Welcome.
My name is Kara and I'm going to be leading you on this guided meditation today.
I'd like to invite you to find a comfortable position that allows you to feel supported and nurtured.
There is no right or wrong here,
Only what feels good in your body in this moment.
Once you find yourself there,
If it feels safe to do so,
Allow your eyes to drift closed or allows your gaze to soften so you are able to turn your attention inward.
Invite your attention into your breath now.
Notice how it feels moving in and out of your body in this moment.
Noticing your inhale.
Noticing your exhale.
Spend a few moments here simply watching your breath.
Not judging it.
Not trying to change it.
Just observing and accepting.
Now that you've allowed yourself to arrive in the present moment,
Allow your attention to drift from your breath and begin to land in your imagination.
In your mind's eye,
Begin to see that you are walking down a gentle sloped path.
Just ahead of you,
Past the trees,
You can see the beginnings of a rocky beach and the deep blue of the ocean.
The sun is shining.
The sky is the perfect shade of blue.
A few fluffy clouds drift along and a gentle breeze brings a sense of the ocean up to you.
You continue to walk and soon you arrive onto the beach and are able to take in the whole view.
You're standing at the end of an inlet with rocky cliffs spreading off to both sides of you.
There are tall green pine trees standing proud along the tops of the reddish grey cliffs.
The beach itself has a band of dark sand but in great part is covered in stones of every size,
Shape and colour.
The ocean is quite calm within the inlet.
The waves lap gently up onto the beach.
You slowly make your way down to the water and bend down to graze your fingers into the waves.
The water is chilly but pleasant as it tickles your fingers.
You take a moment here enjoying the sensation and then stand and begin to walk further along the beach.
As you walk you really start to look at the rocks at your feet.
You're amazed at the range of colours,
Textures and shapes that you see.
Of course many of the rocks are different shades of grey which you expected but there are also shades of pink,
Green and even blue.
Some of the rocks look smooth as glass while others seem rippled or even jagged.
Some are tiny pebbles,
Some are chunks as large as your fist and everything in between.
One specific rock grabs your attention.
There's just something about it.
So you walk over to it and pick it up.
For a few seconds you just hold it there in your hand feeling the cool temperature.
And then you really begin to look at it.
Taking time to appreciate all aspects of this little stone.
The first thing that really grabs you is the colour.
You settle in like you can sink into it,
Almost like sinking into the waves.
And then you start to notice the size and the weight of it in your hand.
Next you notice the shape and you appreciate the beauty of the symmetry or perhaps the asymmetry of the rock.
And then you come into the texture,
Maybe even running your thumb across it.
Noticing how smooth or rough it may be.
And for a second you allow your eyes to drift closed and you just feel the energy of the stone as it sits in your hand.
And in this moment it comes to you just how long this piece of rock has existed in some form.
This little piece of stone was here on this earth long before even your ancestors.
And it will still be here in some form long after you are gone.
And yet right now you are sharing this part of your journey with each other.
You are sharing this moment in time.
You let this idea sit with you for a moment or two.
And you feel into the stone.
And you decide if your journey together is supposed to continue or if perhaps it was just this one moment of time.
If your journey with this little stone is finished,
Gently place it back down onto the beach.
Life maybe isn't quite finished.
Tuck this stone in your pocket.
Whichever one is true for you in this moment.
Do this with gratitude.
Your gaze then moves out over the ocean again.
Watching the gentle waves.
Hearing the sea birds.
Take a deep breath in.
And then turn back towards the path.
Walking slowly away.
Holding that gratitude in your heart.
Gently now allow the image to fade away.
Returning into your body,
Guide your attention back to your breath.
Invite a deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Allow your breath to ground you into the present moment.
As you continue to return into your body and into your space,
Perhaps inviting a little bit of movement.
Wiggling your fingers,
Your toes.
Rocking your head from side to side perhaps.
Or something completely different that just feels right in your body in this moment.
Slowly allow your eyes to flutter open if they're closed.
And find yourself back in the world.
Move with care as you continue to return into your space.
Offering yourself gentleness and kindness as you move back into your day.
Thank you so much for joining me today.
With love and with gratitude,
I wish you peace.
