Welcome to this meditation and thank you for choosing to practice with me.
Let's start our practice by using our breath like a breathing anchor,
Where we root ourselves in the present moment,
Like an anchor that roots a ship to one space.
But first,
Begin by adopting a comfortable position.
It's often best to be sitting,
But you can also do this practice in any posture,
Standing,
Lying,
But preferably sitting.
My guidance will assume you're sitting,
But adapt my instructions to whatever posture you've chosen.
Okay,
Let's begin.
Sitting with your back upright,
Letting yourself relax with your spine flowing in its natural curves.
See if you can establish a position that feels dignified,
Alert and yet relaxed,
And allow your body to settle,
To rest down into gravity.
Letting it be supported by the floor beneath you,
And gently close your eyes or take a soft gaze if that's more comfortable for you.
Gradually allow your awareness to gather around the sensations of the breath in the body.
Where do you feel the breath most strongly?
Be curious about your actual experience,
Letting go of what you think should be happening,
And being with your experience without judgement.
Now very gently rest your awareness within the whole torso.
Can you feel your belly swelling on the in-breath,
And subsiding on the out-breath?
Can you feel any movement and sensations within the breath,
In the sides and the back of your body as well?
Gradually inhabit your body a little more deeply,
With a sense of kind curiosity towards whatever you're experiencing as you gently breathe.
Remember to be accepting of whatever's happening.
See if you can cultivate a precise awareness of the sensations and movement of the breath in the body as they happen,
Movement by movement,
Breath by breath,
Being careful not to force or strain the breathing.
Allow your awareness to be utterly receptive,
As it rests upon the natural movement of the breath in the body.
Now that we've created our breath anchor,
We can start our journey of self-discovery.
I'm going to set the tone for this meditation by using some ancient wisdom.
A student asked his master,
You teach me fighting,
But you talk about peace.
How do you reconcile the two?
The master replied,
It's better to be a warrior in a garden than to be a gardener in a war.
To be able to access our phoenix self today,
We need to be able to connect with both our yin,
Our inner gardener,
And our yang,
Our inner warrior.
During this meditation we will cultivate the warrior within you,
Not to wage war,
But to fight the inner demons,
To heal,
And to create balance and the transformation that you seek here today.
Start lacing each natural inhale with strength and resilience to help you along your journey of transformation today,
And harness each natural exhale to gently release the burdens that hinder your spirit and hold you back.
I invite you to use the next inhale to consciously move yourself mentally from a state of yin to yang,
From the gardener to the warrior within you.
Each inhale you will move closer to your yang and draw strength from this knowledge.
With each breath you are strengthening your resolve,
Preparing your inner self for the battles that lay ahead,
Internally and externally.
Those inner battles may be something as simple as resistance towards this meditation,
Or maybe you feel restless in your body and mind.
Maybe it's something more visceral.
Whatever it is,
Hold space for yourself today with patience and kindness,
And remember that there's no such thing as a bad meditation.
As you breathe in,
Imagine you're inhaling courage,
Inhaling the power to face your inner demons today.
With each exhale release doubt,
Fear and negativity.
Let them go like leaves falling from a tree.
In this sacred space of stillness,
Of natural breath,
The drum beat of your heart,
You have the power to heal.
Remember,
You're not alone on this journey.
We are all warriors together,
Brothers and sisters in arms,
Embarking on our own unique journey towards transformation.
Yet although physically apart,
We are unified in spirit of purpose,
All fighting a common enemy of shame,
Fear and ego.
Together we can rise.
Together we can heal.
Together we can become the best versions of ourselves today.
The time for change is now.
Tomorrow is a fantasy land.
This singular moment is your greatest asset.
Take a leap of faith and keep your breathing deep.
Your body,
Mind and spirit have been screaming at you in agony,
Begging you for change for longer than you can remember.
You must listen.
It's time to heal.
It's time to grow.
It's time to breathe.
It's time to change.
I invite you now to imagine yourself standing in the centre of a room.
Standing in the middle of it,
There's a magnificent suit of armour,
Forged by the fires of your past battles.
This armour is a representation of your strength,
Resilience and the experiences that have shaped you.
As you approach the armour,
You observe its intricate details.
You notice the texture of the metal,
The way it's dull,
Dusty and battle-scarred yet well-worn.
You run your fingers along its surface and feel the history it carries.
Feel the scratches,
Marks and dents,
Each telling a story of challenges and adversity that you've previously overcome and endured.
Remember,
A knight in shining armour is a warrior who most likely has never been tested in battle.
That is certainly not you.
You are already a battle-worn warrior.
