This is a meditation that is created using the imagery of ourselves as a tree to experience the cycles of nature. This is an exercise that will grant us the wisdom that comes with the passing of the years.
So taking a few deep breaths settling into your seat making sure that your arms are supported either on the the arms of your chair resting in your lap resting on your thighs check in with your shoulders invite them to relax down a bit if you're finding your shoulders are hiked up a bit inviting your shoulder blades to slide down your back a little making sure your legs are well supported that your feet are on something tuning into your torso be making any adjustments you need to make to make sure that your torso feels supported as well you're sitting in a chair you might make sure that you your butt is right up against the back of the chair so that your back is supported if you don't have the back of a chair behind you finding that place where your torso is supported by your belly muscles and your back muscles so we're not leaning forward too much we're not leaning backward too much there's a nice sort of middle place where our back supports us and our belly supports us equally and neither are straining if you feel any tightness in your lower back in your buttocks if your muscles are holding inviting them to release a little your thighs if you notice any tension in your thighs inviting them to release you you noticing how it feels to have given your body that invitation to relax to release within a supported posture you we're going to do a little imagery meditation I invite you to be playful to be creative especially if imagery is not really your thing just experiment with this there's no right way there's no wrong way to do this meditation seeing yourself as a seed the seed that is planted in the soil in the fertile rich soil you might just see yourself as a seed you might actually feel what it's like to be a seed in the soil full of potential full of potential you and then just as seeds do as the soil is watered the microbes in the soil do their thing the worms do their thing you start to grow you start to reach out from your little bed in the soil reach up expand upwards takes a little courage to move out of your little bed but starting to reach up to the surface of the soil not into the air growing upwards towards the light towards the Sun growing into a little plant continuing to grow up and fill out as you become a little sapling a little tree reaching out reaching upward taking up more space becoming an even taller tree starting to reach this sort of level of maturity where little animals can start to shelter in your branches in between your roots birds are starting to land on your bowels your trunk is getting stronger thicker more sturdy your roots are reaching down further and further into the earth anchoring yourself drawing up the nutrients from the earth you reaching upwards and outwards reaching downwards and outwards you you growing yourself larger and larger and larger you you and finding yourself as a fully mature strong tall tree there are many little creatures who consider you their home who come to you for safety come to you for food somewhere to land it's a little community of creatures that have all come to be with you because of how strong and nourishing and protective you are as you're continuing to advance in years you take a look down at your trunk and you see that you've lost a few limbs the trunk your body it knows how to heal itself but there are definitely signs of your age signs of the storms that you've weathered signs of things you've had to let go of release you see these there's marks on your trunk with age comes maybe some sadness maybe some regret some loss but also there comes some wisdom marks of wisdom might be the places on your trunk where the limbs used to be or other marks that show that you've been through a lot you've experienced many years you've seen many things you've weathered it all in one autumn you've been through many seasons many cycles of seasons one autumn you're shedding your leaves getting ready for the winter for the cold months moving through the cycle transitioning from a time of fertility and abundance and greenery and warmth and light moving to a place of dormancy of rest drawing your energy inward protecting yourself and as you're losing your leaves and they're creating a carpet on the ground you take a look down and just as you were once a little seed a tiny little plant pushing your way up you see that the leaves that you're shedding are providing nourishment for another little plant that's pushing its way up it's grown up in the the safety of your shade it's being nurtured by the breaking down of leaves that you're shedding it's full of potential and it's reaching up reaching down finding its full height and width as well just as you were once and you're helping with that process you in fact as you look around you see you're helping with that process for many many little plants little trees that are growing around you so as you're feeling yourself as a tree just tuning in is there any wisdom coming from this place is there a message you you may not be and that's okay but just offering some space in case one emerges you and as we start to transition out of this meditation starting to release any imagery you have if you were feeling yourself as a tree maybe seeing yourself step out of the tree becoming you as a human being again allowing the imagery to dissolve seeing yourself in your mind's eye just as you are right now bringing your awareness to your breathing noticing your breath you expanding your awareness out to your body noticing the physicality of your body maybe starting to move your body a little just gently little micro movements you when you're ready gently opening your eyes taking your time becoming aware of the room that you're in maybe taking a look around at the room that you're in the soft gaze you taking a sip of your drink having a little stretch
