This is Donna Farris,
And this meditation is focused on providing a brief respite from your day in what is top of your mind.
Begin by finding a comfortable and quiet space.
Sit or lie down in a relaxed position,
Allowing your body to settle into a calming posture.
Close your eyes gently,
Taking a moment to disconnect from the external world.
Take a deep breath in,
Filling your lungs with fresh air,
And exhale slowly.
Don't worry if you can't hold the breath long or it doesn't quite go the way you think.
There is no right way to breathe for you.
There is only your way.
And as you keep breathing,
Release any tension you may be holding.
If it helps,
You can imagine the tasks and issues on your mind being dropped into a wicker basket at your feet.
And once you are done dropping all those things in that basket,
You can breathe in and exhale it away to a faraway place,
Totally inaccessible right now.
Inhale deeply again into the chest.
Exhale and notice if you feel a little lighter with all that away.
Continue breathing like this,
And as you do,
Let your eyebrows relax.
And then let your eyes soften.
Let that softness drift to your jaw and down your neck,
And settle right between your shoulder blades.
Inhale,
Exhale,
And let that calm drift down your arms to your fingers,
And then down your spine and legs to your toes.
Feel the support of the surface beneath you.
And imagine that support goes all the way down through the floor,
The building,
The earth,
To the center of the earth.
And know that the earth holds you in its embrace.
So now I want you to imagine that only steps away,
There is a beautiful and serene place where you feel completely at peace.
It's your beautiful place.
It could be a beach,
A forest,
A meadow,
Or any area that brings you joy.
Picture the details,
The colors,
The sounds,
The textures.
It is only a stairway away,
So as you breathe in and out,
Take one step toward it.
And you're going to step down one step,
And two,
And three,
Seven,
And eight.
As you breathe in,
Visualize yourself inhaling the positive energy of this happy place.
Feel the warmth and tranquility flowing through your body with each breath.
Allow this peaceful energy to replace any resistance within you.
As you breathe,
Imagine the sun shining brightly in your happy place,
Warming your skin with its gentle rays.
Feel the softness of the sand,
Or grass,
Or whatever surface is beneath you.
Hear the soothing sounds of nature,
Waves,
Birds,
Rustling leaves,
Or whatever sounds bring joy to your heart.
Take a moment to explore this happy place.
Notice the details,
The beauty that surrounds you.
Notice colors,
Or sounds,
Or smells.
How your feet feel as you touch the ground.
Any animals you might see,
Or tools,
Or objects in the area.
Now let go of any thoughts that may arise,
And focus solely on this moment in your happy place.
If your mind starts to wander,
Which it will,
Gently guide it back to the breath,
And the sights,
And the sounds of your serene place.
Surrender the things from your basket that enter this place,
Because they do.
And let them be with your higher power,
Or the universe.
Surrendering helps us,
So that we can move on.
Know that you've done all you can,
And notice what happens to your body when you surrender this grasping and resisting that we all do.
Let that feeling of surrender flow throughout your body,
And know that you are held by the universe and your higher power.
As you continue to breathe deeply,
Allow a sense of gratitude to fill your heart for this special place.
Appreciate the peace and joy it brings you,
And know you can come back to it anytime in your mind,
Or with the assistance of this meditation.
Take two more breaths here.
To come back,
We're going to need to retrace our steps,
So stepping onto the 8th step at the bottom,
Then 7,
6,
5.
Let the feelings from your happy place stay with you.
You notice the changes in your body,
Spirit,
And mind from just this calming experience.
In the last few moments,
Let's start to bring your awareness back to the present.
Feel the connection between your body and the space you're in.
Wiggle your fingers and toes,
Gradually awakening your body to your surroundings.
And when you're ready,
Open your eyes slowly,
And take in the space around you.
May you bring the calmness and positivity from your happy place with you as you go about your day.
Namaste.
