Welcome,
Sweet friend.
I am grateful you are here.
You've arrived in a sacred space,
A pause in your day,
Just for you.
In the warmth of summer's embrace,
We gather here to soften the noise,
Settle the breath,
And return to the stillness within.
Gently give yourself permission to be here.
Sometimes clarity doesn't come from doing more,
But from doing less.
From being still,
Listening deeply,
And letting the surface settle.
This practice is your invitation to rest,
To reflect,
Allowing the ripples of uncertainty,
Self-doubt,
And inner turmoil to harmonize into peaceful calmness.
Let's take a moment to prepare for our time together.
Adjust the volume of my voice so it's perfect for you.
Find a comfortable position lying down.
Use bolsters or pillows for comfort and a blanket for warmth.
The most important thing at this moment is your comfort.
So adjust if you need to.
And let's begin.
Bring your awareness to your precious breath.
Inhale through your nose.
Pause for a moment.
Then gently,
Slowly release the breath.
Let's do this two more times.
Inhale through your nose.
Pause.
Now open your mouth and slowly exhale the breath.
A little bit longer than the inhale.
One last time.
Inhale deeply.
Pause for a moment.
Now open your mouth and release the breath.
Letting go.
Letting go.
Letting go.
Letting go of all expectations for yourself.
Expectations for this practice.
And let go of the worries from your day.
The endless to-do lists.
And just embrace this gift of time for you.
There's no place to go.
Nothing to do.
No words to say.
Just lie back and listen to my voice with a kind curiosity.
Just knowing what you do and how you practice this deep rest is perfect just for you.
Even if you fall asleep.
So now bring your awareness to your heart center.
How does it feel?
Heavy?
Burdened with stress?
Just carefully listen to your heart's whisper.
What is it saying to you?
Consider this your heartfelt intention.
Or your heartfelt desire.
Or a wish.
Or perhaps a prayer for someone.
If you're working on your own intention,
You're welcome to use it.
Otherwise,
I invite you to use one of the following.
Choose the one that resonates with you at this moment.
And then silently whisper it to yourself three times.
I allow my mind to settle into clarity and peace.
Or I release the need to figure things out and trust what is unfolding.
Or simply,
I am open to the quiet wisdom within me.
I allow my mind to settle into clarity and peace.
Or I release the need to figure things out and trust what is unfolding.
Or I am open to the quiet wisdom within me.
I allow my mind to settle into clarity and peace.
Or I release the need to figure things out and trust what is unfolding.
Or I am open to the quiet wisdom within me.
Now gently bring your awareness to your body.
Your body resting on the surface beneath you.
Feel the surface holding your body.
Embracing you with tender care.
Absorbing the tension from being released from your muscles.
Melting away the stress from the cells within your body.
We'll now begin to rotate our awareness around the physical body.
When I say a body part,
Bring your attention to that area on your body.
And if you drift off,
No worries.
Just come back and continue with the sound of my voice.
Bring your awareness to your right hand.
Thumb.
First finger.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
Wrist.
Forearm.
Side of the chest.
Sternum.
Clavicle.
Right side of the ribcage.
Right side of the abdomen.
Right hip.
Right thigh.
Heel of the foot.
Arch of the foot.
Bridge of the foot.
Toes on the right foot.
Bring your awareness to your left hand.
First finger.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
Wrist.
Side of the chest.
Sternum.
Left side of the ribcage.
Bring your awareness to your pelvis.
Feel the sensation on the right side of the body.
Feel all sensations of the left side of the body.
Feel both sides of the body together.
Feel the sensations of your whole body.
Notice the relaxation and calm throughout the whole body.
Now bring your awareness back to your breath.
Nourishing your body.
Nourishing each cell of your body with each breath of life.
Embracing the present moment of the body.
Deeply resting.
Melting away stress from the body's cells.
And listening to the quiet whisper within.
Settling into the quiet stillness.
In your mind's eye,
Imagine yourself in a peaceful woodland clearing.
You are walking barefoot on a soft mossy path.
Sunlight is filtering through the green leaves overhead.
The air is warm,
Scented with pine and damp earth.
You hear the birds singing,
The gentle rustle of leaves.
And soon the soft lapping of water draws you toward a quiet lake.
You arrive at a wooden dock,
Extending out over the clear glassy surface.
You sit down slowly,
Letting your legs dangle over,
Over the edge.
The water is cool,
Refreshing as it kisses your toes.
You breathe in the scent of fresh water and summer.
As you sit quietly,
The lake becomes a mirror.
A reflection of your inner world.
Smooth,
Expansive,
And still.
Thoughts ripple like water,
But slowly the surface settles.
You feel your body ease,
Your breath slow down.
And your awareness deepen.
The wind dances through the trees behind you.
You feel held,
Safe,
And supported by the natural world.
In this moment,
There is nothing to do.
Just be.
Let your inner waters become still and clear.
Abiding in pure awareness.
Abiding in stillness.
Now let's bring back our heartfelt intention.
I allow my mind to settle into clarity and peace.
Where I release the need to figure things out and trust what is unfolding.
Where I am open to the quiet wisdom within me.
As your journey begins to gently close,
Return to the quiet clarity you discovered by the lake.
The breath steady and soft.
The mind calm.
The heart open.
Know that this stillness lives within you.
Always available,
Even in the rush of life.
You carry this inner lake,
This space of peace,
Everywhere you go.
As you slowly return to the present moment,
Bring with you a sense of ease and spaciousness.
Let it flow gently throughout your day.
Take a deep breath in of gratitude for this time you've given yourself.
And when you're ready,
Begin to awaken,
Slowly,
Carefully.
And feel free to join me anytime,
Sweet friend.
Until then,
Just breathe.
