Welcome to the river meditation.
This meditation can be done within view of an actual river,
Imagining a river in your mind's eye,
Or watching imagery of a river flowing.
Let's begin settling into a position that allows you to be both alert and at ease,
Whether lying down,
Sitting upright,
Or standing.
And taking a moment to feel where your body is in contact with the surface or furniture that is supporting you.
And giving your weight more fully to gravity.
Letting your body be heavy,
As if it's filling with sand.
Settling into the surfaces beneath you a little more.
Now becoming aware of your natural breath.
Breathing in.
Simply be aware that you are breathing in.
Breathing out,
Be aware that you are breathing out.
There's nothing to change,
Just noticing.
If your mind begins to wander into the past or future.
Into judgment,
Or spinning into stories.
Know that this is natural.
It's simply what human minds do.
Each time you notice,
It is an opportunity to simply return to the present moment.
Now take a deeper breath in,
Feeling the refreshment of the inhale.
And as you breathe out,
Allowing yourself to release whatever doesn't serve.
Refresh Release.
Breathing in,
Becoming aware of the state of your mind right now.
Breathing out,
Imagine a flowing river carrying away any thoughts that arise in your mind.
Breathing in,
Becoming aware of your body.
Breathing out,
Inviting the body to release physical tension.
Letting the river carry it away downstream to the vast ocean that can hold it all.
Breathing in,
Aware of tension in the body.
Breathing out,
Releasing it to the river.
Let it go.
Let it flow.
Now gently bringing your awareness to your head.
Breathing in,
Noticing any tightness in your forehead or brow.
Breathing out.
Releasing that tension.
To the flowing river.
Noticing.
Releasing.
Breathing in,
Bringing awareness to your eyes.
Breathing out,
Allowing the eye area to soften.
Inviting kindness in the eyes to meet whatever arises with compassion.
Kind eyes,
Like the warmth and light of the sun,
Creating sparkles on the water.
Breathing in,
Noticing any tightness in your jaw and mouth.
Breathing out,
Releasing it.
Letting it flow.
Moving down the body,
Noticing any tension in your neck and shoulders.
Breathing into these areas.
Allowing the out-breath to carry tension away.
Give it to the river.
Breathing in,
Noticing any tightness in the belly.
Breathing out,
Letting the belly be soft.
Bringing awareness to your hands,
Noticing any sensations in the hands.
Allowing any tension to dissolve.
Filling the whole body with awareness.
The body feeling lighter and more refreshed.
Letting the flowing river carry away anything you no longer need.
Now imagine yourself sitting at the edge of a river.
Feeling the contact between your body and the earth.
Looking across the river,
Simply be present.
Feel the temperature of the air on your skin.
And the vitality of being alive in this moment.
Take in whatever gentle sight,
Sound,
Or sensation draws your attention.
Perhaps birdsong.
The soft tambourine rustling of leaves in the trees.
Or the soothing sound of water lapping against the shore.
Movement of a bird through the sky.
Fragrance of flowers.
The gently flowing current.
Allowing the sensory impressions of the river to serve as a home base for your attention,
A steady place to rest for the next few minutes.
As thoughts arise,
What happens if you give them to the river?
Not trying to rid the mind of thoughts or engage with them,
Just watching them come and go.
When the mind becomes quiet,
Simply witnessing the river as it flows.
When thoughts arise,
Releasing them to the river and returning to the steady flow of the water.
There's nothing else to do,
Just sitting by the river,
Noticing thoughts as they appear,
Offering them to the current and allowing them to pass.
If you find yourself carried away by a thought,
Know that this is natural.
How human of me.
When you realize you've been pulled downstream by a thought,
Gently returning to your place at the river's edge,
Grounded,
Upright,
And steady.
Give your thoughts to the river.
You might experiment with zooming out.
Taking in the whole landscape.
The trees on the far bank.
The sky above,
And their reflections shimmering on the water's surface.
There may be moments of stillness when the river is like glass and mirrors everything around it.
Then thought resumes and the current moves again.
Breathing in,
I'm aware of thought.
Breathing out,
I release this thought to the river.
Breathing in,
I sit solid on the riverside.
Breathing out,
I allow the river to carry the thought away.
Now,
Let go of your anchor and turn your gaze upstream.
Notice the water flowing toward you.
Invite the river to bring you whatever would be most nourishing.
Perhaps it carries a sense of peace,
Equanimity,
Compassion,
Strength,
Clarity.
Or whatever words you most need to hear.
Breathing in,
Receiving what the river offers you.
Breathing out,
Releasing whatever does not serve you.
Breathing in and out,
Receiving.
Releasing.
As this meditation comes to a close,
Taking a moment to take in the fruits of the practice.
Notice sensations of calm,
Spaciousness,
Lightness.
Allowing it to expand within you.
And to radiate beyond you into the world.
Peace and other beautiful qualities are always available for you to come home to when you release what doesn't serve.
When you're ready,
Letting your eyes open if they've been closed.
Waking the body by wiggling fingers and toes.
And taking whatever stretch or movement your body wants to.
Carry the sense of peace with you as you go about your day.
Returning to the image of the flowing river whenever you need to.
Thank you for practicing with me.