So feel the strength that rises within you as you acknowledge it,
Like each natural breath fans the flames of your inner strength and warrior.
Now imagine yourself stepping into your armour,
One piece at a time.
As you do,
Feel it moulding around your body,
Protecting you and becoming an extension of you.
As you put your armour on,
Remember that the armour is just that and you can take it off at any time to return from your warrior self to the gardener self as and when the circumstances allow it.
With each piece that you put on,
Acknowledge the strength and resilience that resides within you.
Embrace the lessons learnt from your past battles and let them become a source of your power as you prepare for the journey of life ahead.
Picture yourself now standing in the middle of the room dressed in your full armour.
Now you've completed your transition from your yin to yang,
From your gardener to your warrior.
Now you're ready to start your journey of transformation properly.
But first we need to build a burial pyre.
So using each gentle breath,
Each breath representing an experience from the past,
A failure,
A shortcoming,
Something that's holding you back,
Whatever it is,
There's plenty of them I'm sure,
That we can use,
Each one like a log building a pyre of change that we can set fire to shortly.
But for now,
Use your breath to build.
Remember that this pyre is not a symbol of destruction.
It is a symbol of rebirth,
Growth and healing.
So be honest with yourself.
Free yourself.
Use this opportunity as the catalyst of change.
But for us to be able to succeed,
We need to connect to our past.
We need to be honest with ourselves about our shortcomings and our failures and use them as the wood on which we can fuel the fires of change.
It's time to let go of the past.
You've been carrying it for so long.
It's like a heavy burden.
Feel it.
Imagine each part of your past is one of those logs.
And you're now uniformly creating a pyre of change.
Enjoy it.
Feel how cathartic it is.
With each breath,
Visualise another log and another as your pyre grows.
Not holding on to any experiences or stories or fears or doubts.
Anything that's going to be holding you back into the past.
Whatever they are,
Treat them like obstacles and be prepared to release them with each gentle breath.
Keep adding another log and another to the pyre.
There's no limit to how many you can add.
Just use the exhale,
Gentle yet healing,
To build.
Keep breathing and release the weight of your past.
Feel the mistakes disappear.
Holding on to only the lessons,
But releasing the experience.
Feel your burdens lighten as each breath helps you surrender into this healing process.
As you purge yourself of the doubts and fears and anything that no longer serves you.
Picture your pyre growing higher and higher.
Make this pyre suitable for a viking king or queen.
You deserve this change and transformation.
Your pyre is now complete and it's time to start to prepare to light it.
For us to transform we must burn away the past,
The shell of your former self,
So that we can be born again in the version of our phoenix self.
I invite you to imagine that you're now lying on top of this majestic pyre,
Your body still adorned in the armour of your past experiences,
Fears and doubts.
As you lie upon your pyre,
Take a moment to feel the weight of your armour,
The burdens you've carried,
The limitations that you and life have placed upon yourself.
Acknowledge them without judgement.
They have shaped you and brought you to this moment.
Feel the warmth of your breath as it flows through your body.
Use that heat from your natural breath to ignite the power beneath you.
Imagine the flames flickering into life,
Dancing with the energy of your breath.
As you continue to breathe,
Visualise the flames growing stronger,
Illuminating the darkness that surrounds you.
As the flames rise higher and higher,
Allow them to consume the armour that binds you,
That holds the fears,
The doubts,
The limitations.
Let them all go.
Burn them away and watch as the fires purify and transform your old self.
With each breath,
You shed a layer of your old self,
Making room for the rebirth of your true essence,
Your inner phoenix.
As the fire continues to burn brightly,
Feel the power of transformation beginning to rise within you.
You are no longer defined by your past.
As the flames rise and you transform into ash,
Renewed and reborn,
Embrace this moment of rebirth with gratitude and an open heart.
Here,
In this suffering,
All previous beliefs are called into question.
They are consumed in the fire,
Sparked and fuelled by your illusions.
The pain becomes the ashes which will entomb you.
It is only when you find yourself at this most imprisoned of junctures that you can emerge again,
The phoenix of your very life,
Which is ever so much more beautiful than the last one.
As you lie in the ashy remains of your pyre,
You notice that the flames of transformation are starting to die.
You then notice the clouds above are starting to change,
Darkening as a storm begins to roll in.
Raindrops gently fall,
Quenching the remains of the pyre beneath you.
The storm intensifies,
And the remaining flames on the pyre start to sizzle and hiss,
As they are extinguished by the cleansing rain,
Leaving an ashened outline of your human warrior self.
Then you see the ashen outline of you starting to dissolve into the rain also.
