I encourage you to find a comfortable position,
Either seated or lying down.
And as you begin to get more comfortable,
Also notice any tension within the body.
Maybe there's some tension in the shoulders or the upper back and the cheeks,
The forehead,
Even down into the hips and knees.
Notice and actively release that tension,
Either with movement or with conscious letting go.
I invite you to take a deep breath in,
Sending the breath all the way down into the belly and all the way back out again.
And again,
Deep breath in,
Sending that energy and life force all the way down and all the way back out.
Begin to breathe normally,
Not trying to change or manipulate your breath,
But just allowing it to flow naturally.
And at this time,
See if you can send the warm energy of the breath to any part of your body that is tense,
Sore or tight.
And with each exhale,
Actively releasing that tension,
Even though you may have already done this,
There may be leftover tension.
So just try it again.
If any unwelcome thoughts come into the mind,
Those too can be sent out with the breath and active letting go.
So if we're just a moment,
The mind is empty on the exhale and any emotions that are rocking around in the mind,
Those too can be noted,
Acknowledged and then let go.
Using the breath,
Use the breath as the anchor.
Allow for the emotional self to be still and quiet,
Like the clear sheet of glass that appears on the water surface without any ripples.
And now I invite you to imagine a place where you feel calm and peaceful and at ease.
A place either make believe or real.
A place from your past,
For somewhere you've always wanted to go.
It doesn't matter the place,
Just so long as it's a place that feels good and safe and peaceful.
Allow the place to become real within your mind as though you are in this place.
Look around you,
Take the place in with your eyes,
Enjoy the colors and the scenery.
Look over to your right and over to your left and listen to the sounds of this place,
Whatever they may be.
Actively become familiar with all the different sounds that are special.
The sounds that this safe place offers to you.
And feel whatever you're sitting against,
Relying upon the texture of the ground beneath you.
Feel the air gently caressing the skin.
Notice the temperature of this place and smell its rich fragrance.
And begin to notice the time of day.
Enjoy the light and the peace at this time.
Take it all in,
All the richness with all of your senses.
Become more and more in tune to this safe and special place.
Feeling grateful and happy to be here.
And allow for your body to soak in the vibrance,
The energy that this place produces.
Allow the beauty of this place of healing to nourish you.
Take it in with every full deep breath.
All the way down into your belly,
All the way down to the tips of your toes.
Feel the warmth and feel the energy of this place soaking into your skin,
Down through the muscle.
All the way down into the bone.
All the way to each and every cell that makes up your body.
Reaching down to the peaceful and stillness at your very core.
Taking a deep breath in,
Recognize that you can come back to this place whenever you wish.
You can come back to this place in order to help your body,
Your mind,
Your heart,
Your spirit to relax,
To refuel and to heal.
Simply by finding a quiet time and place,
Getting into a comfortable position,
Either sitting up or lying down and imagining yourself in this special place.
Keeping your eyes closed for just a little longer.
Take this moment to notice how you're feeling in your body,
In your mind,
In your spirit.
And again,
Feeling yourself sitting in the chair,
Relying on the ground,
Breathing in and breathing out rhythmically and with ease.
Slowly coming back into the space,
Into the present moment,
And opening your eyes whenever you feel ready.
