Hello everyone and welcome to our meditation today.
My name is Heather,
And I am truly honored to share in this time with you.
So to get started.
Invite you to find a comfortable seat.
I can sit up.
A chair on the ground with your legs crossed.
Where you can lay down.
Your body relax.
And feel supported.
In the position that you have chosen.
For our session today.
I invite you to set an intention.
Around the word.
This is an interesting concept.
For hope to be ignited.
There needs to be some kind of difficulty or negativity.
How do you create a habit of hope?
How do you cultivate?
This amazing treat.
Because hope is important.
Hope can show up simply,
Such as when we reply with,
I hope so.
It can also become an anchor when we are desperately holding on to it for a specific outcome.
Hope fills us with the drive to keep going.
Whatever mountain we are facing doesn't seem so daunting.
After Hope enters the picture.
Hope opens doors to optimism.
Control,
Problem solving.
Paves the way for personal agency.
Power.
And motivation to take hold in our lives.
Hope is born in those moments of feeling lost.
When it feels that there is no way out.
Suddenly there is.
When that moment comes,
We find ourselves capable and able to move forward.
Forward with hope.
Small moments can invite hope.
Moment of sunshine after a stormy day.
A reminder of something good.
A kind word from a stranger.
Remembering those moments helps us to cultivate hope.
And as we keep remembering.
And we keep recognizing,
We grow more hope.
And then we can even help provide hope for others.
So think about this,
What gives you hope?
What invites hope?
Into your journey.
So we get settled in for our meditation today.
We could begin with a body scan.
So as you're sitting or lying down in your comfortable position.
I want you to start thinking about your feet.
Wiggle your toes.
Flex and point your feet.
Stretch your feet.
Think about how they feel.
Then I want you to move up your legs.
To your knees.
To your thighs.
Tighten and relax each muscle group.
As you move over them.
Tense them up and tighten them.
And then let them relax.
Continue moving through your body.
Recognize places.
That feel tight.
Invite some rest.
Move through your stomach.
Move up your back.
Into your chest.
Tighten and flex your arms.
Bring your hands to fist.
Let your arms and hands lie or fall wherever they feel natural.
Rock your head from side to side.
Open your mouth wide.
Breathe in.
Stick your tongue out and exhale with a loud sigh.
Take a few deep breaths.
Allow yourself to relax deeper.
Part your lips gently and smile.
Let's begin our journey together.
Imagine standing.
In an open area on a mountainside.
Trees surround you in the distance.
The sky above is grey.
What I'm fighting.
Brings a certain kind of coziness.
A gentle breeze comes across you.
You notice fluffy flakes beginning to fall.
Soft.
It's calm.
You close your eyes with your face to the sky.
You feel the snow falling on your skin.
Snowflake slam slowly on your forehead and cheek.
It was so inviting.
You feel the warmth from your gloves or your mittens.
And feel the protection from your scarf.
You are in this moment.
You notice the air smells fresh.
It feels cool.
You decide to go for a little walk.
And explore the beauty of the snowfall.
It stirs a feeling of joy inside you.
You want to embrace this feeling.
You see a little trail.
It seems to weave between the trees.
As you start down this trail.
You hear the crunching of the fresh snow beneath your feet.
Everything is starting to look so white.
The trees stand out brightly against the blank backdrop.
You notice rocks of all sizes popping up here and there?
You notice some bushes holding bright red berries.
The farther you go on this trail.
More you fill.
Everything around you is so beautiful and perfect.
You pause to look around.
You notice some deer walking through the clearing.
You notice a nest high in a tree.
You smell the fresh pines surrounding you.
This is your journey.
This moment holds special time for you.
Enjoy the feelings that come from this moment.
Maybe thoughts have bubbled up.
Honor and respect them.
We'll let them drift away.
Right now is about you.
You feel joy in this moment.
The falling snow brings a sense of peace.
Choose to always remember how this feels.
Take a deep breath.
Imagine the coolness of the snow falling onto your skin.
It feels crisp.
Almost cold,
But refreshing.
It feels like a new beginning.
Something different.
Imagine the snow being a way to clear the slate.
Wash away what once was there.
Introducing something new.
Something blank to begin with.
Each snowflake is on its own journey.
From the sky to the ground.
It falls with control.
It falls peacefully.
It falls without restraint.
Snowflakes.
In their own shape.
Their own identity.
Bring small glimpses of happiness.
As you walk along the trail,
Leaving footprints in the deepening snow,
You come across a box sitting near a rock.
You pick it up.
It feels light.
But it feels full.
You curiously open it up.
There's nothing inside.
You noticed that you were flooded with a feeling.
This feeling of hope.
You aren't sure what it means.
But you know that it feels right.
It feels good.
It feels whole.
Fills your entire soul and being.
It fills as though you are filled with light.
This feeling has impacted you.
You notice a change taking place.
You know that everything is different now.
Your actions are different.
Your behaviors are different.
Your words are different.
The worries you held are no longer there.
The stress or tension you once felt has melted away.
Instead,
You feel excited.
Confident.
And ready to move forward.
You decide to relish in this feeling.
You respect this moment.
This moment has changed you for the better.
You don't want it to end.
The snow continues to fall gently around you.
You keep moving down the path.
Smiling.
Carrying this box.
The special gift.
This feeling is meant to be remembered and treasured.
Life is good.
This moment is good.
You continue down the trail,
Embracing everything you see,
Smell,
And hear.
You notice the trail circles around to your starting point.
As you realize that this experience is coming to an end.
You recognize the impact that it has had on you.
Your heart.
On your mind.
Your whole self.
This idea of hope is now a part of you.
What feels different?
What do you feel capable of?
How do you know that it has a place inside you?
How will you let it manifest?
As you come back to the clearing and the finish of the swatch,
I feel pure bliss swelling inside.
It feels like sunshine has filled your body.
From head to toe.
As we come back to the present.
I invite you to take some deep breaths.
Breathe deep into your belly.
And sigh it out.
Honor any emotion that may have come up during this time.
Rock your head from side to side.
Move your tongue around inside your mouth.
Wiggle your toes.
Wiggle your fingers.
Smile.
Slowly and gently when it feels right.
Open your eyes.
I encourage you.
To learn more about bolts.
Ponder on its meaning in your life.
Remember the times that it has shown up for you.
Create ways.
You can help make hope more present in your daily life.
Activate this attribute in your life.
And in the lives of others.
As you move on from this moment.
