A warm welcome to you.
Often we move through our days with a sense of heaviness in our bodies,
Minds and hearts.
We may feel burdened by responsibility,
Busyness or a sense of striving,
Wanting,
Hoping.
In order to experience a sense of lightness and ease,
Sometimes we need to intentionally practice the act of letting go.
Letting go is a powerful practice that speaks to our deep ability to mirror the natural flow of life.
Just as a tree lets go of its leaves with ease and grace,
We too can let go of things that no longer serve us.
In the act of letting go,
We both soothe and heal ourselves.
We can open the door to creativity and new beginnings.
Through letting go,
We can experience a sense of lightness and freedom.
During this meditation,
We shall ask ourselves what lays heavy on our bodies,
Minds and our hearts.
Through mindful awareness and visualization,
We shall let go of these burdens and arrive into a place of lightness,
Freedom and ease.
So let's begin by finding a comfortable position.
This could be seated or lying down,
Whatever you are naturally drawn towards today.
Closing down your eyes if you like,
Letting the landscape of your awareness turn inwards to the movement and melody of your inner world.
Can you offer yourself a gentle smile of appreciation for being here right now,
For your desire to let go,
For your desire to feel light and free?
And as you settle in,
Noticing the places where your body comes in contact with the surface that supports you.
Dressing into this support a little more now.
Really letting the ground receive your weight.
Taking a nice deep breath into this feeling of being supported,
Of the earth holding you.
As you exhale,
Sinking deeper.
Moving our awareness now to our breath,
Our life force.
Noticing the air as it enters your nose.
Noticing the air as it leaves your mouth.
Noticing the gentle rise and fall of your chest.
Noticing the soft expanse of your belly as the air flows in and out.
Noticing the way your body moves when you breathe.
Spending a few more moments here in the gentle movement of your breath.
Just as the tide washes over the sand,
Your breath washes over you.
Really scanning your body now for any aches and pains,
Any areas of tightness or tension.
And offering these places some gentle breaths.
Moving your breath to soothe and heal your physical form.
Moving our attention now to our minds and to our thoughts.
Feeling for a moment the quality of your mind right now.
Is it alert?
Busy?
In flow?
Relaxed?
Quiet?
Perhaps you may describe it in another way.
And moving our awareness now to our thoughts.
In particular,
Let's focus on the habitual,
Reoccurring thoughts you have about yourself that are in some way critical.
We all have persistent self-critical thoughts.
They play like music tracks in our minds.
Sometimes loud,
Sometimes soft.
I wonder,
Is there one particular thought you may like to let go of today?
A thought that does not serve you or support you in your life right now.
A thought that is holding you back,
Preventing you from living the life you desire.
For a moment,
Let's hold this thought in our mind.
And now I ask you warm heartedly,
Is this thought true?
Does this thought help you to be the person you want to be?
And so now I invite you to join me on a journey to let go of this self-critical thought.
This thought that no longer serves you.
Spending some time now imagining you are sitting on a large smooth rock by a gentle flowing river.
The rock has been warmed by the sun and you are enjoying the sensation of receiving this warmth.
The river is clean and cool and makes a soft trickling noise as the water streams by.
You can feel a slight breeze on your skin.
You feel calm and relaxed.
You are surrounded by rocks of different shapes,
Sizes,
Colors and textures.
One of these rocks grabs your attention.
So you pick it up.
You examine it.
Noticing its details,
Its color,
Its texture.
Imagining now that this rock represents this critical thought you are ready to let go of.
Feel how heavy this rock is in your hand.
Feel how it weighs you down.
When you are ready throw this rock into the river.
Watching it sink,
Falling heavy to the river bed below.
How do you feel after throwing the rock and what it represents into the river?
Feeling any feelings of lightness,
Of freedom,
Of relief.
Noticing also any resistance to letting the rock or these thoughts go.
Feeling as best you can any feelings that come up for you.
Moving our attention now to our hearts and the space around our hearts.
Breathing into this place for a moment or two.
As if your breath is waking your heart from its slumber.
Feeling any sensations or feelings that are present for you in your heart.
Perhaps you can feel your heart beating.
Some emotions are present.
I wonder,
In your life right now is there something that is making your heart feel heavy or tired?
Perhaps a certain situation,
A worry,
A regret or a fear.
Can you imagine letting this burden,
This heaviness go?
Once more imagining yourself sitting by the river on the warm smooth rock.
Then another rock grabs your attention.
You pick it up.
Noticing its details.
Noticing its weight in your hand.
This rock is weighing you down.
And so I ask you warm heartedly,
What does this rock represent to you?
When you are ready toss this rock into the river.
Watch it sink to the river bed below.
Letting go.
Letting be.
Feeling light.
Feeling free.
Looking into these sensations for a moment or two.
Allowing the rhythm of your breath to carry this experience of letting go around your entire body.
Noticing any feelings of lightness,
Freedom or peace.
When you are ready gently offering your body any small movements it needs.
Feeling the sounds around you.
Bringing your awareness back into the room as you open your eyes.
May you move through your day with a sense of freedom and ease.
Thank you.
