And if you'd like you can take your hands and place them on your legs,
Palms up or palms down,
Or maybe resting your hands on your chest if that feels good.
Just taking a moment to connect with your body,
To be here in this moment and bringing your awareness to the tip of your nose.
Just noticing how the breath moves into the body at the tip of the nose and how the breath also leaves the body right at the tip of the nose.
Feeling the cool air move in and the warm air move out.
Allowing your breath to be slow and intentional.
Each inhale brings breath and nourishment into your body and every exhale alleviates tension,
Stress,
Or worry.
Just let yourself be with the sensation of breath for a few rounds,
Following the pathway the breath takes as it moves in and out of your body.
As you continue to breathe,
Turn your gaze inward,
Looking within,
Allowing the external world to begin to fade away.
In your mind's eye,
Imagine you're standing at the edge of a forest.
The air here is so crisp and fresh.
It's grounding.
You notice the scent of the earth,
The bark,
The pine needles.
You look around and you see the tall redwood trees that rise up far above you.
Ancient,
Steady,
Protective.
And you look around at the trees and you notice that their trunks are wide and strong.
And there's something about being here that just feels reassuring.
Feels calm but special.
And you notice how light filters down through the branches and the trees,
Creating soft beams of light that dance across the forest floor.
And as you take your first few steps into the forest,
You just notice the ground beneath your feet.
It's a little bit soft.
The soil itself is soft,
But it's covered in fallen needles and you can see tree roots gently weaving through the earth and intertwining with the other plants in the ground.
You can hear birds off in the distance.
Every once in a while,
A little rustle of some leaves as a bird flies off from a branch.
You can see that there's life around you in this forest.
And as you continue to walk into the forest,
You get a little bit deeper.
And you come to a small clearing.
And in the center of this clearing,
There's a big,
Wide,
Tall redwood tree.
Bigger and older than all the others around it.
Its trunk is massive and the roots are visible.
Some even stretch up above the ground.
And you notice that also looking at this tree a little bit closer to it is someone else.
It's your inner child.
You see them maybe clearly at first,
Or maybe it's hard to make out.
And just notice what they look like.
What age do you think they are?
How do they look?
What are they wearing?
There's no wrong way for them to show up.
But just take a moment to notice them.
Are they standing or sitting?
What expression is on their face?
What do you sense they're feeling?
You don't need to say anything yet.
But just be there.
They can already feel your presence.
And now you take a few steps closer to your inner child.
You lower yourself down to their level,
Maybe by kneeling or sitting down,
Or just standing close by.
Maybe you tell them,
I'm here with you.
And just notice how they respond.
Maybe they move closer.
Perhaps they hesitate.
Maybe they say something or not.
All of it is welcome.
And just stay there for a moment,
Being in the same space as them.
What does it feel like to be in the presence of your inner child?
And if it feels right,
You can ask them,
What do you need me to know?
And you may receive words,
Images,
Emotions,
Or you might just feel a sense of what they're thinking or how they're doing.
You might need to listen,
Not with your ears,
But perhaps with your body or your heart.
Remember that there's no need to correct or explain anything to your inner child.
But just let them be heard.
And if it feels safe for both of you,
You can offer your inner child some comfort.
Maybe you hold their hand.
Maybe you sit with them against the tree.
Perhaps you wrap them up in a hug.
You can just stay close to them.
Just being and connecting with your inner child in any way that feels good and intuitive to you.
You can just be with them,
Or maybe if you want,
You can talk to them.
Maybe they're shy.
You might want to say something like,
You're not alone anymore,
Or you can tell me anything.
I see you.
I love you.
I'm here for you.
You're safe with me.
Just allow your inner child to receive this in their own way.
Now imagine your inner child moving closer to you.
There's no rush,
But when it feels right,
Imagine them coming forward,
Giving you a hug.
The two of you being together,
Their energy settling into your chest.
You pull them into a hug,
And you know that you're bringing them home.
And just notice how it feels to hold their tenderness,
Their feelings,
Their experience.
You're no longer separate,
But the two of you being and working together.
When you're ready,
Take a big deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth.
You begin to wiggle fingers and toes.
The redwood forest begins to fade away,
But your inner child stays with you.
When you're ready,
You can open your eyes and close your meditation practice.
Thank you to you and your inner child for joining me for this practice today.
