This is Marian.
Today we're talking about connecting with our inner wisdom.
We often go through our day carrying the burden of thoughts and judgments and expectations.
These burdens are like shadows that distort what we see,
What we hear,
And often how we are.
Sometimes we notice this when things feel off.
We're not ourselves.
We become disconnected.
We forget who we are,
What we value,
And what's important to us.
Life becomes fuzzy,
Hard,
And unclear.
When we take the time to go into the stillness,
We connect with ourselves.
While there is certainly value in consulting with others,
There's also great value in learning to listen to our own wisdom.
Our experiences,
Our desires,
And needs are unique to us,
As are their solutions.
So many answers are right in front of us and within us.
We see them when we pause and reflect.
In this practice,
You'll have the opportunity to bring a question and seek guidance from within.
This is a journey of discovery.
Perhaps something is troubling you,
Or something feels out of alignment,
Or you're wrestling with making a decision.
Whatever it is that you'd like to experiment with today,
We'll begin by putting this into a statement,
Such as,
Today I would like guidance with,
Or I seek clarity to better understand.
Just take a moment and pause and think about what you would like to work on today.
So now that you have the statement,
Just set this aside and we'll come back to this in a few minutes.
Just settle in and allow yourself to take a few elongated breaths,
Breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth.
As you breathe in,
You will feel your body expanding,
Your lungs filling up,
And your spine extending.
See if you can make these energizing breaths.
And as you breathe out,
You will feel a gentle relaxing of your body.
As you sink deeper and deeper into your chair,
Into your body.
So take a few deep breaths,
Energizing and then releasing.
One more deep breath in,
And a gentle relaxing release.
Let everything go,
Everything you're holding on to,
See if you can just let it go.
And allow your breath to return to normal.
Find the natural pace and rhythm of your breath and just breathe.
Just breathe.
Feel your face soften.
All those tiny little muscles all around your eyes.
See if you can allow them to soften,
To loosen up a little bit.
Imagine warm sunlight caressing your face.
Warm,
Comforting.
Feel your face relax.
Loosen your jaw,
Your forehead,
Your throat,
And let your shoulders drop.
Breathe.
Just breathe.
Focus on the sounds.
Hear the waves.
Imagine yourself.
You're lying on the warm sand.
Light,
Foamy waves are flowing over your body.
Your legs,
Your arms,
Lying on the sand.
Your face is turned upward toward the glow of the afternoon sun.
Hear the sounds,
The waves on the shore.
Above you is a cloudless blue sky.
And now,
You're floating.
You feel the waves supporting you.
There is a presence of strength here.
The world is holding you,
Gently holding you,
As if you are the most precious gem on earth.
Notice the waves of your breath.
No fighting,
No resisting.
Gentle,
Easy flow.
Ride the breath.
Float gently.
Breathe in,
Flow with the gentle crest of the wave.
Breathe out,
Relax into the downward drop of the wave.
Breathe the waves.
Breathe the waves.
You feel the sunlight on your skin.
Light,
Fresh.
You feel at harmony here.
Breathe in,
Flow with the gentle crest of the wave.
Breathe out.
Relax into the downward drop of the wave.
Breathe the waves.
As thoughts drop in,
Try to nudge them away.
They're clouds blocking the warmth of the sun.
Breathe the waves,
The natural rhythm of the waves.
Allow everything to unfold.
Powerful,
Invincible.
The strong force holds you close.
Life is moving all around you.
And at the same time,
It is still.
Notice the waves of your breath.
No fighting,
No resisting.
A gentle,
Easy flow.
Ride the breath.
Float gently.
Breathe the waves.
Allow yourself to go into the stillness.
Relax into the stillness.
Relax into the stillness.
Allow yourself to be here with whatever is here.
Breathe into the stillness.
Breathe into the stillness.
In the stillness,
Surface the thought you brought with you today.
On what are you seeking guidance or direction?
Surface the thought.
Focus on the heart.
Breathe with the heart.
Place your hand on your heart.
Feel the breath of the heart.
On what are you seeking guidance?
What is your heart telling you?
Allow your heart to speak to you.
What do you hear?
It may come to you as a thought.
Words flowing over you.
What do you hear?
It may come to you as an emotion.
What are you feeling?
Perhaps there's someone here with you.
Who do you see here with you?
Maybe you feel their presence.
We're never alone in the stillness.
Here we find encouragement and support.
What is the message for you?
Perhaps the message is loud and clear.
Or maybe it has not surfaced quite yet.
If this is the case,
Watch for it over the next few days.
Answers are all around us.
When we let go of the activity,
When we step out of the shadows,
Shadows of fear,
Judgment,
Self-doubt,
Self-criticism,
When we step out of the shadows,
We see the answers all around us.
We know what's important.
We know what we value.
We reconnect.
Listen to your heart.
Over the next minute,
The background sounds will fade away.
Try to come back slowly,
Bringing some of this inner calm with you.
You may want to take a few moments to quietly reflect.
Thank you for joining me.
I am grateful for your presence on this journey.
Please take care of yourself.
Listen to your heart.
