Welcome to this guided mountain meditation.
In this practice we'll be bringing to mind the image of a mountain and evoking its qualities of presence and steadiness and strength,
To name a few,
As a way to get in touch with and reinforce these very same qualities in ourselves.
Let's begin by getting situated,
Choosing a posture that's supportive of your body as it is right now,
And also feels as mountain-like as possible for you.
So whether that's sitting or lying down or standing,
Taking some time to transition into whichever posture you choose.
Sensing the body settling,
Allowing the body to be grounded and supported,
Inviting the attitude to be open and curious and friendly as you become aware of how it is for you right now.
Beginning to notice places of contact between the body and whatever is supporting you.
Tuning into whatever you feel in these places.
Becoming aware of any areas of clenching in the body and wherever you're holding on,
Inviting a gentle letting go.
So scanning lightly,
Noticing if the jaw is clenched,
If it is allowing some space between the upper and lower teeth,
Inviting a softening through the muscles of the face,
Letting the shoulders drop down and back and the arms and hands be at ease,
Softening through the belly,
And releasing gripping wherever it's possible through the rest of the body,
Through the back and the legs.
Wherever you discover tension or tightness or pain that can't be released,
Allowing it to just be there,
Acknowledging that it's there and letting it be.
And sensing the body as a whole as it is right now,
Heart beating,
Body breathing,
Resting right here,
Feeling the air touching the skin,
And becoming aware of the space around you in front of you and behind you,
To your sides,
Above you and also below you.
As you continue to settle into this posture,
Bringing to mind the image of a mountain.
So this may be a mountain that you know very well,
Or it may be one that you conjure up in your imagination.
Either is fine.
Start to let the mountain take shape.
Sensing its size.
Imagining the peak.
And also the slopes.
Are they steep or shallow?
Sensing the massiveness and the beauty of this mountain as you continue to bring the details into your mind's eye.
Sensing the base of the mountain securely rooted to the earth.
Sensing the details on the surface.
Is it rocky?
Is it covered with growth?
Sensing what's around the mountain.
Is there water nearby?
Is there a forest?
Are there other mountains?
And starting to become aware of the qualities of this mountain,
Maybe a sense of stillness,
A sense of strength,
Presence,
Maybe something else.
Starting here for a moment with the image of the mountain as if it's right here in front of you.
And if it feels accessible to you,
Imagine sitting as the mountain.
So in whatever way feels available to you,
Sensing this quality of mountainous within you.
And if that feels like a stretch,
Then please continue to sit with the mountain right here as a source of inspiration.
Sensing the stillness and strength available within you.
Sensing the groundedness and stability of your posture.
Your connection to the earth.
And as you rest in this grounded and stable way,
Beginning to imagine the changes that come to the mountain.
Changes that come day by day,
Week by week,
Month by month,
And year by year.
We can begin with the changing light that visits the mountain.
Early in the day as the mountain emerges from darkness gradually into the daylight.
As the sun begins to illuminate the mountain,
Its shape becomes revealed.
All of the details on the surface become visible.
The light begins to play on all the different textures and colors and shapes.
And gradually over the course of the day,
The light changes.
And eventually the mountain begins to subside into the shadows and ultimately into darkness once again,
With the cycle repeating itself every single day.
And through the changing light and the changing darkness,
The mountain sits steady,
Stable,
Solid and strong.
We can imagine the seasons unfolding,
Coming and going.
And the mountain transitioning from winter,
When all aspects of the mountain are quiet,
Maybe covered in snow and ice.
The mountain is even more still than usual.
And gradually the mountain transitions from this cold and dark season into the warmer and brighter days of spring.
And with that the blooming of so many different forms of life,
The return of the birds and emergence of other creatures that have sheltered through the cold temperatures.
And gradually the days get longer and warmer and the mountain makes its way into summer.
Maybe the heat is sweltering,
Life is vibrant,
Everything on the mountain is changing.
And gradually the days begin to cool down again and the mountain makes its way into autumn,
Leaves changing color,
Animals gathering food for the long winter,
Birds taking flight.
Eventually the mountain makes its way back into winter again and the cycle begins again.
And through it all the mountain sits steady,
Stable,
Solid and strong,
Remaining itself regardless of what's happening on the surface.
There may be days that are quite peaceful and sunny and serene.
There may be days that are quite turbulent,
Unexpected storms kicking up.
And still the mountain remains steady,
Calm,
Still,
Able to remain balanced no matter what's happening on the surface.
So continuing to sit as the mountain,
Resting in stillness and solidity,
Aware of changes coming and going,
Emotions,
Thoughts,
Sensations,
Drawing on your deep well of inner strength and stability,
Staying centered,
Stable,
Balanced,
Through it all.
So let's rest this way for a while,
Maybe resting with the breath if that's comfortable for you or just resting with the changing flow of sensations.
All of our eyes are counseloring with each other.
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If it's helpful to you,
You might breathe in and softly silently note,
Balanced,
And as you breathe out,
You might softly silently note,
Stable.
Or whichever of these qualities resonate with you the most deeply.
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Gently releasing the image of the mountain.
And knowing that you can always call upon and take strength from the image of a mountain,
Allowing it to help you ground yourself and remembering your own inner steadiness,
Stability,
Strength,
And presence.
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In a moment,
I'll invite three sounds of the bell,
And you can just let your attention rest with the sounds.
And then take your time to gently transition to whatever's next,
Bringing with you any mountain qualities that you connected with.
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