Welcome to this short rest practice with Wiseheart Sam.
A beautiful short moment to settle into this autumn.
We honour this season,
The balance of the light and the dark.
I invite you to settle down and get comfy.
Nowhere to be,
Nothing to do,
No one to give to in this moment but you.
Give yourself the gift of rest.
Get your body comfy,
Whether that's lying down or seated,
Whatever feels good for you.
And if you're feeling comfy,
Could you get even comfier?
Bathe in a moment of silence in this beautiful autumn day.
And as you nettle into the silence in this autumn season,
With the trees dropping their leaves,
The colours changing from abundant green to browns and oranges.
I want you to visualise a door,
A special door.
It could be a fairy door,
A hobbit door,
A beautifully ornate door,
Whatever kind of door is special to you.
When you can visualise the door,
I invite you to open it and step through and join me in Grinlow Woods,
Near my home in Buxton,
To play with rest today.
Step into the tree laxation zone,
A special area of the woodland made especially for gathering.
A log circle to sit around the crackling fire,
A warm drink bubbling away under the canopy of the abundance of beech,
Ash and sycamore trees.
Some cosy nooks to rest in,
But first we play.
Crunchy leaves to throw in the air,
Helicopter seeds dance on the breeze.
Conkers to find,
Leaves and twigs to discover,
To bring back to our autumn rest nest.
We join hands and dance around the fire.
We make pictures with the bits of nature we've found upon the floor.
Soon we tire and gather around the fire to share a hot tea.
And then we wander into our rest nest.
Sumptuous blankets and pillows await us as we curl up to rest.
Here we rest together.
Resting for ourselves,
Resting for those that can't rest.
Resting for peace,
Resting for calm,
Resting to let go of whatever we need to let go of this autumn.
We rest so we can rise,
We rest so we can let go.
And as we begin to complete this short rest practice,
I want to share the beautiful words of Donna Ashworth with you about autumn.
And so begins the season of letting go,
When Mother Nature shows us all how it's done.
Let go,
Free yourself,
Shake it off,
Drop it.
Give way for new,
Create space for new thoughts,
New ideas,
New adventures and new connections.
By shedding the dead weight you've been carrying around for so long.
And whilst you are there being reborn and renewed,
Let go of old anxieties too.
Let go of any doubts,
Fears or beliefs which no longer serve you well.
Release bitterness or pain.
Let go of any doubts,
Fears or beliefs which no longer serve you well.
Release bitterness or past hurts which feast on your beauty.
Be brave,
Don't fear the nakedness as your leaves slip away.
Mother Nature doesn't.
Watch and learn.
Thank you to Donna Ashworth for those words.
Watch and learn from Mother Nature this autumn.
Watch and learn.
And slowly,
Ever so slowly,
Becoming aware of your body.
Sensing the movement of your breath.
Maybe stretch and yawn.
And slowly,
Ever so slowly,
When you feel ready,
Come back.
Come back to this autumn,
Ready to let go and rest.
This completes your short rest practice with Wise Heart Sam.
