Nature-Based Focusing Practice

Connect with the felt sense and an embodied experience of nature with this guided focusing practice. This meditation begins with a short amount of time spent grounding and clearing space internally, then invites an inquiry into the felt sense using nature-based metaphor. This is suitable for both beginners and people who have some experience with focusing practice.

Transcript

Begin by getting comfortable,

Putting your feet on the floor,

Feeling the support of the earth beneath you,

Noticing your breath,

Your whole body here in this moment,

And then turn your attention inwards,

Noticing what's here.

As you notice and acknowledge any areas of tightness,

Any thoughts or emotions,

Any memories,

Acknowledge their presence and ask if it's possible if they could wait in another room,

Knowing that you can come back and pay attention to them and work with them when the time is right.

If any want to stay,

That's totally fine.

Now,

Asking inwardly,

If I were something from nature,

What would I be?

And listen,

What comes might be surprising.

It might be uncomfortable or not what you wanted,

And see if it's possible to be curious,

To allow whatever it is to show itself,

Develop like a Polaroid picture,

Revealing more details as you stay with it.

And if something has come,

You can ask if there's something it wants you to know,

Some way that it relates to the way things are for you right now,

And noticing how this is received.

Does anything change in your body,

In some of your sensations or emotions,

Or in the image that came?

And if there's anything here that needs to be contained,

Or that needs some support,

You can offer whatever support feels like it might be needed.

Now,

Thanking whatever it is that came,

Thanking it for showing up,

For being willing to have this conversation with you,

Being willing to be known,

And letting your attention come back to your hands and your feet,

Bringing some small movements there,

Taking a breath,

And gently coming back to the room as you're ready.