When it comes to meditation,
Mountains have a lot to teach us.
The image of the mountain held in the mind's eye and in the body can refresh our memory of why we are sitting and of what it really means to dwell in the realm of non-doing.
When you feel ready,
Find a comfortable position.
Your head,
Neck and spine are aligned.
You might either sit with cross legs or in the chair,
Just making sure that your feet are firmly flat on the floor if you're sitting in a chair.
And taking a deep breath.
And exhale.
Gently close in your eyes if you wish,
Or just lower your gaze down to the floor.
Relax your shoulders.
Soften your eyes.
Relax your jaw.
Just allow yourself to be here.
And gently bringing your attention to your breaths.
Just watching your breath as it is for a couple of moments.
Letting it to suit you and letting your breath to bring you to the present moment.
And now picture the most beautiful mountain you know,
Or you can imagine.
Notice its overall shape.
The lofty peak.
The base rooted in the rug of the earth's crust.
The sloping sides.
Notice how massive it is,
How unmoving,
How beautiful.
See if you can bring the mountain into your own body.
Your head becomes the lofty peak,
Your shoulders and arms the sides of the mountain.
Your buttocks and legs the solid base rooted to your cushion on the floor or to your chair.
Notice any emotions you're feeling and your moods as they are the weather around the mountain.
Is your weather right now sunny and calm or stormy with lashing rain?
Is it icy or warm?
Allow your personal weather to be the way it is.
Noticing if it intensifies,
Changes or stays the same through the meditation.
Fully become the breathing mountain,
Unwavering in your stillness.
Completely what you are beyond words and thought.
A centered,
Rooted,
Unmoving presence.
As the light changes and the night follows day and the day follows night,
The mountain just sits.
Simply being itself,
It remains still as the seasons flow into one another and as the weather changes moment by moment.
Storms may come but still the mountain just sits,
Calmness abiding all change.
Take your time for a couple of moments with this beautiful mountain in stillness.
And now bring your attention back to your breath.
Taking a deep breath in and a deep breath out.
Notice what happens when you imagine yourself as a mountain.
How did it make you feel?
And when you're ready,
Giving yourself a little stretch,
Your shoulders,
Your hands,
Your neck.
And before opening your eyes,
Just put a little sip of water in your mouth.
This is a little gift for yourself and the best gift you can give to yourself.
When you feel ready,
Just put a little smile on your face.
And the best gift you can give to yourself.
When you feel ready,
You may open your eyes and welcome back.
