Come into a position where you feel both comfortable and alert.
You could be lying down or in a reclined position,
Sitting upright or perhaps you have your legs up the wall in an inversion.
Try not to get caught up in what you think a meditation pose should look like,
But allow your body to lead you in the right shape.
As you settle in,
Close your eyes or soften your gaze,
Beginning to take this journey inward.
Start with taking a few deep breaths in through the nose and out through the nose.
Notice if you can feel your body relax a little bit more with each exhale.
Imagine that you are standing in the middle of a beautiful garden.
The sun is shining and a gentle breeze is blowing,
Carrying the scent of flowers and fresh grass.
As you look around you,
You see that the garden is surrounded by a high wall made of warm golden stone.
The wall feels strong and protected,
Like it's keeping you safe and secure.
You approach the wall and notice that there is a gate.
The gate is made of wrought iron with intricate patterns and designs.
You reach out and push the gate open and as you step through,
You feel a sense of peace and tranquility wash over you.
You are now inside this safe space.
The garden inside the wall is even more beautiful than the one on the outside.
There are trees and bushes of all kinds,
With flowers in every color of the rainbow.
The grass is soft and lush and there are butterflies and birds flying all around.
You walk along a path that winds through the garden feeling completely safe and protected.
You can let go of any worries or fears that you might be carrying,
Knowing that you are completely safe and secure in this space.
As you continue to walk,
You come across a small pond.
The water is crystal clear and there are fish swimming in the water.
You sit down beside the pond and take a deep breath,
Embracing a feeling of ease and peace.
Allow the visualization to fade into the background as we go deeper by considering the astrological concept of the 11th house.
The 11th house is about community.
It encourages us to meet old friends,
Make new ones,
And collaborate for the common good.
It also asks us to be aware of group mindset.
How do you change in certain group situations?
Are your friend groups a dream team of people with diverse backgrounds and mutual respect that influence you to be the best version of yourself?
As you turn your focus inward,
Ask yourself,
Do my friendships nurture me?
Sit with this question without trying to analyze or think,
Just paying attention to anything that comes up.
Do my friendships nurture me?
Even though our deep listening question was inspired by astrology,
You don't need to believe in it for the question to be valid.
We can all analyze our friendships.
And the point of this activity is that you are practicing hearing and listening to your inner wisdom.
What is your gut telling you?
As you practice deep listening,
You might get a sense or a feeling of a message.
Or you may have a knowing of what the message is.
Or maybe you heard a message.
Perhaps you didn't get anything at all.
And something can always arise later.
There is no wrong experience here.
Just take a few breaths to process whatever happened for you.
Now listen to the following affirmation allowing it to resonate deep within.
I build strong and solid friendships.
I build strong and solid friendships.
As we reach the end of today's practice,
Bring your palms together at heart center,
Slightly bowing your head.
And take a moment to reflect on this experience.
Were you able to connect with your inner wisdom?
Did you practice listening and being open?
Allowing this experience and any insights that you've gained to stay with you,
Bring your awareness back to your physical surroundings.
Take your time.
And when you're ready,
Open your eyes and allow your body any movement that it needs.
