Hello and welcome to this short visualisation mindfulness practice aimed at teenagers but really for anybody who needs to take a break and to use their imagination and visualisation as a way to ground themselves or regulate their emotions.
So we're going to begin by taking time to find a comfortable and quiet space where maybe you won't be disturbed for the next ten minutes or so and I'd like you to sit in a comfortable position with your back straight and your hands resting on your lap.
Maybe raise your chin a little and sit in what I like to call a position of dignity.
You're going to take a deep breath in through your nose and slowly exhale through your mouth and repeat that a few times and on each exhalation just notice how your body becomes softer,
How your muscles relax,
How you begin to feel calmer and more centred.
When you're ready you can gently allow your eyes to close and just focus on your breath as it regains its natural rhythm.
Each time you inhale imagine that you're breathing in positive energy and as you exhale imagine that you're releasing negativity or unwanted emotion.
Now you're going to imagine that you're standing at the edge of a forest.
In front of you is a small dirt path.
It's a warm day,
Maybe you're even barefoot.
Imagine that feeling,
The contact of your feet with the warm hard soil.
Take a step onto the path and begin walking.
As you walk into the forest notice the sights,
The sounds and the smells around you.
There's a faint breeze,
Sunlight is shining down through the trees.
Perhaps you can hear the leaves rustling,
The chirping of birds.
You can smell the sap in the trees.
Give yourself some time to fully immerse yourself in the experience of being in the forest.
And as you continue walking down the path you come to a clearing.
It's a meadow with soft grass and in the centre there's a small pond.
When you arrive at the pond you sit down on one of the rocks surrounding it and you calmly observe the surface of the water,
Noticing how it ripples and moves gently.
Take a moment to focus on your breath again and as you inhale you're inhaling some of the peace and tranquility from this forest clearing and this pond.
And as you exhale you're letting go of any stress in your body or any worries you may have and you're becoming fully present in this forest scene.
Now imagine that you are throwing a small pebble into the pond and you watch as it hits the water with a plop and the ripples begin expanding outward,
Growing as they spread across the water.
And as you watch the ripples you can imagine them representing your thoughts and your emotions.
Notice how when the pebble first hits the ripple is quite large and moves quite quickly.
But how it eventually slows down,
Fades away and leaves the water calm and still once again.
This metaphor for your thoughts and emotions can help you as you progress through your day,
Knowing that like the ripples in the pond thoughts and emotions will arrive.
They may feel quite strong but they pass,
They fade away and ultimately the pool becomes still and calm once again.
And with this knowledge in your head you can stand,
Turn away from the pond and walk back through the clearing.
Imagine yourself walking back along the path,
Feeling your feet on the ground,
The sounds of the forest around you,
The sun sparkling through the trees.
And as you arrive at the edge of the forest you turn and you look back and you express gratitude that you have the time to visit and that it is there for you to visit whenever you want.
Take another deep breath in through your nose and slowly release it.
When you're ready you can open your eyes and you can return to your day,
Feeling calm,
Relaxed and refreshed.
And remember that forest is there in your mind whenever you feel that you need it.
And you can revisit it at any time for the peace and tranquility that it offers you.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
