This is a meditation to support you in the practice of letting go.
Often we carry the weight of past regrets,
Worries about the future or burdens that no longer serve us and when these things come to mind the reason that they feel heavy is because we resist them being there whereas without the resistance if we're able to accept that they are there and that load lightens.
So throughout the next little while as we meditate on this we're going to be working on acceptance and releasing these attachments so that you can find a sense of freedom and peace within yourself.
So begin by finding a quiet and comfortable position and just closing your eyes,
Taking a moment to settle into your body,
Noticing if there's any tension in your body,
Seeing if you can breathe into that space and let it go so you can be fully present in this practice.
Now bring your awareness to your breath,
Just feeling the natural rhythm of your breath as you inhale and exhale,
Noticing the rise and fall of your chest and the sensation of the breath moving in and out of your body.
Turning your attention to the top of your head and slowly scanning your awareness down through your body,
Feeling each area just soften and relax a little bit more as your attention arrives in that space.
Using the exhale to support you,
To feel a sense of release,
Feel a sense of weightlessness and effortlessness.
Now imagine that you are standing on a riverbank,
A beautiful serene river,
Maybe a place that you've been to,
Maybe a place that you've seen,
Maybe somewhere that is completely made up in your imagination.
You're standing on this riverbank and you're holding a small empty boat in your hands and as you stand here you pour into this empty boat all of the things that you want to let go of,
Your regrets,
Your fears,
Any attachments or worries,
Just placing them gently one by one into the boat,
However that looks to you.
And by now your boat is full,
It has things in it,
It's no longer empty and as you hold on to this boat of these things that you're wanting to let go of,
As you're looking at this boat see if you can find a sense of acceptance for their role and their part in your life.
Allowing them to be here,
No longer resisting that they occurred and in doing this noticing if this boat starts to feel a little bit lighter as you acknowledge these things as part of your story.
Then when you're ready you're going to bend down and place the boat onto the river,
Just watch it being taken away by the current,
Floating downstream,
Slowly getting smaller and smaller,
Disappearing,
Carried away on this gentle serene current into the distance.
Just tuning into how it feels to release and let these things go.
You might feel a sense of relief or lightness,
But whatever it is that is coming up for you right now in this moment is perfectly fine.
All feelings are welcome and if there's something that still feels a little heavy that's okay too.
But now return your focus to your breath as you just sit with this process and as any thoughts or attachments arise,
Any stories about shoulds and shouldn't haves or anything like that,
Just acknowledge them without judgment and then let them go.
It's like you're sitting on the banks of the stream and they're popping up out of the surface and you're acknowledging them saying hi I see you and then they bob back down underneath the surface.
Noticing how it feels to acknowledge without judgment,
Without getting attached or caught in stories,
Thoughts or feelings.
And then bringing your attention back to the gentle rise and fall of your breath,
Using this to anchor you back into the present moment.
Noticing where you are situated,
How you are situated and if this resonates repeat these affirmations to yourself either out loud or in your head.
I release what no longer serves me.
I embrace the freedom of letting go.
I am at peace at the present moment and I accept all that is.
Imagine that there's a warm golden light surrounding your body representing this sense of peace and freedom that you've cultivated by letting go of these things.
And as you breathe this warm golden light starts to fill your body.
Feeling that warmth,
Feeling that lightness,
Feeling that peace and freedom of no longer being weighed down and a sense of inner calm.
Feeling into this for the next moment or two.
And when you're ready take a nice big inhale.
As you exhale you are releasing any remaining attachments,
Any little hooks.
Knowing that you have the power to let go.
You have the power to not grab onto any thoughts or memories or worries that do not serve you.
You have the power to accept everything that is and to find peace within yourself.
Taking a few more breaths here.
Perhaps beginning to invite some movement into your body.
Becoming aware of it,
Aware of your surroundings.
And when you're ready in your own time opening your eyes.
And my invitation to you is to carry this sense of peace and freedom with you throughout your day.
Whenever you encounter attachment or struggle remember that the power to let go is always inside you.
