We'll begin by honoring this time of rest and comfort by finding a comfortable position for the body,
Really allowing your body to settle in,
And let your breath be low and slow.
Close your eyes and take a big,
Deep breath in and a long,
Full breath out,
Letting your body soften as you exhale.
This is your time to really pause and connect and honor the turning of the seasons,
Maybe take a moment to just reflect on the darkness that's been surrounding you.
Maybe it's just dark outside,
Maybe it's something that feels heavier.
Taking a moment to honor the season of darkness that we were in.
Now let yourself know that you're ready for the return of the light.
Feel the natural rise and fall of the belly with every inhale and each exhale.
With each breath,
Invite a quiet stillness into your mind,
And then with every exhale allow yourself to soften and release into a place of deep rest,
Almost like that peaceful silence of a fresh snowfall.
Let your body and your mind follow the snow,
Being still and quiet,
Letting every inhale clear and quiet your mind,
And every exhale relax and comfort your body.
Now feel soothing warmth wash over your body,
Like someone has just draped your body in a warm blanket.
Allow this warmth to move into your body and release any tension in your chest or your shoulders,
Your jaw,
Your abdomen,
Your back,
Anywhere you're holding that tension or squeezing or clenching.
Let your body soften under this warm cocoon that surrounds you.
Your body is melting and releasing as you continue to breathe effortlessly,
Inhaling completely,
Exhaling naturally,
Allowing each breath cycle to bring you to a place of mental clarity and physical relaxation.
And now in your mind's eye,
Imagine you're sitting in a winter forest.
You're wrapped up in the stillness and the magic of your surroundings.
The world around you is quiet,
Blanketed by a fresh snow that glistens and twinkles faintly under the full moon.
It's illuminating the dark sky.
The air is crisp and clear,
And as you breathe it in,
You feel that crisp air moving into your lungs,
Clearing your mind.
You can feel yourself being warm and cozy wrapped up in your coat,
Your boots,
Your mittens.
It's just the perfect winter night.
And as you look up,
You see the stars cascading across the dark night sky.
They're shining,
Twinkling,
Blinking at you.
And for a moment you feel so deeply connected to this space,
So present in this moment,
As if the universe is holding you in a gentle embrace of its darkness.
Everything is calm,
Everything is peaceful in this moment,
As you sit and embrace the darkness that surrounds you.
The time for rest and being,
Just gazing up at the moon and stars,
Is here.
There's nothing to be worried about,
Nothing to be afraid of in this moment.
You are so safe and cozy,
Just enjoying the beauty of the darkness and the twinkling stars and moon that surround you.
And then slowly the sky begins to change.
The stars begin to fade away.
That first light of dawn begins to creep into the night.
It begins as a gentle glow at the horizon.
You are witnessing the birth of a new day,
The return of the Sun after the longest night.
You can just barely see that faint warm glow right at the horizon as the Sun begins to rise.
Then as the Sun rises a little bit higher,
Light begins to spill over the earth.
The light begins to touch the trees,
Begins to reflect the little ice crystals in the snow,
Making the ground sparkle.
As the Sun rises a little bit higher,
You feel this light reaching you,
Warming you.
Feeling this warmth begin to spread over your body and filling you with a sense of hope.
As the Sun rises higher still,
The light begins to shine more intently on your body,
Filling you with this sense of fresh new energy,
New beginnings.
And the Sun begins to light you up from within.
It's almost as if the sunlight as it pours into you is rekindling your own internal flame.
Your spark,
Your source of hope and peace is going to carry you throughout the winter days ahead.
As the Sun continues to rise higher still,
You can see the light moving up higher in the sky.
And you know that as this new day begins,
You are having a new beginning as well.
Leaving behind all that no longer serves you in the night and instead filling that space with new possibilities,
Hope and light.
Connecting with your internal fire,
Your internal light that will illuminate even the darkest of nights this winter.
Then when you're ready,
Take a moment to set an intention for this season of rest.
It can be something you want to focus on,
Maybe a word or a feeling you'd like to embody this winter season.
Hold that intention right in your heart and take a big deep breath in through the nose.
Open mouth,
Exhale,
Release.
Do this one more time.
When you're ready,
Begin to return to the space you're in.
Maybe feeling the surface beneath you or wiggling your fingers.
When you're ready,
Open your eyes and close your meditation practice.
Thank you so much for joining me today.
Have a beautiful solstice.
