If the ocean can calm itself,
Then so can we.
Take a slow,
Gentle,
Deep breath in,
Then release it,
And any tension you might be holding.
Repeat this as many times as feels good.
Now let your awareness gently settle on your natural breath.
Give yourself permission to relax into the present moment as you watch the natural ebbs and flows of life enter and leave your body.
Every mindful breath slowly helping you to let go,
Helping you to relax gently into the now.
Now start to balance your breath.
On your next inhale through your nose,
Draw your awareness to the tip of your nose.
Picture the breath travelling up your nostrils until it reaches the gap between your eyebrows,
The third eye.
Then when you start to exhale,
Picture the breath travelling back down your nostrils from the third eye to the tip of your nose.
And then repeat this until you find your breath balancing.
Start to picture the crystal clear waters of the ocean surrounding you.
Blue skies above,
White sands below,
Streaks of sunlight smeared through the light blue waters.
Light dancing off the push and pulls of the ocean's current.
Sunshine sparkling off casual grains of sand floating on the current to the whim of the ocean.
Now let us move inwards.
Start to imagine yourself as a beautiful strand of glistening green seaweed.
Feel your legs and buttocks feel heavy,
Grounded and secure in the white sands of the ocean floor.
Feel your roots run deep and wide into Mother Earth.
Feel the upper half of your body become lighter and more buoyant in the ocean waters.
Feel your spine become flexible and strong,
Swaying gently in the current.
Let the muscles around your closed eyes soften and your skin relax.
The outside world can be so busy but inside ourselves we can find peace and tranquility.
Feel your body slowly expand and spread through the water.
Don't fight or resist the waters you inhabit.
Don't think that because the water feels soft and flexible that you can fight it,
That you can change it.
Never forget that there's nothing that can ultimately resist the water's will.
Visualise with your mind's eye every inch of your seaweed self from all sides.
Travel around your seaweed body looking at it from all angles.
Absorbing its strong roots,
Its thick stem,
The deep colours running through your strands.
Notice its strength,
Its resilience,
Its suppleness.
Picture yourself dancing in the ocean currents.
Move with the sea and let the rhythm of the water set your soul free.
Imagine your breath flowing in time to the ocean sway.
Inhaling,
Exhaling.
Inhaling,
Exhaling.
Feel yourself gently moving on the current.
Inhaling,
Exhaling.
Inhaling,
Exhaling.
Feel yourself meeting the changes of the ocean,
Going with the flow.
Inhaling,
Exhaling.
Inhaling,
Exhaling.
Feel yourself dancing and accommodating the oceans change with ease.
Inhaling,
Exhaling.
Inhaling,
Exhaling.
Let the soft hum of your breath come and go of its own accord.
Let your breath breathe you.
Relaxing you.
Softening you.
Calming you.
Cleansing you.
Let yourself go another 5%.
Release the trying,
The doing,
The fighting and become one with the sea.
Don't try,
Just be.
Don't fight the sea,
Become part of it.
Water is soft and submissive but not even the mighty shoreline can resist it.
Don't fight what you can't control.
Focus on moving with it instead.
Life is like the sea,
Always moving,
Tides always changing.
Become the sea.
Feel your seaweed body sway soothingly in time to the natural currents of your breath.
Feel the cleansing waters against your seaweed skin.
Feel and welcome the sea's calming presence.
Surrender to its touch.
Allow yourself to be present.
Invite clarity to appear in its presence.
Allow yourself to be held and supported by the gentle movements of the ocean.
As if you were being held in the arms of your mother.
With the ocean's sweet support allow yourself to drop even deeper into your inner landscape.
Feel a soothing feeling wash over you.
Let the currents of the ocean explore you.
Feel every inch of your being become seaweed.
Feel yourself become one with the sea.
Feel yourself being pulled into your inner peace.
Moving calmly as your seaweed body gently dances in the current.
Keep your body and breath soft and your mind will follow.
Feel yourself moving with the current,
Deeper and deeper still towards your inner core as if porous you are being absorbed by yourself.
As you find yourself closer to your bliss centre,
See the brightness there and let this brightness shine out like a lighthouse through the darkness.
I will leave you now for a little while to continue gently dancing on the ocean's currents.
Later you will hear the chime of some bells and when you do keep your eyes closed and relax in the peace and stillness of your ocean.
Until then,
Enjoy.
Gently draw your awareness back to the present.
Slowly and gently allow yourself to occupy your space once again.
Take your time and savour the feelings within.
Know that this feeling is peace,
Presence and calm.
It is always here for you,
Patiently waiting for you to unlock it whenever you need.
I invite you now to take these feelings of blue skies above,
White sands below and peace and light within into the rest of your day and week.
Namaste.
Thank you for joining me today and I look forward to sharing a practice with you again soon.
