Welcome.
Let's begin by settling into a comfortable position either seated or lying down.
Let your body feel supported and let your breath be easy.
When you're ready we're just going to gently close our eyes.
Take a deep breath in through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth.
Let's do that again.
Inhale deeply and exhale.
Begin to bring your awareness to the top of your head.
Slowly start scanning your body from the crown of your head down through your forehead,
Softening the muscles around your eyes,
Your cheeks,
And eventually your jaw.
Paying attention to any tension or messages your body is sending you.
Drop your awareness to your neck and your shoulders,
Letting them relax,
Freeing them from anything that you're holding here.
Now move down through your arms,
Your elbows,
Your wrists,
Your hands,
All the way to your fingertips.
Feel the energy moving through you.
Bring your attention to your chest.
Notice the rise and fall of your breath.
Then settle into your belly,
Letting your stomach soften,
Let it rise and fall freely.
Continue down through your hips,
Your thighs,
Your knees,
Through your calves,
Your ankles,
All the way down to your feet and toes.
Let your whole body settle here.
Feel yourself grounded and supported.
And just ask yourself,
Body,
Is there anything you need from me today?
With your eyes closed and your breath gently coming in and out,
I want you to imagine yourself standing at the edge of a vast rolling field covered in lavender.
The sky above is a brilliant blue.
You feel the warm gentle breeze on your skin.
You hear birds singing in the distance.
Inhale deeply here,
Breathing in the calming scent of lavender.
Let yourself take it all in,
The way the warm air caresses your skin,
Seeing the sunlight dancing across the hills,
Hearing the sound of the wind rustling through the lavender.
And as you look into the distance,
You notice something.
A hot air balloon resting on a small hill where the field meets the sky.
And you begin to walk slowly towards it.
As you get closer,
The colors of the balloon become clearer,
A vibrant rainbow of silk swaying slightly in the breeze.
You notice the texture of the woven basket,
The gentle creak of the ropes,
And you see that the balloon is tethered to the ground by four heavy sandbags.
Each one is secured with a rope.
Take a moment to observe them,
Their color,
Their weight.
And up ahead there's a small rope ladder allowing you to climb up and step inside the basket.
It's peaceful in the basket and as you look around you notice mechanisms to fly the balloon.
Flying this balloon is going to be so easy,
But first you must let go of what's holding it down.
You turn to the first sandbag and you see written across it in black bold letters the word fear.
Take a moment to notice the fear you've been carrying.
Without judgment,
Just awareness.
When you're ready,
Untie the rope and watch the sandbag roll down the hill until it disappears.
Feel the balloon shift.
It lifts gently and then settles back down to the earth again.
And your attention turns to the second sandbag.
This one written in bold red letters the word envy.
Notice if there's any comparison or scarcity lingering within you.
Untie the rope and let it go.
Watch as the sandbag tumbles down the side of the hill until it vanishes.
Now you turn your attention to the third sandbag.
This one in bright pink letter says expectations.
These might be expectations from others or ones you've placed on yourself.
Take a breath,
Untie it gently,
And feel the balloon lift slightly as the sandbag rolls away.
Now you're floating just above a ground and there's only one sandbag left.
It's the biggest one and it's personal.
Look at it.
Read what's there.
Only you know what it says.
Take a moment to truly feel it.
Then when you're ready,
Untie the rope.
Watch the sandbag roll away as the balloon begins to rise freely.
Now you are light,
Unburdened.
You are in control.
You get to choose where you go.
Perhaps you'll float over the lavender fields or soar over the mountains or drift up high through the clouds.
Let your imagination lead you.
Feel the wind in your hair,
The warmth of the sun,
And the expansion in your chest.
You can stay here for as long as you like.
This is your time,
Your space,
Your freedom.
And whenever you're ready,
Gently guide the balloon back down.
Maybe you land on a beach or you return to the field where you began.
Feel the balloon settle back down onto the earth again and take a deep breath.
Bring your awareness back to your physical body,
To the rise and fall of your breath.
Inhaling to the count of five,
And exhaling to the count of five.
We'll do this 12 times,
Slowly and calmly.
Inhaling.
.
.
And exhaling.
Continue to breathe in this way,
Slowly and calmly.
Whenever you're ready,
Begin to wiggle your fingers and your toes.
Maybe gently stretch your arms and roll your shoulders,
And slowly bring yourself back into the room.
Whenever you're ready,
You can open your eyes.
And take a moment now before you move on to write down anything that came up for you.
Any insight,
Any emotion,
Any moment you want to remember.
This was a journey,
And you showed up for it.
Thank you for meditating with me today.
You're free to rise anytime you choose,
Feeling lighter for releasing any burdens holding you here in place.
