This practice is a gentle invitation to come back to yourself.
When you feel overwhelmed or anxious,
Taking a few moments to check in and find a quiet place in your mind can help everything feel a little more still.
By focusing on a peaceful scene and noticing how it feels in your body,
You can move away from that heavy or frantic feeling and toward a sense of calm.
Find a position that feels supportive.
Let your body choose what feels most comfortable to you.
Close your eyes or let your gaze rest softly.
Before we move into the breath,
Simply bring your awareness to your body.
Notice where you might be holding on to something.
You may feel a tightness or a heaviness.
Just notice where that feeling lives in your body.
Observe the sensation and the emotion that might be resting beneath it.
Allow it to be exactly as it is.
Now we invite the breath to move through your body.
Take a slow,
Deep breath in through your nose.
Follow the cool air as it travels down into your chest and your abdomen.
Hold it for a brief moment.
Now exhale slowly through your mouth.
Imagine the breath leaving your body and taking a layer of that tension with it.
Take another deep breath.
Follow the path of the air as it weaves down your spine and expands your ribs.
As you exhale,
Let your shoulders drop.
Feel yourself settling deeper into the surface beneath you.
Take one more deep breath.
Fill your lungs completely,
Feeling the life in your body.
As you let this breath go,
Feel the stillness of the room.
With your body settled,
Imagine you are curled up in a deep velvet armchair in a small,
Sturdy cabin.
The walls are made of thick timber that smells of cedar and thyme.
Outside,
A gentle rain is falling against the roof.
You hear the rhythmic,
Soft patter of water on the glass and the low,
Distant rumble of thunder.
So far away,
It feels like a deep hum in the earth.
In front of you,
A fire is crackling in a wide stone fireplace.
Watch the orange and gold flames as they flicker and dance,
Casting long,
Warm shadows across the room.
The light is soft and amber.
Every few moments,
A small spark leaps up the chimney,
Gone as quickly as it appeared.
There's nothing you need to do and nowhere you need to go.
You are exactly where you belong.
You are holding a heavy,
Warm mug of tea in both hands.
Take a slow breath and notice the soothing herbal aroma of the tea as the steam rises in delicate curls.
It smells of honey and dried flowers.
As you take a small sip,
Feel that warmth travel all the way down,
Settling in your chest.
Feel the warm air from the fire on your face.
It is a deep,
Steady heat that helps the small muscles around your eyes and jaw finally let go.
Listen to the steady,
Rhythmic crackle of the wood,
The pop of the sap and the gentle hiss of the flame,
Blending with the peaceful sound of the rain outside.
Notice the feeling of peace that lives in this sanctuary.
Allow that calm to wash over you like the glow from the hearth.
Find the exact spot in your body where the peace lives right now.
Is it a warmth in your heart?
A stillness in your shoulders?
Wherever it is,
Let it expand with every breath,
Filling you up until you are steady and glowing as the fire itself.
As you stay with this feeling,
Allow a color to come to mind that represents this peace.
There is no right or wrong choice,
Just notice the first color that feels right to you.
Imagine this color beginning to glow within the scene.
See it moving through the air and then gently filling your own body.
Watch as it travels through your chest and down to your fingertips until you are completely bathed in this light.
Let the color and the feeling become one.
To keep this feeling with you,
Choose a physical anchor.
You might gently press your fingers together or place a hand over your heart.
Feel that physical touch.
Remind your body that this stillness is a part of you.
Take a moment to check back in with the area where you felt tension earlier.
Notice if the sensation or the emotion has shifted.
Even a tiny softening is enough.
As you prepare to return to your day,
Remember that this cabin is always here.
If you feel yourself becoming overwhelmed or anxious,
You can return to this place.
Take just a minute or two to find your breath,
Use your anchor and come back to the stillness of the cabin.
When you are ready,
Gently wiggle your fingers and toes and open your eyes.
