Welcome to this guided meditation for working through fear and anxiety.
As we move through the global health crisis,
As well as other life experience issues,
There is a possibility and an opportunity for us to heal and grow and shift in ways we may not have previously considered.
There is a text from the Buddha where it reads,
Others will be swept up with anxiety and fear.
I will set the intention to keep my heart steady and clear.
Others will be greedy.
I will be generous.
Others will be angry.
I will practice love.
Others will be clingy and contracted.
I will keep myself open.
Others will forget.
I will remember what really matters.
This is an invitation to remember what matters.
An invitation to carry ourselves with dignity and to remember our divinity.
This is an invitation to remain centered and calm,
Knowing that if even one person remains centered and calm,
It will be enough.
And so we begin.
Find a position and location where you will be comfortable and undisturbed.
You may sit down or stand or lie down for this exercise.
When you are ready,
Gently close your eyelids.
Connect with your breath,
Your inhale and your exhale.
Long,
Deep inhale.
Slow,
Complete exhale.
Relax your mind,
Your shoulders,
Your belly.
Long,
Deep inhale.
Slow,
Complete exhale.
Breathing gently.
And as you do,
Check in with yourself.
Feel your own body,
The vibrations and the energy,
The tension,
The fears that may be carried in your mind,
Heart or body.
Or notice if there's any that are at ease.
Breathing gently.
Becoming aware.
Notice the thoughts,
The feelings and sensations.
Nothing to do.
Just be aware.
And allow yourself to notice the state of your heart.
Breathing gently.
Long,
Deep inhale.
Slow,
Complete exhale.
What do you notice in your heart?
What comes present in your awareness?
Nothing to do about it.
Just notice.
There may be contraction or grief.
Warmth or coldness.
There may be other emotions present.
Let yourself hold all that's present,
Knowing that you are in a vast space of loving awareness.
Are there any unshed tears?
Perhaps those tears are not for your own personal circumstance,
But how the heart carries it all,
For others,
For the world.
Just breathe.
And if the tears fall,
Let them fall.
If the heart is sad,
Just let it be.
Just be aware.
Just notice.
Nothing at all to do.
And we breathe.
And as you breathe gently,
Let yourself see,
Feel,
Envision,
Remember or think of,
Or picture,
A being who is steady,
Strong,
Loving,
The calmest being you can possibly imagine that you've heard of or met.
Perhaps it is Christ or Buddha or Mother Mary or Kuan Yin,
The goddess of infinite compassion.
It may be Ye-Mai-Ya,
The mother of the ocean,
Or Oh-Shun,
The mother of sweet waters.
Just see,
Feel,
Envision,
Intended to be so,
That you are in the presence of this divine energy,
This steady,
Strong,
Calm,
Loving being.
And we breathe.
Or it could be a historical figure,
Nelson Mandela,
Mother Teresa,
Dr.
Martin Luther King or Mahatma Gandhi.
Or perhaps it's some indigenous grandmother,
A wise woman who has seen it all.
Just picture and let yourself think of and envision this being of wisdom and steadiness and unshakable love.
Let yourself feel what it's like to be in their presence.
They know,
As we do,
That humanity goes through huge cycles of joy and sorrow,
Of gain and loss,
Of birth and death.
And they have found their way to have a calm and steady,
Wise and loving heart in the middle of it all.
And now they gaze to you as if to transmit their steadiness,
Their strength,
Their courage,
Their love.
Imagine it.
Feel it.
Sense it.
Receive it,
Knowing that you can take it in.
Breathing gently.
If your mind wanders,
Gently bring it back to the sound of my voice and the image of this being,
The energy that has come to steady and support you.
And as you feel the support and energy from the wisest and steadiest being that you can imagine,
Now understand that you carry this energy inside yourself.
They have appeared because they are already in your heart.
Breathing gently.
I now invite you to further feel that this being,
This luminous,
Wise,
Steady being,
Is not just what you are visualizing and taking it in,
But is now who you are in your body.
That you have become the sage,
The Christ,
The wise grandmother,
The Buddha,
Because you do carry this within you.
And let the steadiness,
The courage,
The vast love,
Let it fill your body and your being,
From the crown of your head to the soles of your feet,
Steady,
Calm,
Strength,
Wisdom,
Love.
And yes,
Fears and anxiety,
Tears,
And all of the emotions that may arise,
Let them pass.
Remain who you are as this being of steadiness and courage in the midst of it all.
Breathing gently,
With strength,
Calmness,
And love.
Notice at your feet this wise and wonderful being that you feel inside,
Reminding you of what you carry,
Has left you again.
And if you look down,
You can pick it up.
There's a little package for you that contains the clearest symbol of just what you need to carry through these difficult times and what you have to share with others.
Let yourself open this package.
Picture,
Imagine,
Envision what this clear symbol is for you.
And if it's not obvious,
Hold it up to the light.
It may be a luminous crystal heart.
It may be a crystal for clarity.
It may be a feather to float on the winds of change.
It may be a rock or a stone that represents the mountain.
It may be a word or a color.
Let yourself see the gift that you have been given.
Now you know that this is the perfect energy to carry you through this time.
And you now realize that you can guide others in the same way.
Just as you have seen or envisioned the being of great strength,
Steadiness,
And love,
You can guide others to close their eyes,
To visualize a being or a figure that inspires them,
Someone that brings them a sense of calm and steadiness.
You can guide them to take the energy of that being and let it come alive within themselves.
Guide them to find a gift,
A symbol of strength and love,
Knowing that you also carry a gift that was given to you.
Now you have become the Christ,
The Buddha,
The sage,
The presence of compassion capable of holding it all.
You are and you have strength from the vast heart of love.
Make an inward bow to yourself and for yourself.
Remembering and carrying the gift that you were given.
Allow your eyelids to open and gently breathe.
Slow,
Long,
Deep inhale.
Slow,
Complete exhale.
Notice your feet on the floor.
Notice the chair,
Bed,
Or floor that is holding your body.
Gently place your hand on your chest over the area of your heart.
Breathe gently,
Holding the start form.
May you know steadiness.
May you know calm.
May you know and feel and receive love.
May you know peace.
Thank you.