As the storm continues,
The ashen outline of your warrior self begins to fade,
Slowly dissolving into the wet earth beneath you.
Watch as it disappears,
Leaving only a beautiful,
Radiant,
Golden phoenix egg in its place.
This golden egg is a symbol of your potential,
Your inner wisdom,
And your true essence.
Your egg is made of pure,
Luminous gold,
Radiating warmth and vitality.
It reflects the brilliance of your inner self,
Symbolising your inner strength,
Resilience and potential.
You notice the delicate patterns covering the surface of the egg,
Each representing an intricate tapestry of your family line and history.
These patterns are a testament to the wisdom and experiences passed down through generations,
Each line and curve telling a unique story.
Upon closer inspection,
You notice that these ornate markings resemble a map,
Intricately etched into the golden surface.
The map traces the journey of your life,
And previous generations' lives,
With winding paths and intersections and destinations,
Successes and failures.
It is a visual representation of your unique life story and history,
Filled with twists and turns and opportunities that you've had so far.
As you study the egg,
You start to notice a faint crack forming on its surface,
Like the first rays of dawn breaking through the darkness.
The phoenix eggshell finally yields to the inner force,
And from within,
A radiant phoenix tail feather begins to emerge.
Your phoenix tail unfurls,
Creating a cascade of vibrant,
Fiery feathers that shimmer with a hue of crimson gold and deep orange.
Then your phoenix body slowly starts to emerge.
You start to open your majestic wings.
They stretch wide,
And are adorned with feathers that appear almost translucent,
With a radiant glow that captures the essence of pure energy,
Life.
Slowly your phoenix head comes into view.
It's a regal and fierce head,
With a beak that glims like blades of dark polished stone.
You can see the plumage more easily now,
A mesmerising blend of vibrant reds,
Orange and gold.
The feathers on your breast are like a blazing sun,
Radiating warmth and vitality.
You start to flap your magnificent wings,
Arching them towards the heavens.
They're colossal,
Spanning far beyond your field of vision,
And with each graceful movement they stir the very essence of creation within you.
The feathers catch the light in a mesmerising display of iridescence,
Creating a dazzling spectacle.
With purposeful grace,
You take your first flight towards the open night sky.
Your heart fills with a renewed life and purpose.
With a powerful beat of your wings you lift off from the ground,
And you can feel the energy of your rebirth surging through you.
Picture yourself climbing into the night sky.
Your flight is a dance of grace and power,
Your wings slicing through the cool night air with precision and purpose.
Your first flight is a symbol of your own transformation,
A reflection of your journey from the ashes of your former self to the boundless heights of your potential.
With every beat of your wings you feel a renewed sense of vitality and purpose coursing through your veins.
You are reborn,
And this flight symbolises your ascent to the best version of yourself.
In this moment,
Under the vast expanse of the night sky,
You understand that your journey is ongoing.
The phoenix is your guide,
And together you will continue to rise,
To learn,
And to explore the infinite possibilities that lie within you.
You are reborn,
And your future is filled with boundless potential,
Guided by the wisdom and strength passed down from generation to generation that lies deep within you and has brought you to this point of change.
Understand that this first flight is nothing short of a personal revolution,
A profound turning point in your life.
It marks the beginning of a transformational journey that's ongoing,
That transcends the constraints of your past,
Allows you to break free from the shackles of limiting beliefs,
Helps you vanquish your inner demons and step beyond into the brighter future that awaits you.
Your revolution is not just external,
It's a revolution of the soul.
You carry with you the strength of the phoenix,
Symbolising your ability to rise above adversity and embrace your true potential.
Each beat of your heart resonates with the rhythm of this new beginning,
The birth of a more authentic and empowered you.
This moment is a testament to your resilience,
Your courage and your unwavering commitment to personal growth.
It is a revolution that celebrates your rebirth and your readiness to face the future with profound strength and purpose.
You are the embodiment of change,
The architect of your destiny,
And the author of your own revolution.
Embrace it with an open heart,
For the best version of yourself is waiting to emerge from the ashes of your past.
You are a celestial bird,
Not merely a creature of legend,
But a fierce hunter,
Dedicated to purging the world of its darkness,
Of the phantoms and monsters and fears and dreams that wait deep within you,
Within your past and your nemesises,
Wherever they derive.
Feel the change within you.
Feel how you can now become the hunter,
Rather than the prey.
With each beat of your massive wings,
The sky seems to shimmer.
The air itself ignites with a glow.
Feel yourself hunting,
Scanning,
Searching your inner demons.
Call them forward.
Seek them out.
