This meditation is best done lying down,
So make yourself comfortable now.
Let's begin by bringing awareness to your body breathing.
With the sense of the body as a whole,
In your mind's eye,
Envision a pond,
A body of water,
Small or large,
A receptive basin within the earth herself.
Perhaps it's a late summer day,
A beautiful mountain pond,
It's quiet and peaceful,
And you see yourself at the shore of this clear and peaceful body of water.
Feeling comfortable and safe,
Allow yourself to experience a feeling of well-being.
Taking time to appreciate the beauty of this place where you are.
As you look into the water,
You sense a peace within.
As you view this pond,
You notice the reflection of the mountain,
Trees,
Sky,
And clouds held within the pond.
Include yourself in the reflection of the calm surface of the pond.
The pond reflects everything.
In your mind's eye and in your heart,
You notice that water pools in low places.
It seeks its own level.
It asks to be held within safe boundaries.
Create your own pond.
It may be deep or shallow,
Muddy or clear,
And mirror-like,
Green,
Blue,
Or brown.
When wind is calm,
The surface is flat and mirror-like,
Holding all in itself for a moment.
If wind arises,
It stirs up waves and reflections distort,
Sunlight a sparkle and dance in the ripples like diamonds.
When the sun sets and the moon rises,
The pond reflects its light.
When fall moves in,
Leaves float on the pond,
Blocking out some of its reflective qualities.
Now it's winter and the pond may freeze over and be covered in snow with no reflective qualities,
Yet much life and movement is going on below the surface.
As you lie here in stillness,
Breathing,
Allow the image of a pond to be here.
And when you feel ready,
Bring the image inside yourself completely so that your being merges with the pond.
Become one with it so that all your energies in this moment are held in awareness with openness and compassion for yourself.
As the pond's waters are held by the receptive basin of earth,
You are also.
Feel the compassion of the earth's basin holding you,
A safe place to rest.
Imagine breathing as the pond,
Feeling its body as your body,
Cradled in the firm yet gentle earth below,
Inviting mind and heart to become open and receptive to this moment.
Breathing,
Breath flowing in and breath flowing out.
Expect whatever arises.
Can you feel the moments of stillness when the reflection and the surface are clear?
Can you feel the moments when the surface is disturbed,
Choppy,
Stirred up,
And reflections are lost for a time?
Through all the changes,
You just lie here,
Simply observing the various play of your own energies,
Emotions,
Physical sensations,
Thoughts,
Reactions,
Which come and go like ripples,
Waves,
And stillness.
Notice their effects with non-judgment.
Experiencing all the changes just the way you note the changing energies that play on the pond,
The wind,
Sunlight,
Trees,
Shadows,
Reflections,
The moon,
Change of colors,
Scents.
Note the effect of your thoughts and feelings.
Do they also disturb the clarity of the pond?
Do your thoughts cloud the pond?
How does this feel?
Can you allow a cloudy pond?
And can you allow a ripply surface and know that all this is a part of being a pond?
Is it possible to know the surface of the pond and no matter what the surface is like,
That there is stillness below?
In the same way,
You can be kindly in touch with every changing event in your inner and outer life,
Aware of its comings and goings,
Just like the surface of the pond.
The pond reflects and contains all and teaches us how to do the same.
Take time to acknowledge all the ways in which you can bring awareness and acceptance to all the qualities of our mind and body.
Affirm your own ability to be held by earth and reflect all that arises without judgment,
Knowing the vast reservoir of compassion within your heart as you dwell here in this stillness of the moment in silence for the next several moments.
As you return to this room,
Bring the peaceful spirit to the center of your being.
Bring the peaceful spirit upon consciousness with you.
