Welcome to this guided visualization meditation.
With practice,
This meditation can become your oasis,
Your safe and peaceful shelter in any stressful situation.
The more you are able to fill in the details of sounds,
Touch,
Smells,
As I describe them,
The more relaxed you're going to feel.
So get comfortable,
Find a supportive chair or lie on your back and breathe deeply into your diaphragm,
Drawing air fully into your lungs,
Expanding your abdomen,
Expanding your chest,
And then release the air with a whooshing sound.
Breathe in again slowly,
Pause for a moment,
And breathe out.
Try another deep breath in and out.
In each breath,
Feel yourself getting more and more relaxed.
Release any areas of tension in your body.
Allow your arms to go limp and your legs.
Relax your neck,
Your shoulders,
Your spine,
Your facial muscles,
Your eyebrows,
Your eyelids,
Your jaw.
Release the hold of your muscles all the way from your head down to your neck,
Along each vertebra to the tip of your spine and your legs.
Allow your entire body to feel heavy and rest comfortably on the surface that you're sitting or laying down.
And now imagine you're walking through a beautiful tropical forest.
The path is soft beneath your shoes,
A mixture of soil,
Fallen leaves,
Pine needles,
Moss.
And as you walk,
Each step helps your body relax more and clears your mind.
Breathe in the fresh mountain air,
Filling your lungs completely,
And exhale.
Breathe out all the air,
Feeling refreshed.
Feel your arms swinging in rhythm with your walking,
Becoming loose and relaxed.
You can hear the faint bubbling sounds of a spring up ahead.
The air is moist and warm around you.
There's a cool,
Pleasant breeze blowing through the trees.
Hear the melodious chirping sounds of birds coming from the tops of trees.
And the trees are lush green with moss covering the ground and the rocks around you as you slowly make your way to the river,
While enjoying every step on the narrow winding trail going slightly downhill.
You feel the sun shining through some clouds and treetops making beautiful patterns on the floor of the forest.
Everywhere you look,
There are colorful wild flowers blooming and butterflies with radiant wings flying through these flowers.
And you're beginning to feel at one with nature.
These tall trees that are growing on either side of the path.
Some of them have smooth white bark.
Others are darker with heavier bark,
Deeply grooved.
And you're enjoying the colors of the bark on the trees.
White,
Tan,
Brown,
Red,
Black.
And as you take a deep breath in,
You can smell the forest around you.
The air is fresh and filled with the scent of trees,
Soil and mountain streams.
And you can see squirrels starting in and out of sight as they roam through the trees and race across the path that you're walking on.
And as you round the corner,
You hear the water and see a clearing in the trees up ahead.
You walk towards the clearing and you see the stream.
You see the stepping stones.
You step on each large flat stone and easily cross the small,
Shallow stream.
And up ahead is a large,
Smooth rock,
Like a throne waiting for you to rest on.
You lie down on the rock.
It's very comfortable.
You feel very much at ease.
You feel the warmth of the sun shining down on you.
Looking around,
You see mountains in the distance,
Faint and blue.
Looking down,
You can see a valley with trees and a brilliant blue lake.
And when you look up again,
You can see the blue sky with clouds.
Small white and gray clouds floating gently across the sky.
With interesting shapes that shift as you watch them drift slowly by.
You feel the sun warming your body up as you relax on the rock and enjoy the majestic landscape around you.
And your body is completely relaxed,
Becoming very warm and very heavy.
Continue to breathe the clean,
Fresh air.
Feeling calm and at peace with yourself.
In unity with nature around you.
You're enjoying the sights and the sounds and the smells of the forest around you.
Feeling the warmth of the sun on your skin.
Feeling the gentle breeze blow across your cheeks.
You can hear the birds singing.
You can hear the stream flowing and the leaves rustling in the breeze.
And the squirrels chattering.
You can see the flowers,
The trees in the valley and the mountains around you.
And you feel completely at peace.
And shortly after.
It starts drizzling lightly.
And your body welcomes the cool drops of water on your warm screen.
You look up to the sky and you see a beautiful rainbow.
Across the sky.
And you hear these words in your head.
Playing music on my upturned face.
And dancing in uncoriographed craze.
Ears turned inwards,
The music emanating from deep inside.
The raindrops keep falling on my face.
Cold like icicles,
Hot like firecrackers,
Exploding each one like a gentle spear.
The raindrops keep playing with my mind.
Mono no avare.
My words,
Unable to capture it,
Only to give it meaning.
The raindrops keep waking up my soul.
Slowly and gently prepare yourself to come back to the room.
Holding on to that peaceful,
Relaxed feeling in your body and in your heart.
Remind yourself that you can get back to this enchanted forest anytime you need a break from your day.
Open your eyes when you're ready.
I thank you for sharing this journey with me.
Namaste.
The spirit within me bows down to the spirit within you.
