I'm Miranda and welcome to my Food for Thought series.
Here I invite you to settle into a comfortable position as we explore tales of worldly wisdom.
The stories I present each time will differ,
But each will begin in the same way.
We'll settle into a brief awareness of the body and breath.
And then I'll offer a story,
Myth or legend that I hope may inspire you or perhaps offer a new perspective to ponder.
Or you may simply enjoy a little space as I leave you for a few minutes in stillness.
And as the music softens,
You'll know that it's time to return.
You may choose to leave your eyes open with a soft gaze or close them down and draw inwards.
Whatever feels good for you.
So if you're ready,
Let's begin.
Bring your attention to the top of your head.
And begin to draw your awareness downwards.
Down over the outline of your body.
All the way down to your toes.
Feeling into the weight of your body supported by the surface beneath you.
Feel the flow of your breath and see if you can invite a softening with each exhalation.
And now draw your awareness to the sound of my voice as we gently settle in for our tale of worldly wisdom.
Often over the course of our lives,
We can become disconnected from our true self.
Our vibrant golden core can become heavy,
Laden down with the layers of armor and protective coating.
Self-limiting beliefs and worry of what others may think of us can prevent us from showing our authentic selves,
From following our unique purpose or fulfilling our true potential.
We can easily forget the real gold that lies within us.
The True Story of the Golden Buddha Many years ago,
A group of monks in 1950s Thailand were relocating a giant clay Buddha statue.
When a section of rough clay began to crack and crumble away,
Revealing a golden light radiating outwards from behind this thick protective coating.
As the monks chiseled away at the clay exterior,
They discovered that what lay within was the original and truly majestic solid gold Buddha.
Measuring nearly 10 feet tall and weighing five and a half tons,
Historians believe this original statue had been concealed with its thick armor of clay to protect it from Burmese invaders centuries before.
But alas,
The statue was forgotten and the Golden Buddha remained hidden.
Until its true magnificence began to shine through.