Welcome to this grounding story.
This story is really a tool that you can use when meditation and breathing techniques don't feel accessible,
When it feels like too much of a jump to slow down and sit down and meditate.
This is really a simple story,
Almost like a kid's story,
To ground your mind and to give it something to hold on to.
As your system starts to settle again and you can then towards the end of the story,
We'll have a check-in,
A grounding check-in,
Some breathing and you can then recenter and come back to how you want to be living.
So enjoy this grounding story.
I hope the inner child in you loves it as well.
This is the story of Leo the leaf.
Leo the leaf was a leaf amongst many other leaves on the tree.
During the spring,
It emerged with his other brother and sisters.
During the summer,
It played in the wind with its friends,
Waving to each other,
Singing in the wind,
Singing the songs of the summer breeze,
Dancing together to different melodies and rhythms.
But one day Leo said,
Why is every other Leo a lion and why am I a leaf?
His friend Jason,
A leaf very close by on another branch,
Said,
Well because you're just a leaf.
Just live with it,
You're just a leaf.
You will never be a lion because you are a leaf.
Leo heard Jason but something just didn't feel right within him.
He knew he was a leaf,
There was no doubt about that.
He had never seen a mirror but he'd seen reflections of himself in all his brothers and sisters and he knew he was just like them.
But at the same time,
He didn't like this idea of limiting himself.
And to his surprise,
One day a lion came by.
Leo screamed and said,
A lion!
A lion!
I can't believe it!
The lion looked up,
So what's going on there?
Who's talking about me?
It's me,
I'm Leo.
I'm Leo the leaf.
Hello,
Leo.
My name is also Leo.
Nice to meet you.
Leo the leaf felt slightly nervous seeing that this was the first lion he'd ever seen.
I have a question to ask you,
Lion.
Why is it every other lion is a Leo and not a leaf?
Well,
Not every lion I know is called Leo and actually I've never talked to a leaf.
So I know very little about you guys,
You folk.
But yes,
My name is Leo and I am a lion and that I know.
Yeah,
But I don't know any other leaf that's called Leo and I've heard of many,
Many lions that are called Leo.
Just feels sort of unfair that I must be the only leaf called Leo.
Well,
My friend,
Have you been to the whole forest?
Do you really know that you are the only one?
And why does it matter?
I just don't want to limit myself to being a leaf.
Yes,
Limiting yourself is not a good idea.
I used to once live in a cage until I realized that was a limitation and then I broke out.
Zookeepers did not like that.
The people did not like that.
But I did not like living in a cage.
So I broke out and now I live a slightly more complex,
More dangerous life.
But I am free and I'm Leo and I'm a lion.
Oh,
If I could only be a lion,
The leaf thought to himself.
I could also be free and sway in the wind with all the freedom I could ever imagine.
He realized he was not just thinking,
He was speaking this out loud.
And the lion had one question for him.
My friend,
If I may disturb you in your train of thoughts and rumbling,
What stops you from swaying in the wind freely now?
What stops you from feeling powerful like a lion?
What stops you from saying you are a lion?
What is,
What even is a lion?
Does a lion need to look like me?
Or is a lion a way of being where you're free,
Self-determined,
Powerful,
Sovereign?
Maybe you are a lion.
Maybe that is why you're called Leo.
The leaf almost had no words left to say.
It was amazed,
Truly amazed,
That it too was a lion.
It just never knew.
Because on the surface,
It didn't look like a lion.
If only I knew that this was inside of me all along.
But anyway,
It's here now and I shall embrace it.
I am Leo the leaf slash lion slash whatever I want to be.
And whoever doesn't like that,
It's none of my business.
All I care about is living in my glory,
Being as bold,
Brave,
Free,
Loving as I can be.
I shall always apologize if I step on someone's toes in a non-considerate way.
But also,
I am a leaf and I know the cycle of life is always ongoing.
Everything is subject to impermanence.
I soon will be on the ground composting into new life.
While I am alive in this life,
Let me be a lion and whatever I want to be.
I'm not even Leo.
I'm just a glorious sparkle.
One facet,
One tiny grain of sand in this grand cosmos of life.
Anyway,
I'm not a philosopher.
I'm simply a leaf.
And then Leo and the lion said goodbye and both swayed in the wind with the lion's mane swaying in the wind and the leaf dancing happily as ever as both go their ways,
Knowing and appreciating how glorious it is to be alive in this moment.
Now check in with yourself.
How is your body feeling?
Is there anything within you right now that would like a little hello?
Just letting it know that you see it.
Maybe parts within you that share what Leo felt,
Sort of fear of being constricted,
Not living to full potential.
Whatever it is,
Just letting it know that you see it.
And if it's true for you,
That you appreciate its presence and what it does.
And then just taking some deeper breaths into the body,
Making sure that your breathing flows in through the nose and checking again any contact with surfaces that are supporting you right now.
Your feet,
Sensations that are here.
See if you can feel the breath in your belly in an easygoing and gentle way.
Checking in with your shoulders,
Relaxing them,
Unclenching your jaw,
Softening your eyes,
To you resting here in a whole body awareness.
Seeing how your body feels now,
Seeing how your system feels now compared to 10 minutes ago.
And then embracing the freedom of the leaf,
Leo the leaf.
Checking if there's anything you need right now and do that.
That's a hug for yourself,
If that's a stretch,
If that's screaming out how amazing you are or how glad you are to be alive.
Whatever it is,
Just do that in your own glory.
And then taking three more gifts,
Three more breaths,
Every breath feeling like a gift from life,
Nourishing you.
Have a beautiful day or night.
Much love.
Thank you for being here.
My name is Felix Niu.
Courage makes it possible,
Joy makes it easier,
And love is the reason why.
Love takes you on a ride.
Love is what's true despite.
Love is what's true inside.
Soak up these soothing vibes.
