Hi,
I'm Anne.
Have you ever spent time just watching clouds?
Watching how they lazily float by and other times they always have speed as they roll and tumble across the sky.
Watching clouds is a lovely way to learn to meditate.
Because to meditate all you need to do is to just think about one thing rather than thinking about everything.
When we think about one thing we focus on it.
To focus on clouds can be quite easy.
You may be able to see them as you gaze out your window or perhaps lie on the grass.
There are other times you might not be able to see the clouds.
But that is okay because you have a very clever mind that can actually bring the clouds to you no matter where you are.
So today all you need to do is to listen to my voice,
Follow my instructions and the clouds will come to you.
So let's take a break from our busy day and give our mind and body a chance to rest and just spend some time with the clouds.
It's a little like daydreaming.
So make yourself nice and comfy.
You could sit on a chair or on the floor.
Or perhaps you might like to lie down on a mat or even your bed.
If you need to move throughout the meditation that is okay.
Just wiggle or move,
Do whatever you need to do to be as comfortable as possible.
So let's begin.
Bring attention to your breath.
Notice how your chest lifts a little as you breathe in and then settles and sinks as you breathe out.
Take another deep breath in,
Noticing how the chest rises even more and a longer breath out.
And as you do,
Feel the back of your body connect with the surface that you are resting on.
Just keep doing this.
Deep breath in and longer breath out.
Feeling light and floaty as you breathe in,
Connected and settled as you breathe out.
Watching the rise and the fall of your chest as you breathe.
Now let your breath just come and go as it wants.
No need to change it.
Just watching.
You can feel it move in and out of your body.
Is it a little cool in your nose as it comes in?
Does your breath tickle your lip as it leaves your body?
If your eyes are still open,
Just let them close gently.
It's a good way to remove distractions,
To help you be able to focus.
Send your attention to your body and where it lies.
And starting at the back of your head,
Notice how it feels where it's resting.
You might even feel a bit tingly or notice the hair squishing into the surface that you're on.
Feel your shoulders,
Upper back.
Notice how they're sinking into the surface as you breathe out.
Notice your abdomen rising and falling with every breath.
Your buttocks,
Your legs,
Following them all the way down to your feet.
And now imagine your body is actually lying on a soft bed of grass,
Just like a mattress that supports and cocoons you.
You're now in a garden.
The day is warm and you feel comfortable resting on this mattress of soft,
Cool grass.
Perhaps you can imagine your fingers being tickled by the grass that your hands are resting on.
You can feel a warm breeze.
Gently brush your skin.
And now turn your attention to the sky above you.
Sky is blue and you can see clouds gently moving across your skyscape.
Just watch the clouds for a moment.
Notice how you feel as you lie on the grass,
Your skin warm,
Cool.
Bring your attention back to the clouds as they move across the sky.
Notice the colour of the sky.
Lots of different blues the sky could be,
Light blue,
Bright blue.
Just notice the colour of your sky.
Notice the shapes of the clouds,
All the details.
Do they look like they've been painted on the sky with a giant's brush?
Are they fluffier like cotton wool or a bunny's tail?
Does the speed that they move change or does it remain a constant parade of clouds moving across the sky?
Does their shape look like anything familiar?
Sometimes we see animal shapes in the clouds.
Are there any cloud animals in your sky?
Just spend some time watching your clouds,
Watching them lazily drift or perhaps even dance across the sky.
Spend a few moments just enjoying the day,
Enjoying the clouds.
Nothing to do right now but to rest and to watch.
Lunch is ready.
When you're ready to leave this peaceful place,
This restful place,
You can simply begin to wiggle your fingers and wiggle your toes.
Notice that they are no longer on the grass,
But now on the surface that you started on.
So take in bigger breath and a big breath out and again big breath in and out.
You might need a yawn or a stretch and when you are ready you can just open your eyes and enjoy the rest of your day.
Have a lovely day.
