Welcome,
And I hope that each one of you will come to find peace within yourself.
Today I want to talk a little bit about how words and thoughts have power.
And they absolutely do carry power,
Not in a magical way,
But in a very real sense.
They shape our inner atmosphere.
Our nervous system and the way we move through the world.
Thoughts create orientation.
Whereas words create direction.
And together they influence the reality that we participate in.
In a way,
A thought is like a lens.
And when you look through a lens long enough.
.
.
The world starts to take on color and shape.
And repeated thoughts.
Make certain reactions more automatic.
Inner language becomes the tone of our relationship with ourselves.
And this isn't mystical,
It's neurological,
And it's been proved by science.
Your nervous system responds to a thought as if it's happening now.
Words are the bridge between the inner world and the outer one.
They set boundaries.
They reveal truth.
They invite connection.
And they signal identity.
A single sentence can soften a room.
Or it could open a heart,
Or it could close a door.
And a single phrase can change the trajectory of a relationship.
Including the one you have with yourself.
Use a river metaphor that thoughts are like currents.
And words are like the oars.
You can't always control the current,
Your thoughts.
.
.
.
But you can absolutely choose how you steer with your words.
Some thoughts might pull you under,
And some carry you forward.
And some simply pass by if you don't grab them.
And the words you speak.
To yourself and to others are the strokes that guide the boat.
And the power isn't just in the thought or the word alone.
It's in the awareness behind them.
A thought believed becomes a cage.
If you keep thinking I'm too fat or I'm not smart enough,
It gradually becomes true.
Your thoughts can limit you or boost you,
And you have the control over your thoughts.
A word spoken unconsciously can wound.
A word spoken with presence.
And thoughtfulness can heal.
And there's a difference between.
A thought and the voice behind it.
Most people think their thoughts are the problem,
But the real power lies in the tone of your inner narrator.
A thought like,
I made a mistake,
Lands quite differently depending on whether the voice is punitive or protective or compassionate.
So noticing who is speaking inside you is often more transformative than the content of the thought itself.
Now let's close our eyes now.
And get ready to focus on our breath.
We're just breathing in and breathing out one breath at a time,
And then the next,
And then the next.
And that doesn't matter if you're sitting,
Standing,
Lying down,
Or kicked back in your favorite recliner.
The only thing that truly matters when we meditate is that you're comfortable and alert.
So let's start to scan our body.
Your face is too tense.
Unfurl your brow and unclench your jaw.
Relax your neck.
And relax your shoulders.
These are places of tension in today's world because people are hunched over tablets and phones and laptops.
Relax your arms and your hands.
Look for any tension in your chest and belly.
Relax your legs and your feet.
And just take this moment to arrive.
Let your body soften into whatever it is that's holding you.
And let your breath fall into its own rhythm.
Nothing forced,
Nothing shaped.
Just the gentle rise and fall.
Like a relief resting on the surface of a quiet stream.
Feel the space around you widen.
Feel the space inside you open.
You are here.
You are safe.
And you are welcome.
Now in your mind's eye begin to sense the familiar river.
The one that has walked with you through so many meditations.
And see it widening.
Through a soft landscape.
Moving with patience.
And with clarity.
And with purpose.
The water is steady today.
No rushing.
Get that still.
Just flowing.
Like a long exhale that never ends.
This river.
Is the place where your inner world becomes visible.
Where thoughts take shape.
Where words become currents.
And where intention becomes movement.
Imagine now that every word you speak out loud or silently to yourself,
Becomes a small stone in your hand.
Some stones are smooth and warm and comforting.
Words like,
I can't.
I'm learning.
I'm enough.
I'm growing.
Yet other words,
Other stones are sharp.
They're heavy.
And they're cold.
Words like,
I always mess up.
Or I'm not good enough.
Or what's wrong with me.
Or I should be better by now.
Just feel the difference in your palm.
To wait.
The temperature.
.
.
.
The texture.
Words are not just sounds,
They are choices.
They got directions.
They are currents.
Now here I'm going to pause for about a minute so that you can just breathe and think about what we've talked about so far,
And then I'll be back.
Now imagine that every thought you think becomes a ripple on the river's surface.
Some ripples widen gently.
Touching the bank with kindness.
But others churn the water.
Stirring up old sediment and clouding what was once clear.
Thoughts are not just passing clouds,
They are invitations.
They are seeds.
They are beginnings.
And the river responds to each one.
So now bring your attention back to the stones in your hand.
And notice those stones that feel heavy or sharp.
The words you've spoken to yourself that have cut instead of healed.
You don't need to judge them.
And you don't need to analyze them.
Just notice.
And when you're ready,
Extend your hand over the river.
And let the stones fall one by one.
And hear the soft plunk as they disappear beneath the surface.
The river receives them without hesitation.
Without punishment.
Without story.
And the current carries them away.
Farther and farther downstream.
Until they are no longer yours to hold.
Now feel your open hand again.
This time.
The smooth stones appear.
And warm and gentle.
And each one carries a word or phrase that strengthens you.
That honors you.
That tells the truth of who you are becoming.
Choose one stone.
And hold it to your heart.
Now let its word echo through you.
Let it ripple across the river.
Let it shape the current.
You might choose I Am Worthy.
Or I am learning.
Or I am allowed to rest,
Or I am becoming myself.
Whatever you choose,
Just let the phrase repeat softly inside you,
Like a mantra carried on water.
And as you hold this new word,
Notice how the river changes.
Water brightens.
The current steadies.
The surface clears.
And your inner world responds to the language you choose.
Your nervous system listens.
Your heart listens.
And your future listens.
Words are not decorations.
They are directions.
They are small acts of creation.
Shift your attention back to the ripples on the water.
And notice how your chosen words begin to influence them.
Thoughts that once churned the surface begin to soften.
Thoughts that once tightened your chest begin to loosen.
Thoughts that once pulled you under.
Begin to loosen their grip.
And you are not forcing anything.
You are simply choosing a new current.
A new tone,
A new way of speaking to yourself,
And the river follows.
Feel now that the boundary between you and the river is dissolving.
The water is not outside you.
It is you.
Your inner landscape.
Your emotional weather.
Your living,
Breathing experience.
Your words shape its flow.
Your thoughts color its clarity.
Your attention guides this direction.
You are not at the mercy of the river.
You are in a relationship with it.
Take in a slow breath and let it fill your chest and your belly and your ribs and then exhale gently.
And feel your body again.
Feel the room around you.
Feel the ground beneath you.
The river remains with you.
Steady.
Listening.
And the word you choose,
The smooth stone you held to your heart.
Continues to ripple through your day.
.
.
.
Shaping the current.
From the inside out.
Now when you're ready,
Open your eyes and come back to the room and carry the river with you.
Wiggle your fingers and toes and stretch and feel how good it is to be alive.
How good it is to be in this moment.
We're just breathing in and breathing out,
One breath at a time,
And then the next,
And then the next.
I hope this has been a beneficial and calming session for each and every one of you.
And I want to share something that I read the other day on the internet.
I searched everywhere to find out who said it.
But I couldn't.
So it's anonymous.
What was said is this.
Life is only as good as your mindset.
A negative mind will never give you a positive life.
Most people try to change their life first.
But life follows mindset,
Not the other way around.
What you think sets the tone for everything you experience.
Those are wise words.
Thank you again for joining me.
Till next time.
