Meditation,
Step 5.
I admit to God,
Myself,
And another human being the exact nature of my wrongs.
The fifth step is one that's often difficult because it involves talking out loud about things we may feel deeply embarrassed about or ashamed of.
We've often put a lot of effort into keeping these things secret,
Acting as if they never happened,
And in some cases even denying their existence to ourselves so that a lot of armor becomes built up within us around them.
For those and other reasons,
A fifth step can be hard to approach,
But it does need to be done and done wholeheartedly.
So in this meditation,
You'll have the opportunity to inwardly prepare for your fifth step to ease your way into the work you'll need to do.
Guided Meditation.
Make yourself comfortable and close your eyes.
Take a slow,
Deep breath and let go of any tension in your body as you feel yourself sinking into the surface you're resting on,
Becoming still more comfortable and relaxed.
Take another slow,
Deep breath and feel a sense of calm and peace begin to fill you as you relax further.
Take another slow,
Deep breath and let your thinking begin to wind down and smooth out as you become still,
Comfortable,
And relaxed.
Imagine you've been sleeping a deep,
Sound sleep for many hours and you're just beginning to stir awake.
And the first thing you notice is that you're waking up on a soft bed of pine needles on the ground,
Surrounded by ancient fir trees.
It's just before dawn and the air is quite cool.
The light is dim and there's a foggy mist in the air.
You can smell the scent of pine and the damp coolness of the earth.
It's quiet and any sound is blanketed by the mist.
Everything is a palette of soft greens,
Browns,
And grays.
Standing up you can begin to walk along a path through the trees and you can feel the spongy ground beneath your feet.
Perhaps you still feel a bit foggy from your sleep,
But soon you come to a little spring,
Cup your hands to get a drink,
And splash some of the cool,
Clear water on your face.
Now you're beginning to wake up a bit and see the trees and plants that surround you more clearly.
As you continue along your path you find that the mist begins to lift and the day becomes brighter and clearer.
And soon you emerge from the forest into a beautiful meadow full of lush grass and wild flowers.
There's a welcoming feeling in the air as if this setting had been created just for you and simply being here seems to make you feel more relaxed and comfortable.
You'll notice that in the middle of the meadow are two comfortable chairs facing each other and so you quietly walk over to them and have a seat.
As soon as you sit down someone begins to materialize in the other chair.
This might be the person with whom you've already planned to do your fifth step,
Someone you know,
Trust,
And feel safe with.
But if you don't yet know who that will be,
The person sitting with you could be someone else you know and trust,
Or an historical or a beloved spiritual figure.
Let this someone be,
Someone you'd feel most comfortable speaking to very honestly about your life.
Allow that person to come fully into your presence now seated before you in this beautiful natural setting.
Soon you're also aware of a cone of golden light coming down around you and this person.
This cone of light emanates from the highest heavens and represents God's presence and grace as a support and witness for you in your fifth step.
You can feel the warmth,
Love,
And beauty of this light as it surrounds and fills you,
Helping you to know that all is well.
In this environment you're entirely safe and welcome to be completely open,
Honest,
And forthcoming.
This is a rare opportunity for you to release and lay down any burden of guilt or shame that you may have been carrying.
As you face your partner,
Notice a warm,
Soft glow that emanates from their heart.
Their attitude toward you is one of complete empathy.
There's nothing you can say to them that would cause them to judge or reject you.
They are there for you and you alone 100%.
As that glow continues to come from their heart towards yours,
Your own heart begins to warm and soften and to open as well.
Soon that comfortable warm feeling extends upward to your throat and now you know you're now ready to tell all there is to say about your life and there's no need to hold anything back.
With God watching over you in this environment of safety and support,
Take some time now as you observe yourself opening up to this person before you,
Letting go,
And releasing anything within you that needs to be spoken about.
It's almost time to bring this inner journey to a close.
So gather together anything you have learned that you would like to bring with you.
Gradually bring your awareness back into your body and your physical surroundings.
Take a slow deep breath and on the inhale relax the shoulders.
The exhale continuing to keep your shoulders relaxed.
Begin to wiggle your fingers gently bringing new life and energy back into your body.
Take your time and when you're ready gently open your eyes and feel awake,
Alert,
And refreshed.
Pick up your pen and paper and write about your experience now while it's still fresh in your mind.
Later on revisit this meditation and learn more.
Thank you.
