Hello and welcome.
My name is Tess Joelerson.
I'm a yoga therapist,
Somatic healer,
Mindfulness and Ayurvedic nutrition coach.
Today's meditation is inspired by this time of year when,
In the old Celtic tradition of Samhain,
The veil between the worlds is said to grow thin.
It's a time to pause,
To listen,
And to honor the ancestors,
Those who came before us,
The earth that holds us,
And the wisdom that lives within.
If you can,
Light a candle to accompany you for this practice,
A small flame to symbolize the spark of life and connection that links us across time.
If that's not possible,
Perhaps simply imagining a candle and its flame in front of you.
Take a moment to get comfortable,
Making any adjustments,
Add any extra layers,
Cushions,
And when you're ready,
We'll begin.
Take a moment to settle,
Feel the contact between your body and the ground or chair beneath you.
Invite your shoulders to soften,
Your hands to rest gently on your lap or next to your sides.
Take a slow,
Steady inhalation through your nose,
If available,
And exhale easily through your mouth,
Releasing any tension from the day.
With each breath,
Allow yourself to arrive here,
Now,
In this quiet space between day and night,
Between seasons,
Between worlds.
If you have a candle nearby,
Light it now.
Watch the flicker of the flame,
The way it dances and steadies.
This small light represents all light,
The fire of the sun,
The spark of life,
The breath that animates your body,
And the luminous thread that connects you to all that came before.
I invite you to close your eyes or soften your gaze towards the candle.
Begin to gently scan your body from the crown of your head downward.
Bring awareness to your face,
The space between the eyebrows,
The eyes,
The jaw.
Invite softness into these places.
Move down to your neck and shoulders.
Feel the warmth of your breath here.
Then down through the chest and heart,
Letting your breath expand softly in all directions.
Taking your awareness lower into the abdomen,
Pelvis,
Legs,
Feet.
Take a moment to observe your feet grounding into the earth beneath you,
Feeling both rooted and open,
Held by the earth,
Illuminated by the gentle flame.
Breathe in light.
Breathe out gratitude.
Now imagine that as you sit here,
A veil of silvery mist surrounds you,
Thin and delicate,
Shimmering with quiet energy.
Beyond that veil lies the other world,
The unseen realm of ancestors,
Guides,
Spirits,
And the deeper wisdom of nature itself.
With each breath,
The veil softens just a little more,
Not so that it disappears,
But so that the worlds can listen to one another.
As you breathe,
Feel yourself held in the sacred in-between,
The bridge between past and present,
Between the outer and inner worlds.
Bring to mind the ancestors,
Not only those of your family line,
But also the teachers,
Mentors,
And wise beings whose words or presence have shaped you.
The ancestors of your body,
Your land,
Your spirit.
You might whisper quietly or internally,
Thank you for your strength.
Thank you for your wisdom.
Thank you for walking before me,
So that I may walk this path now.
Then turn your awareness to the earth,
The oldest ancestor of all.
Sense her steady support beneath you.
With each breath,
You are in relationship with her,
Exchanging oxygen,
Carbon dioxide,
Warmth,
And nourishment.
Perhaps whispering softly,
Thank you,
Earth,
For holding me,
For grounding me,
Feeding me,
Reminding me to rest.
And finally,
Bring your attention inward,
To the inner flame that burns quietly within your heart.
This is your inner wisdom,
The knowing that transcends generations,
The intuition that whispers when you are still enough to listen.
Breathe into that inner flame.
With every inhalation,
Let it grow a little brighter.
With every exhalation,
Feel its warmth spreading throughout your being.
Perhaps whispering,
Thank you,
Inner wisdom,
For guiding me,
For reminding me that I am never alone.
Now gently,
Ever so gently,
Return your awareness to the candle before you,
Its light mirrored by the quiet flame within your own heart.
Take another steady breath in,
And a long exhale out.
I invite you to bring your palms together at your heart,
And gently bow your head slightly in gratitude to those who came before,
To the earth that holds you,
And to the wisdom that continues to guide you from within.
Perhaps one more time,
Whispering softly,
Thank you for your strength.
Thank you for your light.
And when you are ready,
Taking your time,
Perhaps opening your eyes and taking in the glow of the candle,
And this reminder that even as nights grow darker,
The light of stillness is always within you.
Thank you for taking time for stillness and connection as you move through the days ahead.
May this flame remind you that you are never truly alone.
You are supported by the earth,
By the ancestors,
And by the light of your own inner knowing.
Thank you so much for practicing with me.
May you carry this stillness into the rest of your day.
