When you're ready,
Gently close your eyes.
Start to let go of all your daily cares and concerns.
Let go of all the activities and the people you were usually involved with.
Allow yourself a moment to consciously empty your mind and suspend your thinking.
Imagine you're standing in a small,
Quiet country lane.
As you look up,
You can see that the sky is the clearest blue.
There are sprawling fields all around you.
Some of the fields are bursting with crops that are almost ready to harvest.
It's such a warm,
Peaceful day.
You begin to stroll along the lane at a slow,
Leisurely pace.
And as you walk along,
You notice a small pathway off the little lane.
You can't quite see where it leads to,
And then you become curious,
Feeling perfectly safe,
Perfectly at ease,
You decide to explore.
The path slopes downward slightly,
And as you go further along,
The foliage around you becomes thicker and denser.
It's like a warm,
Comforting blanket around you.
At your leisure,
You keep walking.
Notice the sights and the sounds around you.
What can you hear?
What can you smell?
After a time,
The path narrows,
And you come to a tiny humpback bridge that you cross,
And it takes you over a beautiful,
Sparkling stream.
On the other side of this bridge is a small,
Decorative building,
A little Chinese temple.
And at the door,
An old man beckons you inside,
Where it's cool and peaceful.
You both sit on low stools in the center of the room,
And he smiles at you to encourage you to communicate.
Now I will leave you here for a short time,
But this is a blessed time,
And you should make the most of it.
Talk with the man.
Open your mind to his responses,
Which may not be in words.
Remember what is said by both of you.
Ask any questions you have about your own journey,
And remember to quieten your mind to listen for the answers.
And I will come back for you shortly.
After a time,
The path narrows and you come to a tiny humpback bridge that you cross,
Now,
If you haven't already done so,
Thank the old man and say your goodbyes.
Walk out and go over the bridge.
Take one last look over your shoulder at the Chinese temple and the old man waving a farewell to you.
Walk on back up the path and notice how it's getting lighter as the foliage and hedges thin out.
Keep walking all the way back up to the little country lane that you started on.
And as you find yourself back to where you started,
You become aware and alert and fully conscious of the place where you sit.
Breathe deeply,
Stretch,
Wriggle and bring yourself back by opening your eyes.
Namaste.
