As we begin this mindful mantra practice,
I'd like you to visualise a scene in front of you.
So imagine you're in front of this broad open landscape,
With a lake,
A nice broad lake,
Surrounded by trees and mountains,
With a broad open sky above the lake.
You're sitting at a table in front of the lake,
Relaxed and open.
And in this mindful mantra practice we'll be sounding simple words as we inhale and exhale.
So on the next in-breath,
I'd like you to internally sound the word clear.
And as you exhale,
Open.
Clear and open.
As you imagine the sky above the lake,
Allowing any busyness and agitation in your mind to settle and become clear and open,
Like the sky.
And then on your next natural in-breath,
Sounding the word still.
And on the out-breath,
Calm.
Still and calm.
Still and calm,
Like the surface of the lake,
With hardly a ripple on the surface of the lake.
And as you sound,
Still and calm on each in-breath and out-breath,
Allowing any emotions and feelings that are around already here to gently dissolve in their own time,
As you connect with that stillness and calmness.
Then on your next natural in-breath,
Sounding the word aware.
And on the out-breath,
Relax.
Breathing in with awareness of your body,
Breathing out,
Relaxing any tightness and tension.
And the image to use here is on the table in front of you in this scene,
There's a bowl of ice cream.
That is gently melting and softening in the sun.
And allowing any tightness and tension to slowly melt and soften in the same way in your body.
As you breathe in with the word aware and out with relax.
Really letting go and releasing as you exhale.
Feeling open,
Calm and relaxed.
Breathing in.
