Hi,
And welcome to your fall evening meditation practice.
Fall is personally my favorite season.
I love the sense of slowing down,
Going more inward,
And turning down the heat,
Both the heat of the sun and the internal heat that comes from the pace of summer.
Fall often reminds us of change and transitions,
As we watch nature slowly turning down as well.
She is preparing for the rest and dormancy of winter,
And for us,
Winter can be a season of introspection.
This is a transitional time,
A time to release with intention.
In fall,
We're not suddenly dropping or stopping all activity all at once.
Instead,
We can use this time to focus on what matters most.
What do you need to release so that you can rest in the winter?
In this evening practice,
That question will be our contemplation.
Through meditation,
We can slow the body and mind down,
Cultivate a state of clarity,
And begin our fall transition with intention.
Our time together will include a quick body scan,
Breath awareness,
And visualization techniques.
And this is an evening practice because you're currently hearing me record from my deck in the evening,
So that we can invite in the sounds of nature,
And maybe some passing cars,
Into our practice.
To begin,
Find yourself in a stable but comfortable seat.
You can sit down,
Or lay down,
Or use a chair,
Whatever supports your practice today.
Once you've arrived,
Choosing to either close the eyes or gently rest the gaze,
Beginning to bring our awareness inward,
Connecting first to the physical body,
By gently scanning from the top of the head to the feet,
And back up the body,
Using this scan to check in with what is present.
If you notice any discomfort,
See if there's any adjustments you can make.
It's never too late to change positions or posture.
And now,
Wherever you are in your body scan,
Begin to release the technique,
Starting to bring your awareness to the next level,
Your breath.
Feeling it as it flows in and out of the nostrils,
As the lungs fill and empty,
As the belly rises and falls.
We are simply witnessing here.
No right or wrong way to breathe.
Letting your focus be soft and intentional.
Letting yourself release any sense of urgency,
Of needing to do something.
This is a practice of intention,
Of being intentionally present with ourselves,
Our breath.
Witnessing the transitions from the belly,
To the ribs,
To the chest,
To the throat,
And finally the nostrils.
Follow the breath as it transitions in and out of the body.
If the mind wanders off,
If you get lost in a story,
Come back to the breath.
Come back to witnessing.
Begin to imagine there's a leaf resting at the base of the spine.
It flows up the front of the body with your inhale,
And back down with your exhale.
You're moving this leaf with intention and with ease,
Breathing in slowly so that it can float up gently,
Exhaling with gentle control so it can float down again.
All the leaves don't fall down at once.
Trees pull back their energy in response to environmental cues,
And they make internal chemical shifts,
Sending signals throughout their bodies to slow down growth,
To release leaves,
And to store nutrients.
And they do all of this in a balanced,
Gentle way.
They initiate an intentional rest.
If you lose the visualization,
It's okay.
Bring the leaf back into your awareness as you reconnect back to your breath.
Breathing in and breathing out,
The leaf travels up and down.
You're creating space within the body to find clarity,
To find your own environmental cues so that you can discover what you need to release.
With your next exhale,
Visualize your leaf gently landing once more at the base of the spine.
Your breath returns to its natural rhythm,
And with curiosity and compassion,
Reflect on the following question.
What do you need to release so that you can rest in winter?
Think back to trees and their environmental cues that let them know when it's time to make changes.
There may already be changes you've been reflecting on.
There may be changes that feel too scary to make,
Or perhaps it doesn't feel like you're allowed to make the changes you want.
Whatever arises,
Being compassionate.
Witness where the mind wants to go without judgment.
Releasing the question now,
Releasing any stories that might have come up,
Arrive back to the body by beginning to feel into the ground beneath you.
Notice where the body makes contact with the earth or seat beneath you,
And keep your awareness with this grounding sensation for a few more deep breaths.
Moving your awareness now to your environment.
What sounds can you hear?
What does the temperature of the room feel like?
Letting these anchor points bring you slowly back.
If you haven't already,
Gently open your eyes.
Thank you for practicing with me,
For spending your time with me.
I recommend journaling if you feel inclined to do so.
You can further reflect on the question or write down anything that came up for you during this experience.
And I hope to meet you back here again soon.
