Find a comfortable position in a quiet space where you can unwind without interruptions.
Close your eyes and take a few deep nourishing breaths letting your body begin to rest.
Feel the rhythm of your natural breath now as it flows in and out.
Let a calming energy cascade down from the crown of your head.
Feel this calming sensation as it reaches your forehead easing any tension.
Flowing smoothly over your ears,
Softening your jaw and relaxing your throat.
It travels to your shoulders,
Across your chest and down your arms.
Washing over your stomach,
Your hips and calves.
Calm reaching your feet,
Filling every joint and toe,
Lanketing your entire body with rest.
From this restful place,
Imagine you are walking through a snowy forest.
You come to a clearing where you see a small cabin at the top of a hill.
This cozy cabin is nestled deep in the heart of a quiet wood.
You walk through the snow to the cabin's door and open it.
The path you took to arrive here,
Now being covered again by falling snow,
Blanketing the landscape in silence.
A crackling fire casting beautiful dancing shadows.
As the fire burns,
It sends sparks up the chimney,
Creating a soothing symphony of crackles and pops.
You sit in a plush chair close to the fire and wrap yourself in a warm soft blanket.
You curl your feet inside the blanket.
Beside the chair,
There is a side table with your favorite hot beverage steaming in a handmade mug.
Your muscles relax with every sip,
The comforting warmth of the fire and the steam of your hot beverage and your mind quiets.
The air smells faintly of pine wood with a hint of earthy smoke from the fire.
The flames in the fireplace flicker and sway.
You allow yourself to just be here in this moment of stillness and rest.
Restored with every quiet moment spent by this fire,
Rest in this benevolence and calm for a few minutes now.
Slowly release the visualization,
Coming back to this time and place.
Carry this calm and rest as you continue your day.
Let's conclude today with a quote by Melody Beattie from her book Journey to the Heart.
For too long we've been attracted to things that drain us,
Exhausting our body,
Depleting our soul.
That time has passed.
The world is a spa,
A nature retreat,
A wealth of healing resources.
Pour up some salts and essential oils into your bath.
Sit quietly by a tree or in a garden.
Walk around the block in your neighborhood.
Spend an afternoon in a nearby park or a day at the lake or beach.
Throw stones into the river while you sit on the bank contemplating the eternal stream of life.
Allow beautiful music to quietly imbue the stillness with healing instead of the pounding of your mind.
Light a fire and awaken that darkened hearth to glowing flames and soothing warmth.
Rise from your bed early in the morning.
Open the curtains.
Watch the sunrise.
Feel the sunrise.
Let it infuse you with its message.
Let it energize you,
Invigorate you,
Fill you with life.
At day's end,
Return to the window or step outside.
Watch the sunset.
Absorb its changing colors spreading out beyond the horizon.
Feel how it changes the earth and all it touches.
Pet a puppy,
Stroke a piece of velvet,
Listen to a symphony.
If you can't slow down long enough to absorb the energy the first time,
Do it a second and a third.
Absorb revitalizing energy until you can hear your voice,
Hear your heart,
Tell you what would feel good,
What would bring peace,
What would bring stillness and joy.
Before long,
Doing what brings healing and joy will become as natural as it used to be to do what drains,
Tires,
Depletes,
And exhausts.
