Unshakable You | The Mountain Meditation

If you feel dragged along by life's ups and downs, or exhausted by the near-constant pendulum swing of your emotional state, come and remember what you are. In this meditation, we use the mountain as a model of unshakeable strength. We remember the solidity within us that allows us to rise above, & return to an unconditional sense of inner peace. We begin by visualising a mountain. Then we become it - embodying all that we need to pass through the ever-changing seasons of life with grace.

Transcript

This practice is designed to help you reconnect with the unshakable strength that exists within you. Begin by adopting a standing or sitting posture that evokes within you a sense of stability. And when you're ready, Close your eyes. And start by taking some conscious breaths as you settle into this posture. Now bring to mind the image of a mountain. It could be one that you visited, A famous mountain maybe you've seen in a picture, Or an entirely imaginary mountain. Don't worry if the picture is a bit patchy. So as you hold it in mind, Just start noticing its shape, Its size, Its unmoving nature, The quiet beauty of it. So just observing and breathing with it. Now see if you can merge with this mountain, Starting to sense your own body as a mountain. Your head, The peak. Your shoulders and arms, The sides of the mountain. Your bottom and legs, The solid base of the mountain, Rooted to the cushion on the floor. Feel the elevated quality of the mountain deep in your spine. So continuing to take conscious breaths and feeling yourself as a breathing mountain. Feeling yourself to be and know what you are. A centred, Rooted, Unmoving presence. So just continuing to observe your breath as you allow these words to sink in. Throughout the day, As the sun travels the sky, The mountain just sits. Light and shadow and colours change moment to moment, Yet the mountain is still. As day turns into night, The mountain simply sits, Simply being itself. Sitting still as the seasons flow into one another and as the weather changes moment by moment. Birds singing in tall trees, Green leaves and bright flowers blooming, Violent storms, Snow and ice. Through it all, The mountain continues to sit, Unmoved by what's happening on the surface, Unmoved by the world of appearances. And as we sit, Holding this image in our mind, We can embody the same unwavering stillness and rootedness in the face of everything that occurs around and within us. In our meditation practice and in our daily life, The nature of things constantly changes. There are periods of light and dark, Pain as well as joy, Vivid colour and dullness. Yet, Like the mountain, We can embody strength and stability throughout. We can encounter each moment with mindfulness, Acceptance, Trust. We can see that our thoughts and feelings and even events that happen to us are just like the weather on the mountain, Arising and passing without changing who we are. We can hold these elements in compassionate awareness or sitting in silence, Stillness and wisdom. Feel that this is you, Strong, Still, Wise. As you breathe, Breathe in your mountain-like presence. Building out a calm sense of ease. Whenever you need to, You can call on the mountain-like stability within you. You can encounter each moment with mindful composure and compassionate clarity. You can overcome any challenge and stand tall like the mountain. For the last few moments of the practice, Simply notice your breath or body sensations as you sit or stand anchored in your strength. Whether you are Breathing or Maria Let go of everything else. Due to software recycle sleep and you'll have Northern Hemisphere This experience can only be introduced byProducts