Hello I'm Kelly and I'm so glad you're here with me for this practice today.
With everything going on around us it can be a real challenge to dedicate time to create more calm and clarity within ourselves.
So please take a moment to thank yourself for choosing to do that.
It truly does make a difference.
We often come to sit in meditation with turbulent minds and hearts.
With a mind that is rushing like a river or feeling like we are drowning in our thoughts.
And when I feel this way I start by imagining the energy of my body like a body of water.
This helps me to take a step back and observe the inner stirrings and restlessness without getting completely swept away by the current.
So in this practice today we give ourselves time to rediscover that beneath the surface turbulence lies our deeper stillness and clarity that is always there.
Just like the tranquil depths of the sea.
So to begin I invite you to find a comfortable seated position.
Spine long,
Shoulders relaxed and down away from the ears.
You can close the eyes if they aren't already.
Begin by taking a few deep breaths.
Inhaling deeply through the nose and exhaling slowly through the mouth.
Allowing each breath to anchor you to the present moment.
Right here,
Right now.
Not looking ahead,
Looking behind,
Only within.
Breathing in and breathing out.
And I'd like you to visualize yourself standing on the shore of a vast and turbulent ocean.
You see it in your mind's eye.
The waves are crashing,
The surface of the water is choppy,
There might be rain or wind.
Whatever you see let it be a reflection or a mirror of the stormy emotions or inner turmoil you might be experiencing.
Just take a moment to acknowledge these turbulent waters within you without judgment.
Simply recognizing any feelings of unease or unrest.
Notice in the body where you feel unsettled.
You can scan the area of the head,
The chest,
The belly,
The legs.
Sometimes we feel restlessness in the hands,
The arms.
You might notice that just stepping back to watch what is happening starts to calm the movement within.
And now as we stand watching on the shore,
Imagine holding a small,
Smooth stone in your hand.
This stone symbolizes your consciousness and your calm,
Peaceful presence.
And on your next breath,
Imagine gently dropping this small stone through the top of the head,
Right into the waters of your body.
Watching it descend,
Sinking slowly from the head down through the neck,
The shoulders,
The chest,
The abdomen,
And finally all the way to the base of your spine.
Settling and grounding in the hips.
Feel its calming influence spreading through the deepest part of you,
Allowing the inner waters to become more still and more tranquil with every breath you take.
Sense the stone grounding you to the earth of your body.
As you continue to breathe and relax,
See and feel the turbulence of the mind or the body begin to soften and settle.
Relax the muscles of the face,
The shoulders,
The area around the heart.
Relax the abdomen,
The hips,
And the legs.
Let any areas of tension begin to soften and let go.
Invite in a sense of lightness and ease spreading through your entire being as the stormy waves that you just passed through seem to be in the distance now.
Feel the peaceful rhythm of your breath mirroring the tranquility of the water.
Breathing in and breathing out.
Rest in this inner stillness,
Knowing that you have the power to calm the waters within,
No matter the storm.
Taking a moment to appreciate any transformation within you,
Big or small.
Stay here for a few more moments more,
Enjoying the sensation of clarity and calmness,
Remembering that the more you connect with this place deep inside of you,
The easier it is to return.
And when you're ready,
Gently bring your awareness back to the physical body.
Taking another conscious breath in and conscious breath out.
And when you're ready,
Begin to slowly open your eyes and may you carry this sense of inner calm with you through your day.
Thank you so much for journeying inward with me today.
I wish you peace.
