Welcome to this meditation,
Stillness Beneath the Season.
I invite you to find a comfortable posture,
Whether you choose to sit upright or lean back with the support of something behind you.
And taking your time,
Allowing your body to get comfortable,
Perhaps shrugging the shoulders up along the ears and allowing them to melt down.
And then feel whatever point of your body is making contact with the surface beneath you.
Noticing your breath,
The natural ebb and flow,
Without any judgment,
Just observing.
And as you arrive in this moment,
Letting go of all the holiday hustle,
All the to-do list,
Any expectations.
Taking a deep full breath in and as you exhale,
Just sigh it all out.
Let it all go.
You are here.
You are safe.
As you arrive,
Imagine crossing this quiet threshold.
Outside,
The world still hums with lights,
Lists,
Memories,
And unspoken expectations.
Inside this moment,
Time loosens its grip.
The season bows.
You are no longer carrying it.
It is carrying you.
Let yourself be received by stillness.
We'll do a sacred breath work technique,
Calling the body home.
Inhaling through the nose for a slow count of 1,
2,
3,
4.
Pausing 1,
2,
And exhale through the mouth for 1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
Again,
Inhale 1,
2,
3,
4.
Pause for 2 as if listening and exhale through the mouth 1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
Releasing sound if it feels natural.
Repeat this breath pattern for several rounds on your own.
With each exhale,
Imagine the nervous system unwinding like silk thread slipping from a spool.
And now bring awareness to the crown of your head.
Sense the weight of thought and responsibility stored there.
With the next breath,
Allow a soft lunar light to pour downward through the forehead,
Eyes,
Jaw,
And throat.
Let it pass through the heart,
The solar plexus,
The belly.
Nothing to fix,
Nothing to manage.
Now visualize yourself walking through a quiet winter landscape.
Snow absorbs all sound.
Ahead stands a small temple lit from within.
As you enter,
A fire burns steadily at its center.
Sit beside the fire.
Feel its warmth in your chest.
One by one,
Place into the flames the invisible burdens you've been carrying.
Watch as the fire transforms them into warmth and light.
Releasing the myth of pressure,
Silently affirm to yourself,
I am allowed to rest within the season.
I release the belief that my worth is measured.
I choose presence over performance.
Notice the space that opens when pressure is no longer obeyed.
Now see yourself moving gracefully through gatherings,
Quiet moments ahead.
Your breath remains slow.
Your center remains warm.
You respond rather than react.
The stillness you feel now is rooted,
Ancient,
And always accessible within you.
Slowly begin to deepen the breath.
Feel your body resting wherever it is.
When you feel ready,
Open your eyes.
Carry this inner fire with you.
Beneath the season,
You are already whole.
