Hello and welcome to today's meditation practice.
Today's practice is a little bit different to my normal setup.
Normally I'm inside and I have music on in the background but today our music is nature as I'm out in my local forestry walking and you may want to join me on this walk or you may just want to sit in a seated or laying down position or somewhere where you're comfortable.
Hopefully you can hear the light breeze of the trees,
The birds singing,
Possibly some footsteps along the way.
So when you're ready,
Closing off the eyes if you can,
Or if you're walking with me just taking a soft gaze.
I just want you to imagine,
Visualize or look around you to see the forest in all its glory.
To see its beauty,
To see what I can see,
The trees surrounding me in beauty,
Deers running past in the deeps of the forest,
Bark texture on the trees and each tree being as beautiful as the next but in their own unique way.
Listening to the birdsongs and feeling each footstep as you place your foot down in your visualization or in real life.
Just taking a deep inhale here,
Breathing in that fresh,
Brisk air,
Exhaling,
Letting that air flow out.
It's really getting a feel for the nature,
What's going on around you.
Painting that picture,
What can you see?
What colours can you see?
You see the greens of the forest,
The browns of the mud.
Can you see any moss?
Flowers maybe?
Leaves?
Logs?
Just looking at the things you probably wouldn't notice on a normal walk.
Are there stones in the ground?
Are there sand in your shoes?
Are there sticks,
Lots of sticks around you?
Notice where your feet are placed upon.
What are they walking on with each step?
Taking a deep inhale here,
Exhaling that cold,
Brisk air,
Inhaling,
Feeling that cold air travel through the nostrils,
Exhaling deeply as you start to walk up a slight incline,
Knowing that you are strong,
You are enough.
I'm feeling grateful for being out on this walk today.
Taking a deep inhale here,
Breathing deeply,
Exhaling completely,
Just connecting with each footstep and if you're visualising this walk,
Just connecting with each breath,
Listening to the sounds of nature,
The scurries in the trees from the squirrels,
Feeling that warmth of the sun shine,
Shining upon your face,
The blue skies.
Looking up now,
Looking through the leaves,
Breathing deeply,
Inhale,
Breathing deeply,
Exhale,
Inhale,
Feel that light breeze upon your face,
Exhaling,
Listening to that sound of the birds singing in the sky,
Feeling each footstep,
Listening to the pheasant that has just called,
Just really taking in nature,
Breathing deeply,
Listening to those sounds,
Feeling grateful for being out,
Feeling grateful for knowing that this world is around you,
Listening,
Feeling,
Tuning into the colours of green,
Blue and the birds around you.
Just each footstep,
If your mind wanders,
Feel into the heel,
To the sole,
To the ball and the toes of the foot,
Take one step at a time,
Breathe deeply,
If you're visualising,
Connect with that breath,
Listen to the leaves sway in the wind,
The tree is tall and strong,
The beautiful shapes and colours around you,
From different types of trees,
Oak,
Willow,
Silver birch,
To more.
Continue your journey into the forest,
Notice a bird on a tree,
What type of bird is it,
If you don't know the type that's okay,
What colours are these birds,
How big and small,
What are they doing,
What do you think they're saying,
Noticing the trees again,
Looking how tall and strong they are and knowing that you too are tall,
You too are strong,
You too are enough,
Each of these trees in your nature,
In your forest,
In your mind are representing what it is to be connected with the earth,
To feel grounded,
To feel stable,
To feel secure,
They don't worry about the past,
The trees don't worry about the future,
They are just present,
They are what they are,
So you too can be and just be.
Take a deep inhale here,
Breathe in that nature,
Breathe out that knowing of Mother Earth is grounding you,
Breathe in the sounds around you,
Breathe out the knowing of the stability and security you are in,
Breathe in,
Breathe out,
Breathe it in,
Breathe out.
As we come to our practice today I want you to take a notice of what you can smell in your forest,
In your visualization or in life,
What can you smell in the nature around you.
I want you to notice what you can hear,
Can you hear horses galloping past,
Is it just you on this road,
There are many paths but the road leads to the same place,
Feel grounded with each step as you slowly come to the end your meditation practice,
Notice how you're feeling physically,
Notice how you're feeling emotionally,
Notice how you feel mentally.
Take one last deep inhale,
Deep exhale,
Thank you for practicing with me today.
Namaste.