The monsters you are hunting are grotesque manifestations of your inner demons.
They prowl through the shadows,
Embodying the very essence of your deepest dreads.
You soar with an unparalleled magistry.
Your plumage,
A symphony of crimson,
Gold and amber hues.
With each beat of your massive wings,
The sky seems to shimmer.
The air begins to ignite.
You have a monster within your sight.
You are stalking your prey.
Picture it,
And understand what it represents to you.
Your greatest fears are an anchor to the past,
Your biggest failure.
Whatever it is,
Keep hunting.
Keep seeking.
Keep locked onto it.
Whatever that monster represents,
It's standing tall and sinewy,
With skin like charred leather stretched tight over jaggedy bones.
Its eyes are black voids,
Capable of paralyzing its prey with a mere glance,
While its jaw is filled with rows of needle-like teeth,
Drips of toxic venom that induce crippling anxiety.
You fix your monster in your sight,
And with an unyielding resolve,
As it lurks beneath the canopy of gnarled trees,
You stalk it.
You get closer.
You're almost there,
Ready to make your move.
With an almighty flap of your wings that reverberates like a thunderclap,
You descend in a fiery arc,
Your talons extended.
The monster,
Sensing the immediate danger,
Attempts to melt into the shadows,
But you're relentless,
And fast.
You snatch the beast with a predatory precision,
Your talons sinking into the leathery hide.
The beast writhes and screeches,
But its struggles are futile.
Your eyes burn like the intensity of thousands of suns.
You feel the fire within you build,
And with a huge,
Fiery cry,
You unleash a torrent of fire that incinerates the monster.
The ashy remains of the dead monster fall to the ground,
As you release the dead monster from your talon grip.
As the flames of your victory over your inner demon subside,
You begin your descent from the dark night sky as the majestic phoenix.
As you approach the ground,
You glide with an air of regal dignity,
And your fiery form gently touches down.
Standing on the earth beneath you,
Take a moment to feel the solid ground beneath your feet.
It's a profound sensation,
A reminder that you are firmly grounded in the present,
No longer weighed down by the burdens of your old self.
With a deep breath,
You begin the transition back to your human form.
As your breath normalises,
You watch as your fiery feathers give way to your natural skin,
And your talons transform to human hands.
The brilliant plumage of your phoenix gives way to the fabric of your clothes.
As you sit there,
Fully human once more,
You're no longer a warrior in armour,
But a gardener of the soul.
In your hands you hold the seeds of your future,
Ready to plant them in the fertile soil of your life.
You are the steward of your own garden.
To grow and to be guardian of that inner garden,
You need to plant those seeds.
The battles of the past are behind you,
And are now the fertile soil for those seeds.
I invite you now to picture yourself entering into a garden.
Make your way to your favourite place within that garden.
A place with unique tranquillity,
A place that offers you inner peace.
You lie down on the soft,
Welcoming earth,
Feeling the connection between your body and the earth beneath you.
As we draw this journey to a close,
I invite you to take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey you've just embarked upon.
You have shed the weight of your past,
Confronted your inner demon,
And vanquished them before returning to a new and better version of yourself.
Life is a journey,
And true transformation,
Healing and growth takes time.
It is in the incremental steps,
The lessons learned and the moments of self-discovery that we find our true strength.
So embrace your journey with an open heart,
Knowing that no one is perfect,
And that we all are works in progress.
Believe in yourself.
You have already shown the capability to rise above your limitations,
To confront your fears and to embrace your inner power.
As you move forward,
Remember how far you've come,
And let that be a source of inspiration for the path that lies ahead.
I'll leave you with a timeless reminder of the phoenix,
Resilience,
An indomitable spirit.
Phoenix rising.
From ashes born in fire and light,
The phoenix soars in majestic flight.
With wings of strength and eyes that see,
It knows the power of destiny.
Through trials faced and battles won,
The phoenix journey has just begun.
A symbol of rebirth,
It stands tall,
Ready to conquer,
Ready to enthrall.
In every heart the phoenix resides,
A source of strength where hope abides.
In times of darkness it knows the way,
A beacon of light,
Come what may.
So let us carry the phoenix flame in our own lives,
Let it be our aim,
To rise above and transcend,
For in our spirit we will never end.
As we draw our meditation to a close,
And when you rise from your seat shortly,
Remember that the radiant light of your own inner phoenix will guide you,
That your phoenix is ready to rise again and evolve and grow,
And help you transform into the best version of you.
And to enable us to do that,
You have the capacity at any stage to move from your ying to your yang,
From the inner gardener to the warrior.
