Welcome dear friend,
Take some time now to get comfortable,
Either sitting or lying down.
Then close your eyes or have a gentle gaze before taking a deep breath in and a long slow exhale out.
Feel your body start to begin to settle and relax with each gentle breath that you take.
As you breathe allow yourself to feel the support beneath you,
Grounding you in this moment.
With each breath release any tension you're holding within your body.
Let the muscles soften,
The face relax and the shoulders drop so that the whole body sinks a little bit deeper into stillness.
I invite you to picture yourself in a beautiful,
Peaceful walled garden.
This is a place where you feel completely safe,
Calm and at ease.
The air is fresh and filled with the sweet fragrance of blooming flowers and herbs and you can hear the soft rustling of leaves in the gentle summer breeze.
In the centre of this tranquil garden there's a beautiful round water fountain.
The sound of water flowing is soothing like a soft rhythmic lullaby.
You are sitting beside the fountain,
Feeling calm,
Grounded and present.
Now let your awareness move to the sound of the water cascading gently from the edges of the fountain,
Falling gracefully into the pool below.
The water flows endlessly,
Just like your thoughts and emotions,
Constantly moving,
Never staying the same.
Each droplet of water represents a thought or a feeling,
Some are fleeting,
Others more persistent and reoccurring.
Notice how the water never stops flowing,
Just like the constant flow of your thoughts.
Now let your awareness settle onto the surface of the pool beneath the fountain.
The water is murky and stirred,
Swirling in ripples,
Making it difficult to see clearly.
The surface is agitated,
Constantly moving in the flow of water.
This represents the busyness of your mind,
The thoughts,
Sensations and distractions that sometimes cloud your inner peace.
You can feel overwhelming,
Just like the murky water,
Hard to see through,
Hard to find clarity within.
Let's begin to calm the water together.
Gently focus on your breath,
Breathe in slowly,
Deeply and feel the cool air fill your lungs,
Then exhale softly,
Releasing tension as you let go of the day.
As you breathe,
Imagine that with each breath you take,
The droplets of water begin to slow,
Become gentler,
Less frequent.
With each inhale brings calmness,
With each exhale releases the restlessness within.
The water begins to fall more softly,
The droplets slowing to just the occasional thought,
Each one becoming less urgent the more you focus on those long,
Slow,
Deep breaths.
As you breathe,
You might like to repeat a calming mantra to yourself,
Either silently or out loud.
I am calm,
I am clear.
I am calm,
I am clear.
Keep repeating this mantra as many times as you need,
Fused with your breath and fuelled with the patience and kindness and love that you afford so easily to all the loved ones around you.
As the water continues to slow,
The pool below the fountain starts to clear,
The surface becomes still and the murkiness begins to fade.
Beneath the surface you begin to notice the glimpses of beauty.
A few graceful fish begin to swim into view.
These fish are not like the swirls of thought,
They move calmly and with purpose.
The water is now clear enough for you to see them,
Swimming peacefully in the pool.
These fish represent ideas,
Gently inspiring sparks of insight and creativity.
They come from a place of stillness,
Clarity and wisdom beyond the noise of your thoughts.
In his book Don't Believe Everything You Think,
Joseph Nijgen teaches us an important lesson.
Thoughts are often reactionary,
Habitual and tied to our emotions.
They can be loud and persistent,
Much like the flow of water,
But ideas on the other hand come from a different place.
They are born in the stillness,
In the clarity that arises when we slow down and let go.
As you watch the fish swim,
You can feel the difference.
Thoughts may come and go,
Swirling like the turbulent water,
But ideas are like the peaceful fish,
Appearing when the water is clear,
Offering wisdom and inspiration.
As you watch the fish,
It's ok if your mind begins to wander,
Or if you become distracted by a sound,
A sensation or a thought.
This is completely natural,
Don't judge yourself for it.
Gently guide your awareness back to the sound of the water,
To the stillness of the pool,
To your breath.
Each time you bring yourself back,
It's like a new opportunity to reconnect,
To slow down and to find peace.
Each breath,
Every drop of water is a chance to return to the present moment,
To relax and to let go.
As you sit by the fountain,
Watching the fish peacefully in the clear water,
Feel a deep sense of calm and clarity.
Know that you are giving yourself permission to slow down,
To listen and to receive beautiful ideas from the stillness within.
The more you practice slowing down,
The more space you create for these gentle sparks of inspiration to rise.
Trust that they are always there,
Waiting for the right moment to appear.
When you're ready,
Slowly bring your awareness back to the present moment.
And as you slowly flicker your eyes open,
Take a moment to enjoy this feeling of you sat peacefully in the garden,
Feeling grounded,
Serene and connected.
And as you move into the rest of your day,
Carry this clarity and calm with you.
Thank you for choosing to practice with me today,
Dear friend.
I look forward to sharing your practice again with you soon.
Until then,
Have a wonderful day.
Namaste.
