Thank you for joining this meditation.
And as we begin,
Let us take a moment to appreciate that we are here,
That we can do whatever we need to,
To start queuing to our bodies,
That we are present,
That we are ready to listen.
So once you've adjusted your body to feel more grounded in this moment,
You may slowly close your eyes,
Or take a soft gaze downward if you prefer.
Let your awareness travel with the moment,
Taking in the air,
Feeling more connected with the space and with your breath.
Observe any of your body sensations.
And see what it's like to provide this soft awareness around these sensations.
I counsel you that thoughts and deep uses may have each other,
So take myself in this Take note of whatever else your body is letting you know,
What is surfacing,
And see if your body is up for some time traveling.
Going as far back to those moments in life,
We're exploring and discovering and enjoying the world around you.
We're the main focus.
It may help to ask your nervous system to bring up an uplifting image from your childhood while taking in some deep breaths.
Furthering the sense of connection to these warm memories from long ago.
Even if it is hard to come up with a memory,
See what comes to mind when the ideas of childlike curiosity and joy are brought to your conscious attention.
Allow your mind to travel wherever it takes you.
Noticing what images it lands on,
What memories are experienced in relation to this youthful joy.
Perhaps even taking note of who is with you,
What your thoughts are,
Especially those thoughts from that younger you's perspective,
Your sensory experiences,
And any emotions.
Maybe you're having a moment of nostalgia.
Maybe a sense of disappointment,
Of what was or what is no longer.
Maybe even some sense of contentment.
Whatever arises,
You can remind yourself like any other memory.
These memories can be reflected on,
Restored,
Reshelved,
Or even released depending on what best meets your needs at this moment in time.
Feel free to stick with one memory or several,
Trusting that movie screen in your mind's eye.
No image too big or small.
No memory any more or less significant than the next.
Perhaps also reflecting on those times of self-discovery,
Your initial experiences of getting closer to nature,
Or any other form of feeling more connected to your mind,
Body,
And spirit that occurred during this earlier time in life.
When you feel ready,
Let's try to imagine an experience where you were building something.
Think about what materials you were using,
What the project was.
If you were doing this on your own or with other individuals in your life,
See what it is like to take these materials and build them up higher and higher,
As far as your arms can go.
Notice just how exciting it is to see your hard work pay off,
Allowing yourself to soak in the celebration of this creation.
If pieces start to fall off or topple down,
Take note of any sensations that arise.
Maybe discouragement,
Or on the other end of the spectrum,
Delight,
And being able to get to do it again.
Our inner child has the innate wisdom to see that repetition is a gift,
Especially since each time is never quite the same as the last.
Take note of how this beginner's mindset resonates with your present self and inner child.
See if you can let the two integrate as much as possible to this moment,
Using the power of your breath to bring them to a harmonious union.
If there is anything you want to say to this younger version of you,
Feel free to do so now.
If you do not have anything specific you want to share,
Express any form of loving kindness to this little one.
Take time with sharing your warmth and love.
If you would like,
You may set an intention to do something playful today or in the days to come.
To further solidify this sense of joy and peace.
When you are ready,
Start taking note of how your body feels,
Slowly readjusting it back to the space.
Seeing if you can note anything in a more playful and joyous mindset.
As you come back to this space,
Feel free to reflect on some of these questions,
Perhaps even jotting down what this experience was like for you.
Some questions to consider.
What images really stood out for you in this guided visualization?
Were you able to notice where this childlike joy was embodied and where it may still be present?
And finally,
What did you notice your younger self responding to as you were sharing your warmth and your kind attention with them?
Thank you for your practice.
I look forward to sharing another moment with you soon.
