Getting comfortable with where you are.
As you are getting comfortable,
I want you to remember a time when you went for an enjoyable walk in the forest.
Remember what was underneath your feet as you walk along.
Maybe the ground is soft and mossy.
Maybe it's hard surface.
There could be leaves on the ground or pine needles.
Maybe the leaves crunch underneath your feet.
As you are walking along,
Take a slow gentle inhale followed by a long even exhale.
Allowing your shoulders to come away from your ears.
Allowing the muscles around your eyes to relax.
As you are walking on this forest path,
Notice how the sun might be shining and if you can feel it on your skin.
If you hear birds with a gentle breeze in the trees,
Just take note.
And as you are walking along,
Take another slow gentle inhale and at your own pace a long even exhale.
Today you have decided during your walk in the forest that you are going to be setting down some ideas,
Thoughts or feelings that are not helping you anymore.
There is gentle opportunity today to recognize your wonderful abilities and celebrate some of your accomplishments.
Off to your side you see a wooden fort that children have built.
Please take your time going over to the structure,
Walking around,
Seeing how they've made it out of logs and sticks and branches.
If they've covered the top with leaves or other materials or however they have made it.
And then with curiosity climb inside.
There is nice comfy moss to lay on and to look up towards the sky.
And follow your breath,
A slow gentle inhale followed by a long even exhale.
Softening with every exhale.
Feel the moss underneath you how supported you are.
And admire how this fort is put together however you see that in your mind.
As you look at the branches and how they are supporting one another in creating the shelter.
I want you to think of an incredible time when you have offered support to another just by being the wonderful person that you are.
You offered support,
Your presence,
Your being and this was a great comfort to the person you were with.
Taking your time,
Having this moment in your mind and you know they felt comforted and supported.
Perhaps they said so,
Maybe they smiled but you could tell that they felt much better.
And when you have that moment take a slow gentle inhale followed by a long even exhale.
You are cared for,
You are loved and you are valued for who you are.
Letting that support that you give to others also nourish you.
Recognizing your abilities and accomplishments perhaps unseen by some,
However often appreciated by many.
As you see the Sun shining either through the limbs of the fort or outside of the entrance.
I want you to think of a time that despite what was going on around you,
Despite being concerned about how you would get something done,
You did it just the same.
And that accomplishment you felt in your heart shone outwards and it was almost hard to contain.
You were so pleased and so happy and it was radiating out of you.
Find that moment,
Take your time in that moment,
How it felt moving through you.
And when you have that moment again take a slow gentle inhale followed by a long even exhale.
You are cared for,
You are loved and you are valued for who you are.
Letting that light that you give to others also nourish you.
Being lovingly aware of your abilities that you share with others and yourself.
At your own pace taking a moment to give thanks to the children that have built this shelter and this fort for your healing and your time.
And then taking a moment coming out of the fort as there is something else to do here in the forest.
But take your time coming out enjoying the moment,
The leaves underneath the moss.
And as you're standing up you notice some weight in your pockets.
You pull out a large flat stone.
There's no writing on it or anything it's just a stone.
You hold it in your hand feeling the weight of what you have been carrying around.
Turn it over in your hand looking at the colors if there's any lines if it's smooth.
And I invite you to set it down right down on the ground.
Feel it leave your hands this large flat stone.
Again you feel another weight from inside one of your pockets and you pull out another large flat stone.
Feel the weight in both of your hands.
Again turn the rock over in your hands.
There's no writing on it or anything it's just a stone but it is heavy.
It's actually surprising to think that it actually fit in your pocket because it's so heavy.
The stone has become so heavy that you just find yourself setting it down right down on the ground.
Feel it leaving your hands leaving your fingers.
And again you find that there is still some weight from one of your pockets.
So you pull out a very heavy and weighted stone.
It's very heavy so much so that you are having to hold this big large stone close to you with both hands.
It's heavy and as you hold it close to you you realize that it's actually not serving any purpose other than to give you something to carry.
You can't make it smaller.
You cannot change the size but you can choose to carry it.
So you carefully set it down right down on the ground with the other stones.
Perhaps you hear it as it hits the ground.
Maybe there's a thud.
Maybe it rolls.
Maybe you've set it down softly.
You can always set things down.
When your hands are free of the stones you are able to pick up the things that bring you joy.
Your hands are free to hold the ones you love.
Your hands are open to do the creative work that you want to do.
Your hands are overflowing with the love and the goodness around you.
Taking a slow gentle inhale followed by a long even exhale.
Each day will look different with what you will be able to offer.
Understanding that it's okay to set down what cannot be carried.
Recognizing your abilities and accomplishments.
Perhaps unseen by some however often appreciated by many.
You are cared for.
You are loved.
You are valued for who you are.
Letting that light that you give to others also nourish you.
Being lovingly aware of your abilities that you share with others and yourself.
Taking in a slow gentle inhale and at your own pace a long even exhale.
Bring awareness slowly back to the space you are in.
Wiggle your fingers and your toes.
Bring small movement into your shoulders.
Bringing with you the peace from this moment.
