Welcome,
Begin by closing your eyes now.
Bring one hand softly to the center of your chest,
Feel that quiet thump of life between your palm,
Steady,
Patient and ancient.
The rhythm has never left you,
Not ever for a single moment,
So let yourself meet it again.
Breathe in through the heart,
And then breathe out through the heart.
Now do that two more times,
Each breath softens the walls you didn't realize you built.
Now imagine that beneath your hand there's a faint light,
It's small like the glow of a lantern hidden under leaves.
With each inhale that light grows warmer,
And with each exhale the petals of a flower begin to unfold there,
Delicate,
Alive and completely unique to you.
You're standing inside your own heart,
And around you a vast garden is waking,
Flowers of memory,
Vines of kindness,
And even trees of patience.
The air here smells like rain and sunlight,
And this is your inner sanctuary,
It's been waiting for you to return all this time.
And so you walk slowly through the heart of the garden,
Notice how every plant represents a part of you.
Some are strong,
Some are fragile,
Some are still finding their way toward the light.
And you don't have to prune or fix anything,
Just acknowledge them,
And then whisper,
You're doing your best.
And now in the center of the garden there's a fountain,
Clear water rising and falling in perfect rhythm,
And as you stand beside it,
Breathe in deeply,
Feel the sound of the water matching your heartbeat,
And on the next breath out,
Silently repeat to yourself,
May I be gentle with myself,
May I forgive myself for what I didn't know,
May I rest in the truth that I am enough.
Now see the garden expand outward,
Beyond your body.
The vines of compassion reach toward others,
Friends,
Family,
Even strangers who cross your path.
Their gardens begin to glow too,
Touching yours in a web of light,
And the world softens now,
It's all connected,
Every root,
Every stem,
And every breath,
You're part of this living network of care,
And for a moment you can feel the whole planet exhale with you.
So bring your hand back to your heart,
The light is steady now,
Warm,
Alive,
And aware.
So whisper again softly,
May I be peaceful,
May all beings be peaceful,
And now take one last deep breath in,
And as you exhale,
Open your eyes slowly,
Carry the fragrance of this garden with you into the world,
You don't have to force kindness,
Because it's already blooming inside you,
Good work today,
And namaste.
