Hello my friends.
Welcome to today's meditation,
A walk in the woods.
For this meditation,
We're going to imagine that we are,
In fact,
Going for a walk in the woods.
If you'd like,
You can go for an actual walk in the woods while you listen.
Or you can find a quiet place free of distraction and imagine you are walking in the woods.
To begin,
I invite you to be still.
This simply means to quiet your mind and relax your body.
And being still is something you can even do while walking.
On the other hand,
If you're sitting or lying in a comfortable position and it's safe and helpful to do so,
Feel free to close your eyes.
And be still.
Adopt an attitude of gratitude and non-judgment,
Especially toward yourself.
And embrace a heart and mindset of peace and loving kindness.
Once you are loose and relaxed,
I invite you to imagine you are walking through the woods.
This part might even be easier if you are really out in the woods.
Try to really picture the woods around you.
Really take it in.
Take it all in.
What sorts of trees and plants are surrounding you?
What do you smell,
Hear,
Feel?
Take a moment to simply observe the trees and plants around you.
And then take a moment to simply acknowledge that the air they breathe out is the air we breathe in.
Take a deep breath in and slowly let it out while that acknowledgement sets in.
And then take a few more.
Continue to focus on deep breathing while I speak these words over you.
The oxygen we breathe is provided by the trees and plants around us.
They give us life-giving breath.
The trees and plants around us sustain us.
They nurture us.
The air they breathe out is the air we breathe in.
And the air we breathe out is the air the trees and plants breathe in.
And in this way,
We are all connected.
We are all connected.
We provide for one another.
We sustain one another.
We breathe the same air.
If it's helpful and safe,
Feel free to remove your shoes and socks and walk barefoot on the ground,
Or imagine doing so.
Walking barefoot helps ground us and enhances the feeling of connection to the earth.
Now imagine the roots under the ground upon which you are walking.
For this part,
If you are walking,
It may be helpful to stop walking and close your eyes.
Picture the roots under your feet.
Imagine a sense of connectedness to the ground.
And from the ground to the roots.
Now visualize one specific tree.
Picture your feet being connected to the roots of that tree.
Your feet and the roots flowing through one another.
And as your feet are planted in the ground,
You're continuing to breathe.
You are connected to that tree at the top and the bottom of your body.
The top through your breath and the bottom through the roots.
You are connected to that tree,
To the top of the tree at the top of your body and the bottom of the tree at the bottom of your body.
As the roots flow through your feet and your feet through the roots,
The air that flows through your body is the same air that flows through the tree.
Now imagine that energy entering your nose,
Flowing down your body,
Out your feet,
Through the roots of the tree,
Then up through the trunk of the tree,
The branches,
And out and back in through your nose.
And at the same time as you exhale,
That breath is going through the branches of the tree,
Down the trunk of the tree,
Through the roots of the tree,
And back up through your feet.
A constant flow of energy flowing out from you and through the tree,
Flowing out from the tree,
Through you.
And now,
If you can,
Imagine a sense of losing where you began.
And where the tree ends.
The lines between where you began and where the tree begins,
Begins to fade.
The line of separation begins to fade.
Imagine you and the tree are flowing so organically through one another that the distinction between you and the tree begins to fade.
Imagine the perceived separation between you and the tree,
Continuing to fade until you and the tree are one.
Take a few more long,
Slow,
Deep breaths in and out.
In and out.
In and out.
If you're imagining you're going for a walk,
Then once ready,
Just imagine yourself resuming your walk.
And if you are actually out in nature,
Once ready,
Slowly flutter your eyes open,
Give your body a light stretch.
Look around at the trees and plants around you,
And simply appreciate them.
You can continue your walk without your shoes on,
Or this might be a good time to put your shoes back on.
Expecting to appreciate the vegetation surrounding you,
And feeling a particular love for the specific tree you bonded with earlier.
And whenever you're ready,
Continue to walk.
Continue deep breathing.
And remember,
The air the trees and the plants breathe out is the air we breathe in,
And the air we breathe out is the air they breathe in.
They provide for each other.
We nurture one another.
We sustain each other.
We are connected to the air,
To the trees,
To one another.
We are all connected.
The air the trees and plants breathe out is the air we breathe in,
And the air we breathe out is the air they breathe in.
We provide for each other.
We nurture one another.
We sustain each other.
We are connected to the air,
To the trees,
To one another.
We are all connected.
We are all connected.
We are all connected.
And now,
Whether you're walking in the woods,
Or simply sitting or lying comfortably,
I invite you,
If you haven't yet,
To slowly flutter your eyes open and give your body a light stretch.
And next time you notice a tree or a plant,
Just remember this meditation.
Remember that we are connected to those trees and those plants.
There is an invisible energy cycle connecting us,
Flowing through us.
Remember that they sustain us,
Provide for us,
And nurture us.
Thank you for meditating with me today,
My friends.
May grace and peace,
Light and love be with you.
