Come into a position where you feel both comfortable and alert.
You could be lying down or in a reclined position,
Sitting upright,
Or you could even 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 into 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,
Slow breaths in through the nose and out through the nose.
Can you feel your body relax a little more with each exhale?
Imagine you're out for a long walk in nature,
In the greenest meadow you have seen.
Looking up,
You notice a bright,
Clear blue sky with fluffy white clouds floating by.
As you walk along the meadow,
You see a path that leads into a nearby forest.
The forest is full of all possible shades of green,
From the bright green leaves on the tree,
The dark green moss on the bark,
To the shaded green undergrowth.
You decide to take the path into the forest,
But before entering the forest,
You take a moment to breathe in the smell of the fresh pine,
Allowing the pure air to fill your lungs.
As you exhale,
You feel your body completely relax.
You feel comfortable and safe in this space.
You follow the path into the forest,
The sunlight losing its intensity as it filters through the leaves of the tree.
You notice wildflowers popping up along the path.
Everything here looks beautiful and you enjoy it.
As you walk along,
You listen to the sounds of nature,
The wind rustling the leaves of the tree,
Wildlife scampering about their business,
Birds singing songs from the treetops,
And you find it all very relaxing.
You find yourself slowly walking,
Observing,
And breathing in the peace of this space,
Allowing that visualization to fade into the background.
Let's go deeper by considering the astrological planet of Venus.
Venus symbolizes your heart,
Romance,
And the creative process.
It's what attracts you,
What you value,
And how you value yourself.
Venus calls to your heart to romance and sings to you as a creative muse.
Venus encourages a loving heart and asks you to develop loving kindness,
Benevolence,
Friendliness,
And active interest in others' well-being.
As you turn your focus inward,
Ask yourself,
What acts of compassion,
Creativity,
Or affection can I engage in?
Sit with this question without trying to analyze or think,
Just pay attention to anything that comes up.
What acts of compassion,
Creativity,
Or affection can I engage in?
Even though our deep listening question was inspired by astrology,
You don't have to believe in astrology for that question to be valid.
And the whole point of this exercise is that you're practicing hearing and listening to your inner wisdom.
As you practice deep listening,
You might get a sense or feeling of a message,
Or maybe you hear the message.
Sometimes when we practice deep listening,
We may not get anything at all in the moment,
But something may come up later.
There is no wrong experience.
Take a moment to listen to the following affirmation and allow it to resonate deep within.
I am a caring person and it shows.
I am a caring person and it shows.
As we reach the end of today's practice,
Bring your palms together at heart center,
Slightly bowing your head.
Take a moment to reflect on your experience.
Did you connect with your inner wisdom?
Were you able to practice listening and being open?
Allowing this experience and any insights you have gained to stay with you,
Bring your awareness back to your physical surroundings.
Take your time and when you are ready,
Open your eyes and allow your body any gentle movement that it needs.
