Welcome.
Today I will be guiding you through a short visualization meditation where we revisit a special place from our past.
Somewhere that when we picture ourselves back there,
We might begin to feel some joy or peace or ease.
And maybe you find yourself beginning to smile as you remember how it feels to be there.
Your body relaxes a little more and you start to let go of any internal struggles you've been facing lately.
Your happy place is somewhere you can return to at any time,
Even for the briefest of moments.
If you just need to take a pause,
A break from life,
You can remember what it feels like to be back in that special place.
When you're feeling anxious or overwhelmed or frustrated,
You can return to that place to ground yourself,
To let go,
To relax,
And to be more in the present moment.
You can think of it basically as purposeful daydreaming,
Where you begin to reconnect with your inner world.
So let's get started by settling in if you haven't already done so.
And I like to start off with a couple cleansing breaths just to let go of everything.
So take a big deep breath in and exhale slowly,
Relaxing all parts of your body.
And one more cleansing deep breath in and exhale,
Letting everything go.
When I begin to picture myself in one of my happy places,
I'm usually outdoors where my mind and body and spirit can all give a collective sigh,
Where I'm surrounded and supported by nature and can really start to relax into the moment and let go,
Where I can begin to quiet my mind and its never-ending urgency that there's always something more to do or to fix or to solve and instead listen to the message of my soul that says,
I am here for you.
And whatever you are facing,
Whatever you are struggling with right now,
I will sit with you and help you feel it.
So as you sit here right now,
Picture yourself in a place where you've been in the past,
Where you feel supported,
Grounded and at peace.
Perhaps you are high up on a mountain facing a beautiful valley below covered in wildflowers or maybe you find yourself back in a peaceful forest surrounded by giant redwood trees with the sounds of birds calling out to each other.
Or you could be sitting with a loved one feeling completely comforted and loved.
Wherever you are,
Start to tune in to all your senses and what it feels like to be back in this special place.
Do you feel a heightened sense of aliveness or are you awash with feelings of contentment and ease?
As you visualize yourself in your happy place,
Really experience all the different senses.
What colors stand out to you?
It could be an array of green in the trees canopy or glittering white on a snow-capped mountain or maybe a palette of blues dancing atop the ocean.
What time of day is it?
Is it morning or evening?
Is the sun warming your entire body?
Are you laying in the cool grass?
Or are you snuggled up in a warm jacket feeling the crisp air on your cheeks?
Maybe there's a gentle breeze coming off the ocean cooling your body.
What sounds can you notice around you?
Listen for those near and far away with a curious mind.
No need to get wrapped up on exactly what the sounds are.
Just take note to what you hear in this moment.
If you are seated,
How does it feel to have the ground beneath you supporting your body?
Perhaps you're at the beach and you can feel the sand warming your toes.
Or maybe you are in a beautiful garden with the scent of flowers all around you.
Wherever you are,
Try to remember what it feels like on a cellular level to be back in this place.
Let any feelings of well-being wash over you from the crown of your head all the way down to your toes.
And as you sit here,
Remembering what it feels like to be back in that special place,
You might notice an unwanted thought or emotion coming into your awareness.
Just try to sit with it for a moment,
Feel how it shows up in your body,
And then imagine it draining out of your body with each exhale.
Let your body really experience this place through your senses.
The feelings of contentment,
Peace,
And ease that you might feel right now in your happy place are always available to you.
Anytime you need to pause and take a break,
You can remember what it feels like to be in this special place.
Right now,
You are content.
You are at peace.
You are supported.
As we wrap up this meditation,
I'd like to share a poem with you.
It's called Mornings at Blackwater by Mary Oliver.
For years,
Every morning,
I drank from Blackwater Pond.
It was flavored with oak leaves and also,
No doubt,
The feet of ducks.
And it always assuaged me from the dry bowl of the very far past.
What I want to say is that the past is the past,
And the present is what your life is.
And you are capable of choosing what that will be,
Darling citizen.
So come to the pond or the river of your imagination or the harbor of your longing and put your lips to the world and live your life.
We can choose what our present moment experience will be,
Even though sometimes the present moment seems unbearable.
When you are faced with intense feelings,
When you are flooded with painful memories,
When you are overwhelmed by what is happening right now,
You can return to your happy place and let those feelings provide you with the temporary refuge that you need in that moment.
I am honored that you have chosen to sit with me today.
I hope that by returning to your happy place in this meditation,
It has provided you with a little peace and ease and that when you are faced with difficult situations in the future,
You'll be able to return to your happy place to find some solace.
I hope to sit with you again soon.
Take care.
