Take a deep breath and allow your body to relax in the way it knows best.
If you can tense your toes and then relax them too,
Really tense them up and release and relax.
If you can't,
Simply allow yourself to just drift deeper and deeper into your thoughts,
Into my words and into the music.
Now tense your calves and then relax them.
Tense your stomach and waist and then relax them.
Tense your hands and then relax them.
Tense your arms and then relax.
Tense your chest and then relax it.
Tense your neck and then relax.
Tense your face and then relax.
Now tense the whole of your body and then relax the whole of you.
And I wonder if you can imagine standing amongst the edge of a beautiful autumn landscape.
The trees are changing.
Can you see an autumn leaf falling from a tree floating down from side to side so slow,
So graceful?
And just imagine this to be your thoughts,
Thoughts of the day,
Of the week,
Of the month,
Of years gone by.
And like autumn,
Sometimes we need to let go of old leaves,
Allow them to float away so that we can rest and heal.
And if we want,
We can once again pick up those old leaves and keep them.
But if you want to,
You can let it go.
It's okay.
I wonder if you can picture the essence of your essential self,
Standing on a wide open beach.
There is a gentle breeze blowing around you,
Capturing each part of your body.
It's fresh with a hint of warmth.
And here you are,
Free.
You are freedom,
Freedom to be you,
The essence of your essential self.
Take a deep breath and release and wonder,
Can you feel the sand beneath your feet?
Notice how it feels to you.
Notice if at the moment it's soft white sand or if it's damp and firmer.
This is your beach and it can be how you would choose it to be,
Because your way will be perfect.
Perfect for you because right in this moment and right in this time,
It's all for you.
Because you are important.
You are essential.
Notice how your body feels as you wander along,
Feeling the breeze brushing against you.
Feel the essence of your essential self tenderizing.
Take your time.
If unwanted thoughts are present,
It's okay.
Have them.
And if you want to,
Let go.
Hold your hands out and blow them away into the wind.
Wonder and ponder,
Recognize and listen to whatever you choose because this is your time.
Perhaps you're here because you feel off balance and pain,
Overwhelmed by life or perhaps it's something I haven't mentioned.
And sometimes we have to recognize that putting self first is paramount to this life because it's your life.
No one else can do this for you.
It's you.
And you can do this.
It's okay to have ups and downs.
It's okay to need to stop.
But start again.
Always start again.
Either in the same direction or a new one.
Start again.
You are worth it.
You are worthy.
You are life.
Life is you.
You're needed and wanted.
Take a deep breath in and out.
Keep walking until you reach the sunset and find on the beach a gentle fire burning safely in a fire pit.
There to keep you warm as the sun slips down behind the horizon.
You can sit down and rest.
It's okay.
And notice the haze on the horizon,
Making it difficult to see where the edge of the ocean ends and where the sky begins.
But the colours of pink and blue,
Orange and yellow fill the early evening sky.
The clouds that wisp and form into ever-changing patterns,
Reflecting the colours so beautifully and endlessly capturing the sky's gaze upon you.
Finding you in its deep and unwavering care and love that you are part of it and it,
A part of you.
The ocean graceful,
Gentle,
Calm.
And the sun sets as the moon rises.
You are loved.
And notice the moon's reflection over the ocean and what looks like a million diamonds dancing on the top of the gentle ripples.
And you can still feel that breeze passing over you.
You are cared for.
You are important.
You are the world.
And as you rest,
You can see a feather floating down towards you.
Where has it come from?
Where has it been?
A message for you.
What will that be?
A reminder of course that you have the answers within you already.
You don't need me to tell you.
You already know.
You just need to listen to you,
To that beautiful voice within you that is telling you the answers.
Now listen.
Listen to everything that you are saying.
Your essential self knows just what to do and how to do it.
But you have to listen.
Follow your instincts.
Follow what feels right for you.
There,
You will feel it.
Namaste.
