Welcome.
Today we will go on a relaxing boat ride.
Go ahead and settle yourself into a comfortable position,
Sitting up nice and tall.
Roll back your shoulders,
Rest your hands in your lap,
And once you have found your space of comfort,
Gently close your eyes.
Now let's take a couple of deep breaths,
Breathing in through the nose and breathing out through the mouth.
Take a long deep breath in through the nose,
As deep as you can.
And as you exhale,
Allow yourself to relax deeper.
And remember,
There is no right or wrong way to breathe,
It's about finding a rhythm that works best for your body.
One last time,
Breathing in deeply,
And releasing the breath out slowly and gently,
Allowing the breaths to relax your body completely.
Letting go of everything you do not need.
Breathing at a speed that feels perfect for your body.
And allow the breath to settle now.
Rest in this awareness of the body for a few moments now.
Just relax into the present time awareness.
And just connect with your intention to be calm and at ease within your mind.
And your mind.
Connect with your intention to be mindful.
And just recognize your natural wish for your body to be comfortable,
Relaxed,
And at ease.
So just allow yourself to really sink into your seat now,
Wherever you may be positioned.
Feeling the weight of gravity pulling you down gently.
And maybe connecting with the feeling of the seat beneath you.
See if you can connect with the sensations,
The pressure,
The weight,
And the support.
Just notice where your sit bones are touching the seat,
The cushion,
Or the floor.
And then bring your awareness to the breath.
Using the breath as a way to really tap into the present moment.
And give yourself permission to let go.
Allow yourself to become completely still.
Nothing is expected of you at this moment,
But to let go of everything that requires any effort.
Right now,
All you have to do is relax.
Just be here,
Knowing that once you return to your daily activities,
You will handle them with ease and patience.
Just give yourself permission to be fully present in this moment.
And now,
Imagine you approach a beautiful,
Calm lake.
It is a beautiful,
Sunny day.
You can hear chirping birds in the distance.
Frogs croaking shyly.
You hear bees buzzing,
Searching for sweet-scented nectar and pollen to return to their homes.
And you look at the calm lake before you.
It is as flat as any mirror,
Silver,
Blue,
And crystal clear.
The sun is caressing your cheeks,
Warming your body.
The air is warm.
It is as refreshing as this beautiful nature's presence.
And in the lake,
You notice a white wooden boat bound to the shore.
You decide to walk towards it.
It looks incredibly inviting.
You notice the boat is short and broad,
But still the perfect size for you to fit into.
There are two paddles inside,
And a towel placed on the seat.
And so you decide to rest in this boat,
Above the calm water.
You take off your shoes and leave them by the shore.
And just by taking off your shoes,
Your body reacts in relaxation,
As if it knows the moment your feet come into contact with fresh air,
It is time for you to wind down.
You feel a damp surface of the sand mixed with pebbles and grass underneath your feet.
You gather your strength and push the boat towards the water.
And as you feel it detach from the ground,
You place your right leg in and then the left.
You sit down comfortably and paddle away from the shore.
And as you get farther and farther away from the shore,
Imagine the feeling of the boat rocking slightly in the water.
The boat glides effortlessly through the still water,
Moving very easily and smoothly.
Continue to paddle through the stillness,
Gliding across the water.
Drifting gently.
And every time you dip your paddle into the water,
It creates tiny swirls.
Glistening droplets roll off the paddle as it rises,
Rolling back down into the water,
Creating small ripples.
You observe the moment the droplet merges with the water,
And then disappears into the vastness of the lake.
This motion makes you feel so connected to the nature around you.
And as your boat glides through the water,
It leaves gentle waves behind.
The waves move outward in a v-shape,
And they get smaller and smaller,
And then disappear as you drift further down into the lake.
The surface becomes smooth like a mirror once again.
And take a few deep breaths here,
Breathing in,
Expanding your body gently,
And breathing out,
Allowing the breath to settle back down again.
With every breath you take,
You become more and more.
Relaxed.
Releasing anything that may be holding you back right now.
Allow it to drift away,
Knowing that at this moment,
All is well.
Allow all your stress and tension to roll off you,
Just like the droplets roll off the paddle.
Imagine each droplet represents the stress that you carry,
And allow each droplet to just carry the stress away from you now,
Landing on the surface of the water,
And then disappearing completely.
And now you stop your paddling for a moment,
And just drift.
Enjoying the stillness,
Simply relaxing here.
Allowing the boat to float in any direction it wants to.
You trust the boat to keep you safe and supported.
Imagine closing your eyes and enjoying the sunshine.
Listening to the birds chirping.
The breeze gently caressing your face.
Enjoying the subtle movements of the boat,
Feeling very calm and peaceful.
Continue to take deep,
Comfortable breaths here.
Until you feel like you are ready to return back to the shore.
And when you are ready,
Paddle the boat back to where you found it.
Gently and without rushing,
Listening to the soft sounds of water splashing against the boat,
As you step out gently and tie it back up again.
Thanking the boat for allowing you to relax and find your inner calm today.
Ready to bring yourself back to your physical surroundings.
Begin to notice your body.
Notice how you feel.
Notice your thoughts.
Feel the surface beneath you.
Wiggle your toes and your fingers.
And when you are ready,
Open your eyes.
