As a professional artist and creative,
I attribute any success that I've had to my meditation practice.
And I know that any inspiration or spark of creativity that has been fruitful has come to me in the moments of receptivity.
This is like our ideas in our creativity and our dreams.
When we are striving,
Forcing,
Pushing,
Grabbing,
Grasping,
Clinging,
It all seems to slip through our fingers.
And when we're in receiving mode,
When we are at peace in our bodies,
In our minds,
When we are gentle,
When we are sharing,
When we are exuding love,
When we are just being calm and gentle and in the moment,
That's when our brightest ideas come to us.
When our creative sparks of intuition and inspiration alight in our minds and in our hearts.
Let's take a journey and embody the spirit of receiving.
Find yourself in a comfortable position,
Sitting or laying down,
However you wish to receive this.
When you're feeling comfortable and safe,
Close your eyes and start to notice your breathing.
Start to notice how you are in this present moment,
How you are connected with the earth,
Where your body is touching the earth.
Notice your breath.
Each inhale gives us an opportunity to receive,
To say yes to life.
So let's breathe together a deep nourishing breath in.
One more time,
Breathing in,
Saying yes to life.
Thank you.
In this next inhale,
We're going to imagine that we're breathing in through the top of our head,
Through the crown of our head.
Deep in,
Opening.
When we breathe out,
Let's breathe out through our mouth and imagine the air moving out through the point between our eyebrows.
All the way out.
One more time,
Breathing in through the top of the head.
Opening.
Breathing out through the point between the eyebrows.
Good.
Now let your body and your breathing settle into its normal rhythm.
If at any point during this meditation you find yourself lost,
You can always come back to the breath.
Notice how you are receiving.
Imagine yourself walking down a forest path.
This is a safe,
Sunny,
Beautiful day.
In a forest that is just your own.
Open your senses.
Let's first open our hearts by placing our loving attention there.
On the inhale,
And on the exhale,
Imagine a gate opening.
Opening your heart to being willing to receive here during our time together.
Open your sense of hearing.
Begin to hear any forest sounds,
Any animals,
Wildlife.
Open your internal sense of seeing.
Are there any familiar trees here?
Familiar plants?
Keep walking down your path.
And as you walk,
Noticing your surroundings,
You realize that there is a clearing up ahead.
As you get closer,
You hear the rustling of wildlife retreating towards the edge of the clearing.
Noticing your presence.
Not chasing.
Not grasping.
You calmly walk to the center of the clearing.
Feel the sun on your skin.
Sit down.
Start to breathe there.
Calm,
Gentle,
Peaceful,
And allowing.
And as you feel your heart rate slow,
Your breathing slow down,
Wildlife begins to approach you.
From all the places,
The edge of the clearing,
The animals and the insects,
And even the plants seem to get curious and lean in,
Slowly moving toward you.
Take notice of any creatures that are familiar.
Any beings that are familiar to you.
Just notice,
Not judging or trying to make meaning quite yet.
Just allow them to be with you.
And as you breathe this time,
On the inhale,
Say to yourself,
I am open.
I am listening.
Now just listen.
Allow these forest creatures to come to you and listen for any insights they might be bringing.
Listen for any messages on the wind.
We'll sit here for a while in silence.
If at any point you find yourself lost in thought,
You can return to your breath.
And I am listening.
When you hear my voice,
Just sit gently with your eyes closed.
I am open.
And I am listening.
As you start to feel that it's time to leave your forest clearing,
Find a way to give thanks to all the beings who have come to be with you.
Offer gratitude in any way that feels right to you.
And in your mind's eye,
Stand up and start to leave the clearing and walk down the path that you came in on.
Walk yourself home to your physical body.
Begin to notice any physical sensations.
Notice where your body is touching the earth.
Notice your breath.
Notice any sounds.
And as you are ready,
You can slowly flutter your eyes open and see with new eyes the world around you.
And as you move through the day,
Any messages that you might have received in the forest clearing may become clear to you.
Just allow and be open to the inspiration.
I can't wait to see what you create with this beautiful life.
Thank you for your practice.
