Welcome,
Let's take a moment to settle into stillness,
Allow your body to soften,
Your breath to slow,
And your mind to begin unwinding gently and gradually,
You don't need to be anywhere else but right here,
This is your space,
This is your moment,
Find a comfortable position and if it's in your practice to close your eyes then gently do so now,
Or perhaps focus your gaze just softly in front of you,
Just take a deep breath in through your nose and a long and gentle breath out through your mouth,
One more time,
A gentle but deep breath in through your nose and when you reach the top,
A gentle but deep sigh out through your mouth,
Let your shoulders come away from your ears,
Allow any tension to soften in your jaw,
Maybe you'd like to roll your shoulders forwards or backwards a couple of times and let your belly be soft,
Not holding on to any breath here,
There's no expectations and no pressures in this meditation today,
Come exactly as you are,
Just bring your breath to its natural rhythm,
When you feel ready I invite you to begin imagining a path in front of you,
This path can look however you like,
This is your path,
Maybe it's a wooden trail,
Quiet and shaded,
Maybe some leaves have fallen onto the path in front,
Or maybe it's a soft sandy track by the sea,
Or a trodden grassy path by a babbling brook or a small stream,
Perhaps it's lined with tall wild grass swaying in a summer breeze,
Or perhaps it's surrounded by giant,
Giant gentle trees,
Maybe they have fiery colourful leaves as they turn for autumn,
What kind of path feels good for you today?
Take a moment to picture it,
What season is it?
Is the air cool and crisp or is it warm and golden?
And notice the colours around you,
Are they earthy browns,
Soft or lush greens,
Perhaps even vibrant reds or dappled light through any trees,
Perhaps some sunlight is bouncing off water around you,
And with each step forward on this path,
Feel yourself coming home to yourself,
There's no rush,
This walk is for you,
To breathe,
To slow down and to listen,
And as you walk you may notice the sound of birdsong in the distance,
The gentle rustle of leaves,
Or perhaps the peaceful hush of waves meeting the shoreline,
And let this place become your sanctuary,
Let nature hold you here,
Now imagine a small bench or a resting place nearby,
Perhaps you're sitting on the brow of a hill,
Maybe you're still along your path,
On a bank or surrounded by flowers,
You sit down here and your body feels supported,
And your breath begins to settle even more,
And in this place you are free to feel,
You're free to rest,
You're free to let go,
And if there's anything on your mind today,
If you have any tension,
Any stress or any worries,
You can imagine it slowly softening,
As you feel safe and protected along your path and where you're sat,
And just let those feelings drift,
And you take a few quiet moments here,
Just to beat,
To breathe,
And to receive the calm of this space,
And now gently begin to rise again,
You stand and you begin to walk along the path with a little look for lightness in your body,
A little more softness in your heart,
And you've created calm within you,
And this is something that you can return to whenever you need,
Let's finish with a few affirmations,
You can say them aloud or in your mind,
Or you can simply let them wash over you,
I am safe to slow down,
Nature holds me just as I am,
I carry calm within me,
I can return to this peaceful place anytime I choose,
I am grounded,
I am enough,
And I am home,
Let's take one last deep but gentle breath in through your nose,
And a long sigh out through your mouth,
Letting your breath return to its natural rhythm,
And when you feel comfortable,
Slowly bring your awareness back to the space around you,
However you've gotten comfortable today,
Feel supported by that,
Whether it's a chair,
Your bed,
Or maybe your yoga mat,
You're supported and you're safe here,
Just gently bring some movement back to your fingers and your toes,
Perhaps a gentle soft stretch of your neck,
Moving it side to side,
And then when you feel ready,
If you've had your eyes closed,
Gently bring them open again,
Or bring your awareness back to the room that you're in,
If you've had your gaze softened in front of you,
And I hope that you can carry this calm with you into the rest of your day or your evening,
Thank you for walking this path with me,
And I hope you feel a little more at ease and a little more calm now.
