Thank you for joining me.
I assume you are comfortably seated and ready for a guided meditation walk.
I invite you to begin to breathe more slowly and deeply as you listen.
We begin our walk on a snowy trail that leads to the forest.
Behind us,
The sun is set some time ago.
The western sky is filled with her afterglow,
The evidence of her presence.
Venus,
Now obvious as the sky darkens,
Follows her path and will be setting soon as well.
On this midwinter evening,
The air is crisp and comfortably cold.
We are warmly dressed for the temperatures as we walk along a snow-covered trail,
As beautiful as you can possibly imagine.
As we approach the forest,
We slow our pace and feel an immediate environmental change,
Like a hush we feel in the air,
Inviting its visitor to respect the sacredness of its space as we pass through the narrow entry,
Like a doorway into the forest,
Opening into what feels like a sanctuary,
A widening gathering space to begin a journey into a healing space that is covered with snow and filled with the presence of many species of trees,
Standing to greet us as we arrive.
We pause to allow our eyes to adjust to the darkness and take all of this in as we take a deep inhalation of forest air.
And slowly exhale.
We notice a distinct stillness,
Detectable even to the least sensitive or inquisitive guest,
As we take another slower and deeper breath of this healing freshness.
And then continue on,
Our slower pace,
Slowing even more,
Because the forest sanctuary demands it.
We are meant to enjoy this time within her presence,
To take in her energy and to feel her presence as we engage in her elemental beauty.
We are completely safe here,
And we are alone.
The snowpack trail twists and turns,
Leading us by ancient pines and deciduous trees,
And younger specimens of their genius,
As though children and grandchildren,
All there,
Guarding us as we walk,
And guiding us as we walk into the depths of the forest.
We hear a familiar sound,
And our eyes move to its source,
A gurgling stream that has given way to the rocks that cut above its icy surface,
To take a breath of the midwinter air before diving back beneath its protective cover once again.
And we pause to breathe deeply again as well,
Breathing in kinship with the stream,
Listening in appreciative silence to its unique and beautiful sound of elemental life flowing continuously and effortlessly alongside our trail through the depth of the forest,
Companionably surfacing at intervals,
Reminding us that it is there,
Alive beneath the ice,
Sending up its wisps of mist into the cool air above,
Its outbreath frozen by the early evening air.
High above us,
The tops of the trees,
Silhouette against the indigo sky,
Preparing for the first sighting of the rising moon.
A forest hush comes over us as we glimpse its first golden shape beginning to surface in the distance.
We stand still,
Like the trees,
To witness and absorb this event,
Privileged to be part of this silent and sacred forest celebration of the moon giving birth to the light of the night sky.
Just imagine what this would look like.
And breathe it in.
Slowly and deeply.
As the moon rises slowly and steadily behind the trees.
Let's begin to walk slowly again along the snow-packed pathway.
And allow our thoughts to deepen to the place within us that may need some special attention as we're listening.
Higher and higher the moon rises beyond the trees,
Casting blue moon shadows on the snow.
We stop again to look all around us now in this space which is transforming with the light and energy of the moon,
The shapes of all the trees like friends standing with us.
Enjoying this space and time along with us as though nothing else matters.
As though nothing else in the world matters.
As though nothing else in our life matters now more than simply being a part of this ancient moonrise ceremony.
Affecting change with its light,
Not only as it shines within the forest.
It is changing the way we feel.
Its light is also shining into our being as we stand.
Into our own dark inner spaces we try to hide so well within us.
Transforming them with the same mystical light as we see shining all around us in this space.
This space which is becoming a healing space for us.
A healing space for whatever burden we have brought into the forest with us on this early evening.
To be transformed by its light.
By its healing powers.
We stand completely still as this healing transformation takes place within us.
Slowly breathing in the evening air.
Our lungs absorbing its freshness.
Then exhaling its frozen droplets of moisture just as the stream is doing beside us.
The only other sound we hear in this beautiful healing space of stillness and light.
And with each breath we begin to feel lighter.
Energized by the freshness of the air.
By the beauty that we are breathing.
And by the energy of the moonlight.
The moon continues to rise and now towers above the forest.
As though looking down upon us as we allow our eyes to look up and into her face.
Her ancient face of a true and faithful companion.
And although her expression never changes.
We feel her smile within us.
As she shines her light upon us,
Around us and through us.
Transforming us as she has done within the forest.
We smile back at her and silently share our gratitude for her reassuring presence.
For her light.
For her unspoken understanding of what we have been feeling.
And for her comfort.
Her reassuring comfort and presence to us when we need it the most.
We turn to find our way back out of the forest and return home again.
To the spot where we are sitting.
Having received the splendor of moonlight of this beautiful midwinter evening walk at twilight.
Feeling healed of any burden we may have felt on our entry.
Grateful for the gift of the forest energy.
For the season of winter.
For the ancient moon that shines upon us in some form day after day,
Year after year.
Century after century.
Millennia after millennia.
Grateful for whatever healing has taken place within us.
You may wish to remain in this space in your mind for a while longer as you give thanks for your experience.
Have a blessed day.
