Prison of the ego,
The journey home.
Prepare for meditation,
Close your eyes,
Move your body into a comfortable position,
Relax.
Remove all expression from your face.
Feel this relaxation descend to the rest of your body.
Take a few deep breaths,
Relax even more,
Relax.
Imagine yourself slowly awakening from a deep dream-filled sleep.
You open your eyes and find yourself lying on a narrow cot in a small,
Stone-walled prison cell.
The air is cool and carries a faint scent of earth and old memories.
Your awareness sharpens,
You feel the roughness of the thin blanket,
The hardness of the cot beneath your body.
You sit up,
You notice a gentle ache in your heart,
A sense of longing,
Confusion,
Quiet sorrow.
The prison cell is dim,
Lit only by a pale shaft of light streaming down from a tiny window with bars high above you.
Dust particles dance in the beam of light,
Swirling slowly in the stillness.
The walls are close and imposing.
The surface of the walls are etched with words and images,
Fear,
Guilt,
Regret,
Not enough,
Alone.
You realize that you are in this prison cell,
Not by force,
But by choice.
Long ago you accepted the ego's belief that you were separate,
Separate from others,
Separate from love,
Separate from God.
As you look around,
You see that there is no guard,
No captor,
Only you and the silent echo of your own mind.
And you remember,
As if in a distant dream,
How you gradually built this prison cell.
Every judgment,
Every grievance,
Every moment you believed you were separate or unworthy became another stone in these walls.
The heaviness of these beliefs are pressing in,
And yet,
Beneath it all,
There is a gentle stirring,
A quiet hope,
A memory of freedom,
Whispering that this is not your true home.
You take a deep breath,
Aware of both the weight of confinement and the subtle invitation to awaken further.
In the silence,
You sense that something within you is ready to remember the truth.
You notice before you a massive iron door,
Its surface spotted with age,
Streaked with rust.
This door is set deep within the stone wall,
Cold,
Unyielding.
Across its center lies a thick,
Blackened,
Sliding bar,
Solid,
Heavy,
Immovable by hand alone.
But,
In your hand,
You discover a shining silver key,
Smooth,
Elegantly crafted,
Humming with energy.
This key is substantial and reassuring.
Its coolness grounds you,
Its gentle glow casting tiny reflections on your fingers.
You sense the promise it holds,
A quiet certainty that this key was made for you and for this very moment.
With a deep,
Steady breath,
You step forward,
You raise the luminous key,
And guide it into the lock.
It fits perfectly,
As if the door has been waiting for your touch.
As you turn the key,
You hear a powerful click.
The heavy sliding bar glides aside with surprising ease,
Its movement echoing softly in the stillness.
The iron door swings open,
Effortlessly,
On silent hinges,
Revealing a threshold bathed in gentle,
Golden light.
A path stretches beyond,
Inviting you into freedom.
You pause and quietly say to yourself,
I hold the key to my freedom.
I have opened the door.
Repeat to yourself,
I hold the key to my freedom.
As you prepare to step through,
You become aware of the burdens you carry,
Perhaps a cluster of heavy stones weighing down your hands.
Each one etched with words like shame,
Regret,
Blame.
With each conscious breath,
You gently set these stones down upon the floor,
One by one.
Watching as each stone grows lighter and smaller with every release.
With each stone you place down,
You softly say to yourself,
I forgive myself.
I forgive all others.
Guilt is an illusion.
Say in your mind,
I forgive myself.
I forgive all others in this lifetime and others.
Guilt is an illusion.
Beyond the open doorway,
A peaceful,
Radiant light appears.
It grows brighter with every step you take.
The light coalesces into a benevolent presence,
Appearing as a wise,
Glowing figure or a familiar comforting guide,
Radiating warmth,
Acceptance,
Peace.
You are drawn toward this presence,
Compassionate energy wrapping around you,
A soft embrace.
You breathe deeply,
Allowing trust to fill your heart.
As you surrender to this presence,
Say,
I open my mind and my heart to your guidance.
Following this light,
You step into a vast open meadow,
Bathed in golden sunlight.
The grass beneath your feet is cool,
Soft,
Wildflowers of various colors.
The flowers of every color sway gently in the breeze.
The air is fresh and alive,
Carrying the scent of blossoms.
A gentle breeze brushes your skin.
You are filled with a sense of renewal.
Pause here,
Breathing slowly,
Deeply.
Peace and joy fill your heart.
As you say to yourself,
I choose peace.
I choose happiness.
I am free.
I choose peace.
I choose happiness.
I am free.
You know that this inner peace,
The peace of God,
The peace that passeth understanding,
Is not confined to this vision.
It is always available to you,
Even in the midst of daily life.
This world is bright,
Clear,
And welcoming.
It reflects your newfound freedom and openness.
Realize that you are no longer a prisoner of your mind or circumstances.
You are free to see compassion and love everywhere.
As you say,
I see the world with new eyes.
I see the world with new eyes.
I am free.
Whenever you feel confined or triggered,
Picture yourself setting down your burdens as you have in this meadow.
Invite the guidance of the Holy Spirit,
Trusting that you can shift your perception,
Responding with forgiveness and presence.
Let the beauty and freedom of this meadow become a reminder you know that you can see the world with new eyes.
You know that you can bring peace,
Joy,
And compassion into each moment of your life.
Rest here for a few moments.
The next time you encounter stress or conflict,
Remember the sunlight,
The openness of the meadow.
Pause,
Take a deep breath,
And recall that the Holy Spirit is always within you,
Bringing peace,
No matter what appears to be happening around you.
In every situation,
You have the power to choose a new perception,
To let go of guilt and fear,
To see with the eyes of compassion and love instead of judgment.
In every situation,
You have the power to ask for help from the Holy Spirit.
Now,
Let's return to our regular waking state of thoughts,
Feelings,
And actions.
As we re-enter time and space,
We know that our personality has made progress in developing a working relationship with our higher self,
The real I AM.
Take a few deep breaths to help establish the waking state.
