Come to a comfortable seat,
Either on the ground or in a chair.
If in a chair,
Put your feet flat on the ground and sit up straight so that your back isn't resting on the back of the chair.
Bring your hands to your lap,
Face up,
Or to your knees,
And let them rest there.
Take a deep breath in,
The deepest breath that you've taken all day.
Hold it for a second and release it along with everything else in the day so far.
Let's do that again.
Inhale deeper than the previous one.
Hold for three seconds and let it all out on your exhale.
On your next inhale,
Breathe the energy up through the front of your body like a string slowly pulling your spine straight up through the crown of your head.
Imagine a balloon attached to the crown of your head,
Drifting lightly.
On your exhale,
Breathe the energy back down through the back of your body,
Along your spine and into the ground,
Rooting down as if there were roots of a tree.
Inhale that balloon again.
Exhale your roots down into the ground.
One more time.
Now during these uncertain times,
When we're staying at home for the safety of our loved ones and the public,
We may feel a little bit trapped inside,
A little bit desirous of being out in nature.
We can still be there.
You have all you need to be there now.
Inhale that balloon and feel the lightness.
Exhale your roots down.
Now imagine a meadow.
On a soft summer's day,
A meadow with a stream flowing through it.
This green grass,
Some trees,
The sound of the creek,
The stream,
Water rushing over some rocks.
What do you feel?
Feel the sun on your hands,
Back of your neck,
Top of your head.
Feel the warmth of it kissing your skin lightly.
Feel the buzz of the insects in the grass humming all around of you,
Filling your ears.
Just the air around you and the feel of the calm day.
Breathe in this place just for a few moments.
Deep through your front and light like a balloon and exhale through your back body,
Down through your roots.
How do you feel?
What do you see?
What do you hear?
What do you smell?
What do you taste?
Feel the scene in,
Taking everything and exhale it out through your feet and your roots,
Letting it go.
Now bring to mind your favorite place in nature.
Maybe the beach or the mountains,
The desert,
The forest.
Call it to mind.
What do you see?
Where is the sun?
Is it cloudy?
Is it cool?
What covers the ground?
Vegetation?
Rocks?
Sand?
What do you see?
Drink in the beauty of the sights around you.
Inhale,
Let in.
Then exhale and let it go.
Now what do you hear in this little spot of nature that is yours?
Is it the insects,
The birds,
The wind,
Or the water?
Let those sounds fill your ears.
Hear those sounds coming from in front of you,
From your left,
From your right,
From behind you and above you.
Let the sounds envelop you.
Fill your space with those sounds.
Now share your awareness with the sights and the sounds.
Inhale all that you see and all that you hear.
Hold it.
Exhale and let it all wash away.
Now what do you feel?
Maybe it's the wind or the air on your skin.
Maybe it's the sun shining down upon you.
Maybe it's the rock that you chose to sit down on and rest yourself.
And it's support holding you patiently.
What do you feel?
Allow these feelings to fill your every inch of skin.
Let them vibrate all around you.
Inhale these sensations.
Let your body pulse with them.
Inhale and exhale.
Inhale and exhale.
And now a deeper inhale and share your awareness with the things that you hear.
Let them fill the space,
Vibrating their sounds just like the sensations that you feel.
One more inhale.
And now share that awareness once again with the sights around you.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Feel this piece of nature of yours.
Hear its wonders and see its beauty.
All of these layers surrounding you.
Inhale deeply into that light balloon and exhale everything away.
Now what does your little place in nature smell like?
Does it smell like pine trees?
Sea salt?
Smell like earth and grass and vegetation.
Maybe it just smells like fresh,
Cold air.
Breathe it in.
Inhale that smell you know and love so much.
Let it fill your nostrils and your lungs giving you the energy of the place.
Inhale in and exhale it out.
Now once again share that awareness.
Share your awareness between the smells and the sensations.
Smell the world around you.
Feel the place.
Now share it again with the sounds around you.
Let them fill your ears as the smells fill your nose and sensations envelop you.
And lastly,
See that spot in nature around you.
Breathe with all of these things.
Feel yourself in this space.
Be there.
Breathe there.
Inhale all the lightness of the space up through the front of your body.
And exhale all the energy down through your roots and let it all go.
And of course,
What does your little place in nature taste like?
Maybe it's the taste in your mouth after wandering your way out to get there.
Maybe there's some inexplicable taste in the air.
Find it.
Feel it.
And let it fill your mouth with taste buds.
Bring them alive with your spot in nature.
Now inhale the scent of the place,
Never letting go of the taste.
Find your awareness between these two areas.
And now the sounds.
Hear your place in nature.
Fill your lungs with the smell of it.
And exhale,
Tasting your place.
Inhale again and share it once more with the sounds.
Once the sensations envelop you,
Taste it,
Smell it,
Feel it,
Hear it,
See it.
Be it.
Keep breathing with all of your senses wide and open and alive,
The energy of your place in nature.
How does it make you feel?
Where do you feel it in your body?
Where does it speak to you?
Maybe it's in your heart.
Maybe it's a deep,
Solid support in your right.
Find it.
Now inhale deeply and exhale,
Letting go of that place.
But keeping an awareness of where you felt it in your body.
Know that you can always come back to that.
