Today's practice is a hot springs meditation.
Start by finding a comfortable position,
Either in a chair or laying down.
Somewhere you can get really relaxed.
Noticing the surface beneath you,
Feeling it supporting and comforting you.
Let your arms rest by your side.
Or if you're in a chair,
The hands on the lap.
Allow the hands to be open,
Soft and relaxed.
Breathe in deeply and slowly to start to relax the body with the breath.
Breathe in and out.
Let everything go.
Breathe in.
Deep cleansing breath.
Breathe out.
In and out.
Keep breathing slowly like this,
Allowing each breath to relax your body further as you release tension each time you exhale.
Create a picture in your mind now of a quiet retreat in the mountains.
A log cabin.
You enter the log cabin inside the cozy cabin.
Looking out of the windows you can see the snowy landscape.
The cabin is on the mountainside.
It's surrounded by trees,
Rocks,
The beauty of the mountain nature.
Looking out of the window you can see large rocks above the cabin.
Between the crag in the rocks you can see a trickle of streaming water.
The snow all around this trickle of water is melted,
Exposing the cool grey rocks either side.
The fresh water flows down into a natural pool.
Imagine you're coming outside now out of the cabin wearing sandals with a warm fuzzy bathrobe over something for bathing.
Preparing to go outside into the hot springs.
Picture the front door of the cabin stepping out onto the snow.
You hear the little crunch of the crisp snow underfoot.
It's chilly so you're walking briskly along the path.
Some of the snow touches the top of your bare feet.
It is so cold you feel a tingly almost burning sensation where the snow touched your skin.
You rush towards the water,
Seeing steam rising from the spring.
There's so much steam.
The air around you is foggy.
You reach the side of the hot springs where the hot water has melted the snow all around.
The springs are perfectly clear and made of rock.
The water at the side of the spring is shallow.
Imagine stepping out of your bathrobe and laying it onto the warm dry rocks where the snow has melted.
You step out of your sandals into the steaming water.
The water at the edge of the pool is ankle deep.
After feeling the cold snow,
The water feels very hot on your feet.
The air around you is cold.
The snowflakes are falling softly.
You look up and you can see the snowflakes shattering through the air.
To get relief from the cold,
You step further into the hot springs.
The rocks make natural seats in the water.
You can sit down in the water,
Which comes to just below your chin.
Feel the luxurious warmth around you,
Your hands and feet tingling hot at first,
Eventually settling into a pleasant feeling of warmth.
The water is just the right temperature.
Your feet rest on the smooth rock at the bottom of the hot springs and you can lean your back against the gently sloped stone sides of the pool.
Imagine leaning back and closing your eyes with a sigh,
Allowing your body to completely relax.
The warmth of the water surrounds you.
Let your arms rest by your sides,
Floating just a little.
Allow the muscles of your arms to relax completely,
Heavy and relaxed,
At the same time weightless.
It is such a calm,
Pleasant feeling.
Feel your neck and your shoulders relaxing,
Surrounded by warmth.
The healing water brings relaxation and calm.
Your shoulders lower slightly,
Relaxing,
Easing the tension away,
Becoming loose and relaxed.
Feel your upper back relaxing,
Your collar bones and your chest.
You are so relaxed.
You can feel the water against your skin gently moving.
You feel the occasional bubble tickle your skin as it brushes against you when it rises to the surface of the water.
Allow your stomach and lower back to relax,
Letting go of tension,
So warm and relaxed.
Feel your legs relaxing all the way from your hips to your knees,
To your feet.
Your legs are so warm and relaxed.
Like your arms,
Your legs feel heavy,
But also weightless as they float slightly in the water.
Feel the warm all around you.
The hot springs soothe your muscles.
You can relax completely.
Feel the coolness of the snowflakes on your forehead.
It feels so pleasant,
A wonderful contrast from the hot water.
Let all of your stresses escape,
Drifting away like the rising steam.
Looking up between the snowflakes,
You notice the beautiful scenery around you.
Snow,
Crisp trees and rocks peering through the fog.
It's so quiet here.
The only sound is the quiet trickling of the water from the crag in the rocks.
You can hear the water very quiet as it flows into the pool.
So peaceful.
Feel your muscles relaxing even further.
You are completely warm,
Deeply relaxed.
Just relax now.
Enjoy these beautiful hot springs.
Feeling the snowflakes on your forehead when you're ready to awaken and return to the hours ahead.
Feeling that coolness refresh you.
Gently imagine yourself rising up from the pool.
Gently stepping out of the hot springs onto the warm,
Dry rocks beside you.
See yourself putting on your bathrobe and your sandals and calmly going back inside the cabin.
The snow that touches your feet feels pleasantly cool and helps to wake you up.
Imagine opening the cabin door and going inside.
The cabin is warm and dry.
Keep with you the feeling of warmth and calm as you gradually return to the present.
Starting to become aware of your actual surroundings.
Becoming oriented to where you are right now.
Wiggling your toes,
Your fingertips and feeling your muscles waking up.
Sitting quietly for a moment and allowing your eyes to flutter open.
Returning to full wakefulness.
When you are completely awake and alert you can gently return to your day filled with warmth and relaxation and joy.
