Hi there,
And thank you for being here today.
Before we begin this meditation,
I want to make a deal with you.
Just for the next few minutes,
Let's pretend there's no pressure to be spiritual and do this perfectly.
In fact,
Let's throw the word perfect out the window.
This is just a time for you to show up as you are.
Hair messy,
Mind messy,
Heart maybe a little scrunched up from a weird day.
Perfect,
You're exactly where you need to be.
Let's begin with a quick warm-up and think of it like a little stretch for your soul.
Take a deep breath in through your nose,
But imagine you're not just breathing in air,
You're breathing in love.
Like actual warm,
Golden,
Cozy love.
The kind of love that wraps you up in a big blanket and whispers you're doing just fine.
So go ahead,
Breathe that in,
Slow and deep.
Feel it swirl around your chest,
Let it soften something inside you.
Now exhale gently through your mouth,
Like you're blowing out a candle.
Let go of tension,
Expectations,
Or that random thought about what you forgot to do today.
Just inhale love,
Feel it expand your chest,
And exhale doubt.
Inhale compassion for you,
Exhale comparison.
And again,
Inhale deeply,
Feel that golden love soaking into your whole body,
And exhale.
Let your shoulders drop and let your jaw loosen,
Just let yourself be here.
Now I want you to imagine something magical.
You're walking along a soft,
Earthy path through a forest.
The sunlight filters through tall trees,
Casting golden shapes on the ground.
It smells faintly like wildflowers and fresh rain.
The kind of air that makes you feel like everything's going to be okay.
As you walk,
Notice how quiet it is here.
Not lonely quiet,
Peaceful quiet.
Birds chirp far away,
Leaves rustle gently,
And your footsteps fall in rhythm with your breath.
Up ahead you see an opening,
Sunlight pouring in,
Vibrant colors dancing in the distance.
You step through the trees and find yourself in a breathtaking garden.
But this isn't just any garden,
This is the garden of you.
Everything here was created by the parts of you that know you are enough.
The colors,
The sounds,
The sounds of the scent of blossoms in the air,
It all comes from your truest self.
The version of you untouched by doubt,
Untouched by the weight of comparison.
There are flowers of all shapes and sizes,
Each one representing a part of you.
A fiery red bloom for your courage,
A soft blue petal for your sensitivity,
A vibrant orange bud for your creativity,
A golden sunflower for your joy.
You notice sunflowers are still growing,
Buds not quite open yet,
And that's okay.
Growth takes time.
You don't judge a flower because it's not blooming yet,
Do you?
So why do we do that to ourselves?
You pause,
Noticing a small quiet bench nestled under a tree.
Go ahead,
Take a seat there.
This is your spot,
No one else's.
You are safe here.
From this place,
I want to talk to the part of you that sometimes forgets how incredible you are.
Comparison is sneaky,
Isn't it?
It shows up when you're scrolling through your phone,
When someone else seems like they have it all figured out,
When you're trying your best but it feels like your best isn't enough.
But here's the truth,
You are not here to be like them.
You are here to be you,
The only version that exists in this entire universe.
So let's try something.
Picture someone you've compared yourself to,
Not in a harsh way,
Just gently let their image rise.
Maybe it's a friend,
A stranger on social media,
A co-worker,
Or someone who seems like they've got it all together.
And I want you to imagine standing beside them in this garden.
But instead of feeling smaller or less than,
You look down and notice something interesting.
They're standing in their own garden too.
Different colours,
Different blooms,
A completely different landscape.
You were never meant to grow the same flowers.
Their garden isn't better,
Just different.
And yours?
Yours is a wild and beautiful place in its own secret way.
Comparison only works when we forget that our gardens were never supposed to look the same.
Take a breath in,
Let that truth settle into you.
Now let's talk about self-doubt for a moment.
Let's not fight it,
Let's just try and understand it.
Self-doubt often sounds like,
Who do you think you are?
You're not ready,
You're not as good as someone.
But underneath every whisper of doubt is a wish.
A wish to be seen,
A wish to feel like you belong,
A wish to be loved exactly as you are.
So instead of pushing self-doubt away,
I want you to hold it gently,
Like a child who's afraid.
Picture it now,
A younger version of you sitting beside you on the bench in your garden.
Eyes wide,
A little unsure.
What would you say to them?
Would you shame them?
Would you compare them to others?
No,
You'd pull them close and you'd say you are learning,
You are trying,
You are doing so well.
And maybe,
Just maybe,
You could start saying that to yourself too.
I'd like you to take one last look around your garden.
Feel the breeze,
Smell the sweetness in the air.
Notice how safe,
How right it feels to just be you.
Remember,
You can come back here anytime.
This place is real,
It lives in your heart.
You can begin to wiggle your fingers and toes gently,
Bringing your awareness back to the room that you're in.
Let the image of the garden stay with you like a secret treasure you carry.
No one can take it from you,
It's yours.
Take one last deep breath in,
Breathe in love,
And exhale and let go of anything you no longer need to carry.
And when you're ready,
Open your eyes.
You're still you,
Still growing,
Still worthy,
And still wildly,
Wonderfully enough.
