Come to a comfortable seat.
You can sit cross-legged keeping the spine nice and tall,
Pulling the shoulders back and down.
Maybe you are on a chair or couch or maybe you are leaning up against a wall for support.
Start to notice your breath.
Don't change it,
Just notice each inhale and exhale.
As you stay focused on your breath,
Begin to relax the body,
Unclenching your muscles.
Take a full body scan,
Beginning at the top of the head and working your way down,
Letting any tension you are holding on to leave with each exhale.
Notice your breath becoming more slow and controlled and allow each breath to relax your body as you release tension each time you exhale.
We will now get ready to go on our journey.
Keeping your eyes closed,
I want you to create a picture in your mind of a quiet retreat in the mountains.
Imagine yourself in a cozy cabin,
Looking out the windows you can see the snowy landscape and you notice the cabin is on a mountainside,
Surrounded by trees and boulders.
Looking out the window you can see a crack in between two large rocks and you notice there is a trickle of steaming water.
The snow all around this trickle of water is melted,
Exposing the grey rocks.
You can see the water flows down into a natural pool with steam rising above it.
Imagine that you are wearing sandals and a warm bathrobe over a bathing suit,
Prepared to go explore the hot springs.
You begin opening the front door of the cabin and step out into the snow.
As you walk briskly along the path,
Some of the snow touches the top of your bare feet.
It is so cold you feel a tingly,
Almost burning sensation where the snow touched your skin.
You rush towards the water,
Seeing the steam rising from the hot springs.
There is so much steam,
The air around you is foggy.
You reach the side of the hot springs where the hot water has melted the snow all around.
The springs are perfectly clear and made of rock.
The water at the side of the springs is shallow.
You take off your bathrobe,
Lay it on the warm dry rocks where the snow has melted and step out of your shoes and into the steaming water.
The water at the edge of the pool is ankle-deep.
After feeling the cold snow,
The water feels so hot on your feet.
The air around you is cold and you notice snowflakes begin to fall softly.
To get relief from the cold,
You step further into the hot springs and can see that the rocks make natural seats in the water.
You begin to slowly lower yourself down into the water which comes up to just below your chin.
Feel the luxurious warmth all around you.
Your hands and feet feel tingly and hot at first,
Eventually settling into a pleasant feeling of warmth.
The water is just the right temperature.
Your feet rest on the smooth rock bottom of the hot springs and you can lean back against the gently sloped stone sides of the pool.
Imagine leaning back,
Closing your eyes with a sigh.
Allow your body to completely relax.
The warmth of the water surrounds you.
Let your arms rest at your sides,
Floating just a little.
Allow the muscles of your arms to relax completely.
Your arms feel heavy and relaxed and at the same time weightless.
It is such a calm,
Pleasant feeling.
Feel your neck and shoulders relaxing,
Surrounded by warmth.
The healing water brings relaxation and calm.
Your shoulders lower slightly,
Relaxing,
Easing away the tension,
Becoming loose and relaxed.
Feel your upper back relaxing,
Your collarbones and chest.
You are so relaxed.
You can feel the water against your skin,
Gently moving.
You feel the occasional bubble tickle under your skin as it brushes against you while it rises to the surface of the water.
Allow your stomach and lower back to relax,
Letting go of any tension left in your body.
Feel your legs relaxing all the way from your hips to your knees to your feet.
Your legs are so warm and relaxed.
Like your arms,
Your legs feel heavy but also weightless as they float slightly in the water.
Feel the warmth all around you.
The hot springs soothe your muscles.
You can relax completely.
Feel the coolness of the snowflakes on your forehead.
It feels so pleasant,
A wonderful contrast from the hot water.
Let all your stresses escape,
Drifting away like the rising steam.
Notice the beautiful scenery around you.
Snow,
Trees and rocks peering through the fog.
It is so quiet here.
The only sound is the quiet trickling of the water from a crack in the rocks.
You can hear the water as it flows into the pool.
Just relax,
Enjoying these beautiful hot springs.
When you are ready to reawaken and return to the hours ahead,
Imagine stepping out of the hot springs onto the warm dry rocks beside.
See yourself putting on your bathrobe and sandals and going back inside the cabin.
The snow that touches your feet feels pleasantly cool and helps you to wake up.
Imagine the cabin door and going inside.
The cabin is warm and dry.
Keep with you a feeling of warmth and calm as you gradually return to the present.
Notice your actual surroundings and become reoriented with where you are right now.
Wiggle your arms and legs,
Your fingers and your toes and feel your muscles waking up.
Sit quietly for a moment and gently open your eyes,
Returning to full wakefulness.
