing all of the forest colors,
The greens and the browns,
The yellow wisp of a butterfly or red flutter of a cardinal flying by.
Pause here and listen to the sound of the forest.
Imagine the chirping of birds and the rustling of the leaves,
The crunching of pine needles as you walk.
Feel the warmth of the sun on your cheeks and the gentle touch of the wind as you walk.
Take a deep breath in and a deep breath out and continue your journey.
Up ahead you see a clearing.
It is the edge of the forest and it opens up into an even bigger meadow where the worry tree lives.
Ah,
You see her for the first time.
And even though you might have heard how big and strong she is,
You are in awe of her giant,
Older than any tree you've ever seen,
Beautiful,
Strong trunk.
Her beautiful limbs as they reach out toward the sky and the big,
Beautiful leathery leaves.
You think,
This tree can probably handle any worry.
This tree can handle all of the worries.
Now take a worry that you would like to give to the worry tree right now and place it in your hands and walk up to this beautiful,
Strong,
Rooted,
Gigantic worry tree.
This might feel a little scary if this worry is extremely important to you.
Remember,
The worry tree is here to hold worries for you for as long as you want her to.
You can come visit your worry or take it back whenever you want.
To hand the worry tree your worry,
You reach up toward the branches as high as you can.
You notice that the worry tree is beginning to move her branches.
The worry tree moves and bends her branches down to your worry and then she wraps her big leathery leaves all around your worry.
You feel instantly relieved and lighter.
You watch as the worry tree pulls your worries deep into her branches.
You know in your heart that your worry will be safe and sound.
You know that when you're ready,
You can come back to the worry tree and hold your hands way up high and take your worry back.
You can carry it as long as you want to and you can give it back to the worry tree for as long as you want to.
Right here,
Allow yourself to notice what it might feel like to have the worry tree hold your worry for you.
Breathe in deeply and breathe out with a sense of letting go.
Let your shoulders soften and your muscles throughout your body relax.
You have so much less to carry.
Remember,
You can always come back and get your worry from the worry tree whenever you want.
To get there,
All you have to do is head back to the forest and the meadow and the worry tree.
Press your feet down,
Reach up and the worry tree will hand your worry right back to you.
She'll unfurl her leaves and very gently place your worry back in your hands.
The worry tree loves when you say thank you and if you do,
She will rattle her leaves a bit as if to say,
You're welcome.
For now,
Consider leaving your worry with the worry tree so you can focus on your work,
Maybe school,
Friends,
Relaxing,
Taking a break or maybe even sleep,
The good stuff.
Knowing you can get your worry whenever you want.
Breathe here knowing that your worry is safe and knowing that you don't have to carry everything all the time.
Take a few breaths here and allow this story to settle.
You might want to take a few moments breathing and consider what this story means to you or for you.
If you're ready for sleep,
You can go ahead and fall asleep without the weight of your worries.
If you're not headed to bed,
You may want to journal about this story and what it means to you or for you.
Take a deep breath in and a big letting go.
Thank yourself for taking a few moments to listen and wonder and I thank you so much for listening.
