Welcome,
Friends.
Welcome to this meditation series as we delve into the power of the elements,
The very building blocks of the earth and universe.
Each meditation in this little series will start the same way,
With a chance to relax and unwind before we visit our element.
So take this opportunity to make yourself comfortable.
Allow yourself to be supported by the earth or surface beneath you.
When you feel relaxed in the body,
We can gently close the eyes,
Allowing the attention to settle on the rise and fall of the breath.
Giving yourself the time and space with each breath to fill the lungs on the inhale and empty them on the exhale,
Connecting to that unhurried rhythm.
Drawing our attention inwards towards the breath,
We begin to let go of everything outside of this space with which we live.
We'll let go of the thoughts of work,
Of schedules,
Of deadlines.
We'll let go of the busyness of the day.
For this short time,
We can press pause on the world and spend some time within.
Allow the body,
The muscles,
The joints,
The bones to surrender into the earth.
Allow them to settle and soften.
Invisiting perhaps that with each exhale,
As well as releasing the breath,
You are releasing any areas of tension or tightness,
Anything you're holding onto within the body or mind.
Just taking our time to come to calm,
To let go,
To settle and relax.
Now on this place of calm and restfulness,
We will bring to the mind's eye the element of water.
Water as an element represents finding our rhythm in the world,
Finding our own pace in our own way.
Just like the gentle ebb and flow of the waves upon the shore,
There is power within that rhythm,
But it is unhurried.
No one can rush the waves.
So as we prepare to take our journey,
Exploring the element of water,
I want you to imagine standing barefoot in front of a beautiful body of water.
It might be a vast shining ocean,
Sparkling underneath the sun.
It might be a great cool lake,
Rippling with gentle tides.
You may find yourself standing in front of a babbling brook or a swirling stream.
Allow yourself to bring the image of the water in front of you to mind.
Maybe in this place you hear the sound of the water as it trickles or sparkles or splashes around you.
Maybe you smell the salty ocean air or the fresh scent of a glacial stream.
Perhaps you find yourself standing in front of a great waterfall and you feel the splashes of droplets on your face or the sea spray that whips and whirls in the wind.
Take your time to use all of your senses to embody this place before the water.
And feeling completely safe and comfortable before this water source.
We will take a few gentle steps to sink our toes and feet into the water.
Perhaps you notice the gentle ripples of the water around your ankles and feel the water washing over your feet.
Is the water cool and cleansing or is it warm and welcoming?
Does the water bubble and froth around you?
With our feet now in the water you feel a connection to this liquid,
This element around you.
It moves and flows in exactly its own way,
Reflecting how we can connect to our own rhythms and our own ebbs and flows.
As the water moves we are reminded of the liquid in our own veins that moves and carries all we need for life around us.
Enjoying this sense of connection we move deeper into the water,
Feeling safe and calm to do so.
You may find yourself up to your waist now in this water,
Feeling the liquid around you.
Feeling the buoyancy and support of this water flowing and whirling around you.
And we feel safe to move a little deeper into the water.
So it may be here that now we cast out into the ocean to allow our whole body to be immersed in the water.
If we are in front of a waterfall perhaps here we step underneath the deluge and allow ourselves to be washed completely in the cascading waters.
If we imagined that we were standing before a stream or babbling brook maybe we lay down on smooth stones and allow the water to swirl around us.
In whatever way feels right for you and the images in your mind allow yourself to be surrounded by this element of water.
Let the water wash over you.
Let it surround you.
Let it support you.
Allow it to wash away anything you wish to let go of.
The water can help support us in that which we want to pursue and hold onto,
But it can also wash away the things we don't want to hold onto.
Allow this wonderful element to support us exactly as we need.
Icy water but Shirai Wirakura Ayaka cheaper However,
When we Ocean swim along we begin a movement.
As the time comes to leave our sanctuary of water,
Of waves,
Of ripples,
Will gently rise from the water,
Once more feeling our feet on solid earth.
Perhaps you envisage wrapping yourself in something warm and cozy,
As we begin to once more be aware of our surroundings here,
The soft and restful place.
And even though we are now bringing our awareness back to the room and back to the space,
We feel refreshed,
Revived from our time with the water element,
Renewed from our time in the water,
Perhaps a little lighter from that which we have allowed to be washed away.
So when you feel ready to do so,
Will gently open the eyes and stretch if you want to,
As we return to the world refreshed,
Revived and renewed from our time with the element of water.