Welcome.
We're so glad you found your way here.
We'll soon be going on an adventure of gathering simple but meaningful treasures.
In the meantime,
Let's take a few minutes to relax mind and body.
Close your eyes and take a few deep cleansing breaths.
Inhale,
Peace.
Exhale,
Stress.
At your own relaxed pace,
Let this slow moving ripple of contentment move through your body,
The quiet rhythm of your breath guiding the flow.
I'd like you to picture yourself in the large wicker basket of a hot air balloon floating high in the sky.
You're perfectly safe up here above the clouds,
Above the noise and demands of your life.
We're going to begin a gentle trip back to Earth,
Descending through three layers of atmosphere until we eventually touch down.
Each time we descend,
You'll settle into a deeper state of relaxation.
This first descent takes us just above billowing clouds suspended in a blue sky.
Your limbs are heavy,
Your breathing slow and steady.
Gravity slowly pulls the balloon toward Earth,
Passing through the cool mist of clouds until you're hovering in warm sunshine.
The small muscles of your brow and jaw loosen and a soft healing wave washes over your neck and shoulders.
Now lower to a deeper blue sky as green treetops and a patchwork of fields appear below.
Your entire body is slack and heavy.
And finally,
You skim over the treetops and gently touch down in a fallow field dotted with aster and laurel.
Peace has infused your mind and spirit and you are in a state of completely relaxed and relaxed.
The flow of serenity will stay with you throughout the meditation.
And though we'll be traveling far,
You'll remain safe,
Always tethered to your body through your breath.
It's time to step out of the basket and take the first steps of this gathering journey.
You're not far from a row of ancient sycamores.
And if you look ahead,
You'll see a break in their stately formation where there's a path.
Go ahead and move in that direction.
The afternoon sun is warm and the field is alive with darting birds and insects flitting among the wildflowers.
It's the time of year when summer is folding into autumn and there's a palpable current circulating that feels as if wonderful things could happen at any minute.
As you move from the bright field into the checkered shade of the path,
The moist,
Earthy scent of the woodland floor rises to greet you.
The cicadas' summer song has quieted,
But high above,
A distant whistle lets you know an eagle is soaring overhead.
And just a few paces in front of you is a beautiful long feather,
Its bands of brown and white beckoning.
Pick it up and run your fingers along its silky length.
This gift from the majestic bird has been shared to remind you of the freedom you have to rise above your challenges and explore life from a higher perspective.
Are you seeking support for new endeavors?
Wanting to attain new heights in a material or spiritual quest?
Hold on to this feather to remind you of the strength and agility you possess to fly high above the fray.
Continuing along the path,
You make your way through a lush grove of ferns and catch the sound of rushing water.
Just around the bend,
A little stream is briskly flowing and a fallen tree trunk lies along the bank for you to sit and rest.
Deer and fox prints in the soft earth make it apparent this is a popular oasis.
As you scan the area looking for clues of other woodland visitors,
Your eye catches an unusual object protruding from the ground.
It's a small gray dome about five inches across.
Walk over and pull it from the mud.
It makes a squishy sucking sound as you lift it out of the muck.
To your surprise,
The underside of the little rock is wide open,
Revealing a dense,
Sparkling interior of lavender colored crystals.
A shaft of sun breaks through the canopy,
Sending a beam of light into this geologic wonder,
Its glassy purple core radiant in the bright sun.
Cupped in your hand,
You have an understanding that this treasure is being shared in response to the eagle feather.
For while you need wings to soar,
You also need a grounding force to help you stay focused and centered.
This small weighted object reminds that stunning beauty can make a surprise appearance even when you're traipsing through mud.
And by simply examining something from a different angle,
What once appeared mundane may quickly reveal itself to be miraculous.
Tucking the half dome of crystals into your pocket,
You return to the path and head deeper into the woods.
A quiet stillness permeates,
And the humid air carries the clean scent of nearby rain.
The forest is awash in a palette of greens and browns dotted with an occasional splash of gold.
But then you notice markedly different colors in the low branches of an old beech tree.
It's a large diamond-shaped object,
And as you walk closer,
You realize it's a kite,
Crafted from thin strips of balsa and sheets of rice paper.
Attached to the kite's colorful tail of ribbons and suspended just above the path is a beautiful antique skeleton key.
Its brass shaft and ornate floridly crown let you know this is another special gift.
This key honors your innate curiosity,
Presented to remind that with the right tools,
You can begin to explore and unlock the abundant mysteries of life.
With the key secure in another pocket,
It's time to set out on the last leg of your journey.
The trail begins to bend away from the creek and head toward a younger grove of birch and juniper.
The sky is a mottled patchwork of pale gray and charcoal,
And the wind has picked up.
The birch's leafy green canopy bends and dances in the breeze.
A light rain begins to fall,
And you spy a small Victorian building perched on a grassy knoll.
From this short distance,
You can see a little covered porch,
So make your way there before the skies open up.
Standing on the weathered floorboards,
You're welcomed by a hand-lettered sign letting you know this quaint little house is a library.
There's a storm approaching,
And it seems like taking shelter would be the wise thing to do,
But as you jiggle the front doorknob,
You sadly realize the library is locked tight.
Something about the age of this building and the design of the brass lock takes your memory back to the last token you happened upon,
And you pull the key out of your pocket.
It easily slides into the lock,
And the large wooden door swings open.
You're struck by the wonderful smell of hundreds and hundreds of books.
It's like being greeted by a supernatural being whose body inhales experience and exhales wisdom.
The scope of life contained in the ancient sheaths of paper and leather bindings feels joyfully alive.
There's just enough light for you to cross the polished oak floor and head toward the arched window in the far corner.
There's an oversized leather chair and a banker's lamp perched on a side table.
As you pull the brass toggle,
A warm golden glow suffuses this reading nook.
Raindrops pelt the grand old window,
And a sudden weariness overtakes your body.
Go ahead and tuck into the easy chair.
After this long day,
It feels wonderful to curl into the soft leather.
And now you notice a lovely old book lying on the table.
Remnants of a gold embossed title glimmer in the lamplight,
The word love faintly emanating from the worn leather cover.
Reaching over to take a closer look,
The pages fall open to reveal a small dried rose,
Its color faded to a soft brown and trace of pink.
Although the text is obscured,
The poem's title peeks over the flower.
I know I am but summer to your heart.
And now you understand that this small book holding the memento of someone's tender soul is the final gift on your gathering journey.
Perhaps it's arrived to remind you that love and beauty are both fleeting and timeless.
Reach into your pockets and lay out the gifts.
The collection pulses with a subtle and mysterious energy.
The feather that has traveled the skies,
The crystalline rock ancient and grounding as the earth itself.
The antique key opening a world previously unexplored.
And the pressed flower hidden in a book of poems so lovingly preserved.
Take a bit of time to reflect on the appearance of these little tokens and their relevance to your particular journey.
With the rain beating a steady rhythm against the window,
It's time to release all thought and simply rest in the comfort of where you find yourself right now.
Relax into the wonder of this moment knowing that sometimes the right things show up at just the right time to help ease your way down the path.
Until we're together again,
I wish you peace,
Purpose,
Prosperity and joy.
