It's so great of you to join me again.
In this meditation we're going to take a short journey to your favorite place in nature.
One of the new and exciting facts that we've discovered in working with people's capacity and peace of mind,
Lowering anxiety,
Feeling like we are connected and at peace,
Is that our relationship with nature makes a huge difference.
And regular connection with nature provides that calming,
Serene state of mind.
But we can't always get out of nature.
Sometimes we're too busy with our work or our lives are too filled or we live in cities and it's difficult to get to a place of natural beauty.
So another piece of our psychology or the way that we work is that if we can imagine being in nature then we can have the same effects in our brains and our bodies.
That calming serenity can still be ours to hold and to have.
So if you can't get to your favorite park or a beautiful place by the coast,
By the ocean or by a lake or to walk in the woods or in the mountains,
If you're not able to get to those places,
You can still increase your serenity,
Your peace of mind.
You can still lower anxiety tremendously by simply imagining being in your favorite place in nature.
So let's begin that journey together.
Find your most comfortable position either sitting or lying down.
Take a few easy breaths.
Inhale and exhale nice and easy and begin to relax allowing your body to slow down,
To calm down and as your body relaxes allow your mind and your emotions to calm down as well.
There is nothing here to do right now except to relax.
So just relax and as your body is relaxed and your mind and your emotions are relaxed,
Feel that sense of peace,
That sense of what I like to think of as your center,
Being present within you,
Feeling it all through your body,
That sense of your own center.
And as you're relaxed in your center,
Bring to your mind's eye your favorite place in nature.
Allow this place,
This beautiful place,
To come fully up into your imagination and if you have any trouble imagining it that's not a problem.
Just think about your favorite place in nature and then move yourself from your center actually into your favorite place in nature.
Begin walking through that place and tune in with all of your senses relaxing,
Feeling your favorite place in nature around you.
Use your eyes and gaze around looking at the plants,
The ground,
The sky.
See if there are any animals or water there in your favorite place.
Listen with your ears.
What sounds do you hear?
Can you hear water?
Can you hear the wind?
Are there birds there in your favorite place?
What sort of sounds are there in your favorite place in nature?
And then reach out with your hands.
Touch the plants,
The trees.
Bend down and touch the ground and feel the ground with your feet.
If there are trees there,
Touch the tree bark,
Touch the leaves.
If there's grass,
Reach down and touch the grass.
If there's water,
Put your hands into the water and as you listen and as you look at the water,
Feel the water in your hands.
Engage all of your senses.
So begin to smell what it smells like in your favorite place in nature.
Can you smell the wind?
Can you smell the plants?
Can you smell the water?
And then look up and feel if it's a sunny day there,
Feel the warmth of the sun on your face.
Allow the warmth of the sun to come fully into your face,
Into your body.
Just imagine the heat,
The warmth,
The sunlight.
Feel it all through you,
That beautiful sunlight.
And then with your whole body as a feeling sensing instrument,
Tune into your body's reaction to your favorite place in nature.
Feel that favorite place all through your body and allow the feeling of nature itself to move into your very cells,
Into your organs,
Your bones,
Your muscles.
Feel your connection with nature.
Feel how powerful,
How supportive your connection with nature is for you.
I'll be quiet for a few moments while you walk around engaging your favorite place in nature using all of your senses.
Allow the beauty of nature to come into your heart,
Into your mind.
Feel how wonderful your connection with nature is,
How uplifting it is,
How nurturing for your spirit.
Spend just a couple moments now gathering in all of your senses,
Your experience of your favorite place of nature.
Remembering what it's like to be connected at this very rich and deep level with your favorite place in nature.
And hold that awareness,
Hold the memory of that in your very cells,
In your bones,
In your muscles,
In your mind and in your heart.
And feel the love that you have for nature.
Your relationship with nature is incredibly important.
So allow your memory to keep this,
Keep this favorite place in nature,
Keep your experience here today.
And whenever you need to,
All you have to do is close your eyes,
Calm down and bring yourself once again to your favorite place in nature.
So begin to make your way back and again remember your experience.
Make your way back from your favorite place,
Back into the room that you're sitting in,
Back into your body,
Back into this time.
And when you're ready,
Open your eyes.
