Welcome to this cozy,
Calm meditation to honor the winter season.
You may do this meditation as often as you'd like throughout the season to honor your personal winter and to encourage reflection and deep rest.
If you haven't done so already,
Find yourself a comfortable position to meditate in.
Bring over any props you might need to feel nice and cozy,
Such as pillows or blankets.
You are welcome to close your eyes for this experience,
Or find a fixed point ahead of you to gaze upon.
Let's take a couple deep breaths together before we begin.
Breathe in,
Release any breath that you are holding,
Take a nice deep breath in,
Exhale open mouth,
Sigh it out.
Inhale,
Exhale,
Sigh it out.
Breathe in and out of your nose now,
At your own rhythm and pace.
I invite you to picture a beautiful snowglobe.
Snowflakes are gently cascading down onto a wonderful wintry scene.
There's a magical little town within this snowglobe,
With a few buildings forming a A small park is at the center,
And in the park is an empty bench.
This bench waits for you,
Calling you to step into this scene to get cozy and have a seat.
Transport yourself now into this beautiful wintry scene.
Imagine yourself walking up to this bench,
Wipe a light dusting of snow off of it,
And sit down.
Though it is cold,
You are perfectly bundled in your favorite winter attire,
And feel completely at ease.
You watch as the snowflakes gently drift and fall in front of you,
Adding to the snow already decorating the ground,
And landing softly on the trees.
Just beyond the park,
You can see the cute and quaint downtown.
Just a few buildings with snow-covered rooftops.
They are decorated with white twinkle lights,
Just like the bare branches of the trees that line the street.
You take in a deep breath of the fresh,
Cool air,
Letting it fill your chest and your belly.
The air seems to press a reset button within you,
And on the exhale you release any tension from your body and any worries from your mind.
You are simply sitting in the silence,
At peace with yourself and this season.
Take some time now to soak in this peaceful scene.
You deserve this time for yourself,
To simply sit and be.
It's time now to get up and explore.
You rise up from the cozy bench with a renewed sense of energy,
And you begin walking toward the downtown,
Listening to the sound of your feet stepping on the snow-covered ground.
Maybe the streets are empty,
And this is time just for you to observe and reflect.
Or maybe there are a few people around,
And some light chatter can be heard as people walk and pass by,
Giving you a sense of community while also being content in your own company.
Whatever feels most peaceful to you in this moment is what you see here.
As you pass by,
Gaze at the windows of the shops and businesses along the street,
All decorated with their own wintry scenes and twinkle lights.
Perhaps you decide to walk into a couple of these buildings.
Maybe one is a cozy coffee shop,
Tea shop,
Or bakery,
And your favorite beverage or treat is waiting for you at the counter.
Maybe you wander into a cute,
Independent bookstore,
Or maybe a boutique.
Perhaps there's a restaurant here serving your favorite food,
And a plate is ready and waiting for you.
Give yourself some time now to explore,
Wandering inside wherever you choose,
Or simply observing from the window.
And while you're focusing on all that you see,
If it feels right,
Also try to take note of what you feel,
Hear,
Taste,
Or smell on this winter afternoon excursion.
As the sun begins to set,
You approach the end of your exploration through this magical winter downtown.
You turn to head back to the park where you began.
As you make your way back,
The sky grows darker and darker as nighttime approaches.
Gradually,
The sky takes on a deep purple hue as the snowflakes continue to fall.
Just ahead of you,
You can make out the snow-covered trees in the park and the bench where you sat.
As you approach,
You see there is a circle of lanterns with candles in them.
The candles are not yet lit.
They are waiting for you to come and light them.
You walk up to the first lantern and gently pick it up from the gold handle at the top.
As you hold it in front of you,
Magically,
The candle sparks and is lit up.
You gaze into the flame as it dances within the lantern.
It beckons you to share your intentions around what you'd like to release at this time.
Breathe as you gaze into the flame and call forth what you are releasing.
Send it into the flame.
You set down this lantern now and pick up the next one.
As you hold it in front of you,
Magically again,
It sparks and is lit.
This flame is beckoning you to declare what you'd like to welcome in at this time,
Whether that is more love,
More peace,
More abundance,
Anything you want to feel or experience more of.
Watch the flame of this candle dance with anticipation as you bring to mind what you are inviting in.
Set this lantern down now.
You slowly begin to walk around the circle of lanterns.
As you approach each individual lantern,
The candle inside it lights.
With each candle lit,
You welcome in and celebrate the presence of more light and possibilities.
Keep going until you've made your way around the circle and back to the first candle.
Once you've made your way back around,
Gaze at the circle of lanterns.
Thank the darkness around you for its presence,
And thank the light for its presence within the darkness,
Assuring it that you will honor its return as the season progresses.
It is time now to exit your magical winter snowglobe scene.
Trust that the energy of it is held within you now and always,
And you can return to it at any time.
Slowly,
Zoom out of this space,
Coming back into your physical body by deepening your breath.
Feel free to take any movements that would feel good to your body right now.
You can start with smaller movements,
Such as wiggling your fingers or your toes,
And then gradually making your movements bigger.
When you are ready,
Gently blink your eyes a few times to adjust back to the space around you.
With much love and gratitude,
I bring our journey to a close.
You may return to this meditation at any time during the winter season,
Even using it as daily practice for releasing and calling in.
You can also use it during any time that you feel yourself navigating an inner winter.
If you'd like more resources and support for the winter season,
Please check my profile here on Insight Timer for additional meditations and courses for the season.
Thank you again so much for joining me.
May we journey together again soon.
