Welcome to this guided meditation practice.
As you find a comfortable position.
Either sitting upright or lying down.
Give your body a little wiggle.
Allow the tensions and stresses of the day to fall like leaves off a tree.
Rest your hands however they feel most comfortable.
And when you are ready,
Close your eyes.
Take a moment to sit in your silence and notice your body and breath.
Imagine a string of light.
Stretching out from the tip of your head.
It pulls upwards gently and as it does,
Your body shifts into alignment with it.
Feel your spine straighten.
Your back becomes taller and wider.
Your shoulders drop and your head lifts and tilts slightly down.
As your body falls into alignment.
You may notice that each body part balances on top of the other.
That is the goal.
Through practice and relaxation.
You want to be able to stand.
And walk with as little effort as possible.
Bring your gentle awareness to your breath.
Breathe in through your nose and exhale through your mouth.
Notice how it feels to breathe today.
Whether you have any tightness or your breath feels shallow.
However you find yourself breathing,
Just notice without judgment,
Without interference.
On your next inhale,
Allow your breath to pour as deep into your belly as it is comfortable.
Imagine the air as a warm light that spreads inside you.
Your lungs and organs start to soften at its touch.
Exhale slowly,
Allow the warm light to flow back out.
Inhale,
Feel the warm light flow inside of you,
Feel your throat soften and your chest release.
And slowly exhale the light.
Inhale gently and allow the light to go a little deeper.
Feel the muscles around your ribcage soften.
And exhale gently.
Feel any tension or tightness letting go.
As you breathe in,
Picture the light spreading its warmth as if you are sitting by a fireplace,
Its radiating heat reaches inside of you and exhale,
Release.
Allow gravity to tug on you tenderly.
If you are sitting down,
Remember to try to keep your posture easy and balanced.
Inhale.
Exhale,
Sink deeper and deeper into relaxation.
And ease.
Continue to breathe like this on your own for a few moments.
On your next breath,
Allow the air to flow a little deeper and as you exhale,
Gently let go of that image of warm light.
Give your body permission to fall into a breathing pattern that feels comfortable for you.
Notice any difference in your mind,
Body,
And breath.
From when you started to now.
Life can become hectic and sometimes your response to situations can leave you feeling overwhelmed.
That is why we build up habits of awareness and relaxation.
With practice,
It becomes easier to return to a state of calm during inevitable moments of stress.
Imagine the sun shining down above you.
Notice any feeling or sensation that comes with it.
The warmth penetrates deep inside you.
The softening touch of the light against your skin.
Allow it to melt away any tension.
Feel as if the floor beneath you becomes rough but comfortable.
Little stones press into your body as if they were massaging you.
The air is pure.
There is a gentle breeze that cools you down.
Every breath you take.
Is full of life.
And refreshes your mind and body.
You can feel the oxygen sink into your muscles.
And your veins.
Notice how the floor feels against your palms.
Dry dust.
And scattered pebbles blanket the smooth stone.
As you stand up.
Feel the edges and compressions in the floor.
The gritty lines filled with dust press against your bare feet.
They are like maps made of rock.
But they are not uncomfortable.
Even though it is warm,
A coolness comes from the stone that radiates onto you.
Notice the world around you.
The stone floor stretches out far before you to meet the bottom of mountains larger than you have ever seen.
The stone rises from the ground covered in colors of blue,
White,
And green.
As they ascend to the peak in the cloudless sky.
All tinted gold under the sun.
It stands before you like a giant horn.
A crown of the earth.
Stand in front of the sighs of nature.
Notice how it looks,
How solid and firm it stands while rooted in the ground,
Unmoving.
Changing only to time.
A reminder of the greatness of creation and nature.
Sometimes you can get caught up in your own world.
And end up zooming in on your problems.
It requires perspective.
To help take you out of that.
So you can see the whole picture.
Maybe you notice some good inside your problems,
The things that stress you out.
Or maybe you find a better way to deal with them.
You Through recognizing the greatness of the world around you,
You begin to see that surrendering is the only way forward.
In that surrender,
You notice within yourself the firmness of your spirit.
The unmoving nature of your resolve.
Just like that mountain shining gold under the sun.
A reminder that you too are strong.
Gently release those images.
Remember the feeling of firmness and internal strength you may have come across.
And just make mental notes of them without judgment.
Slowly absorb the world around you with your senses.
What do you hear?
What do you feel against your skin?
Are there any smells around you?
Wiggle your toes and your fingers.
Sway your head from side to side.
When you are ready,
Gently open your eyes.
