Settle into a position where you feel both comfortable and alert.
This could be a seated position,
Or maybe you're lying down or propped up on a wall or a cushion.
Choose whatever shape works for you today.
Once you're settled in,
Close your eyes or soften your gaze,
Beginning to take this journey inward.
Bring your attention to your physical body,
Noticing the weight of your body on whatever surface you're resting on.
Take a deep breath in,
And on this inhale,
Notice the feeling in the body.
Can you pinpoint any tension?
And as you exhale,
See if you can release any tension that you noticed.
On your next inhale,
Notice your feet.
Are you holding them locked into a certain position?
Can you relax them in any way?
Focusing on your legs and hips,
Can you use an exhale to release any tension that you're holding onto there?
Bring your attention to your stomach.
If you're holding any tension there,
See if you can use an exhale to allow it to soften.
Are your hands clenched?
Can you allow your fingers to soften?
On your next exhale,
Let your shoulders melt away from your ears.
Unclench your jaw.
Release any tension you're holding onto between the eyebrows.
Use the next few inhales to become aware of any tension in your body,
And use your exhales to let the tension go.
Imagine yourself walking alongside a mountain stream on a crisp fall afternoon.
The path you're on is well-worn and has been walked by many before.
People often come here to find comfort and peace.
And this setting,
This stream,
And this path have the power to soothe and heal even the most troubled mind.
Let the sound of the stream fill you.
It speaks to you in a language your body and mind can hear and understand.
As you listen,
Allow it to bring you peace and healing.
Take some time to simply relax,
Walk along this path,
Listen,
And be restored.
Imagine you come to a large,
Smooth rock,
A resting place at the edge of the water.
Here you can sit,
Take off your shoes,
And rest your feet in the cool water.
And as you do,
The water begins to turn into a silver-colored light.
Let that light flow up into your feet,
Into your legs,
Through your hips,
And up into your torso.
Feel it move through your shoulders,
Arms,
Neck,
And head until it's flowing all through you.
Take the next few moments to let this silver light clear away any distress,
Leaving you feeling calm,
Peaceful,
And serene.
Release the visualization,
Bringing your focus back to your breath as you slowly inhale and exhale through the nose.
Try to hold on to the calm,
Peace,
And serenity that you cultivated through that visualization practice.
These type of practices help us quiet the mind,
Which makes it easier to tap into our deepest selves.
Let's go deeper by considering a question that is inspired by the tarot card,
The High Priestess.
The card shows the High Priestess sitting in front of a thin veil decorated with pomegranates.
The veil represents the separate conscious and subconscious realms,
The seen and unseen,
And the pomegranates are a symbol of abundance.
The High Priestess is the guardian of the subconscious mind and the teacher of sacred knowledge.
This card indicates that the answers you are seeking will come up from deep within and you can access the abundance of knowledge deep within your own soul.
So turn your focus inward and ask yourself,
How can I better listen to and trust my intuition?
Sit with this question without trying to analyze or think,
Just allowing any answers to come up from deep within.
How can I better listen to and trust my intuition?
As you practice bypassing the thoughts and listening to your own deeper wisdom,
You may notice that you don't always hear words.
You may have gotten images,
Impressions,
Seemingly random thoughts or memories,
But anything that came up could have meaning.
Take a few breaths to process what came up for you and consider if you want to act on anything that you learned.
Listen to the following affirmation,
Repeat it to yourself and allow it to resonate deep within.
I let go of self-doubt and trust my inner self.
I let go of self-doubt and trust my inner self.
As we reach the end of today's practice,
Bring the palms together at heart center,
Slightly bowing your head.
Take a moment to reflect on this experience.
Were you able to connect with your inner wisdom?
Did you find peace and serenity?
Allow the experience and any insights you've gained to stay with you as 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.
