Welcome to this guided meditation.
I invite you to begin just by finding a way to feel really supported for yourself,
However that looks like for you today.
Maybe you're sitting on the floor against a wall,
Finding that back support or maybe you're into a comfortable chair or maybe you're sitting on the earth itself outside amidst the nature or maybe you're lying down in your bed,
Whatever feels good for you.
Allow yourself initially just to arrive,
To feel really comfortable,
To move in any way that just helps you find a sense of steadiness or ease in your body and begin to just gently allow yourself to observe your breath as it moves in and out.
There's no need to try to control or change your breath in any way,
Just allowing the breath to naturally move gently in and gently out.
And continue with the same kind of easy breath for a few rounds,
Just noticing how it feels to gently bring your attention to your breath.
Some days it might feel easier or some days it might feel more challenging just to be present with your breath.
So just notice how it is for you in this moment and know that it's okay if you are still sort of focused on the thoughts from your day,
Just allowing yourself to have a little bit of compassion for yourself in this moment as you ease yourself into practice.
And as you slowly begin to drop deeper and deeper into the felt sense of your breath,
Just noticing the easy flow as it moves in and out,
You might start to imagine that each inhale gently fills up your body,
Almost like you're breathing the shape of your body,
And each exhale you can imagine almost like little rivers of tension flowing down into the earth out from your body.
Breathing in,
Filling up,
Allowing the breath to fill up the shape of you.
And as you exhale imagine little rivers of tension flowing down into the earth out of your body.
Take a few more rounds just like that and then begin to imagine the earth's beginnings,
How much capacity it has,
How long it's been here.
It first began as this swirling mass of stardust and molten rock cooling and transforming over billions of years.
Picture the ancient rivers carving valleys,
Mountains rising and forests taking root in rich soil.
This planet has witnessed a lifetime beyond measure and holds within it a deep history and we are all part of that history.
It has the capacity to hold each one of us and to receive that tension from your body that is flowing into it in this moment.
So allow yourself to be held,
Allow yourself to feel the supports,
The years of support,
Our ancestral history on this earth as well,
Our ancestors all having been supported by the same planet and the future generations to come.
Every stone,
Every grain of sand,
Every leaf has been shaped by time and the elements creating the foundation we walk on today.
See if you can sense and feel into the solidity beneath you,
That sense of support,
Solid foundation of the earth,
Your home.
The earth has always been here for you,
It's always been holding you no matter where you go and it asks nothing in return,
Offering its stability freely.
So allow yourself to breathe in that breath that is freely given,
Allow yourself to allow the tension to flow out of your body which is freely received.
You are part of this vast living system,
The same minerals in the soil flow through your body,
The same water that nourishes the land sustains you.
You belong here just as trees and rivers do.
Imagine those rivers begin to turn into roots extending from your body reaching deep down into the very core of the earth.
Feel the energy rising through these roots like trees absorb nutrients from the ground filling you with the earth's ancient wisdom and its capacity for resilience.
If it feels right you could repeat silently or aloud to yourself the following,
I am grounded,
I am steady,
I am connected to the earth.
Notice how those words resonate in your own body,
Maybe one resonates more than another.
Notice where and how you feel that in your body,
How it is experienced by your nervous system.
See if it offers that sense of grounding,
Anchoring,
Steadying into the present moment.
We're gonna take a little walk now,
So picture yourself standing barefoot on the earth.
Feel the cool soft grass beneath your feet,
The gentle firmness of the soil or the smooth soft rounded stones of a forest path well worn by time and people before you.
As you take each step and feel your sense of connection to the earth,
Feel the textures,
The tones and the experience of feeling your feet on that solid earth.
Maybe it allows you to connect more deeply with the energy of the earth below you,
Sensing and feeling into those micro sensations that travel from your foot all the way up through your body.
Our feet are sensory organs and they're picking up information from the world around us.
Notice how it feels to absorb the information that the earth is sending you.
Notice as well how the texture shifts with every step.
There's movement,
There's flow,
There is so much texture in the earth below you.
Maybe you're experiencing the cool dampness of morning dew that rests upon the blades of grass,
Or maybe the warmth of sun-kissed sand.
Let these sensations bring a sense of rootedness and calm to your entire being.
And the earth has cycles,
It has vibrant cycles of renewal and rebirth.
The vibrancy of spring,
The warmth and abundance of summer,
The quiet release of autumn and the still reflective energy of winter.
These rhythms mirror our own cycles of growth,
Change and rest.
And if we listen closely to them,
If we fall into rhythm with the earth's natural flows,
We might be able to sense into our own natural rhythms and harmony with it.
Just as the earth moves through its seasons,
We too experience phases of energy and stillness,
Growth and reflection.
What season are you in right now?
How can you honour where you are,
Knowing that each cycle has its own beauty and purpose?
Can you sense and feel into the steady rhythm of the earth beneath you once again?
Its constancy,
Its cycles.
No matter the season,
The earth continues to turn.
It renews and it moves with its own natural flow.
With each breath,
See if you can feel yourself becoming more present,
Present to the ground beneath you,
Present to the support it offers you.
Consider how you might honour your own rhythms,
Your own natural cycles.
Consider what you might ask of the earth,
What aspects of earth might support you on your journey or where you are in your cycle at the moment.
And ask the earth what you might return to it in exchange for its wisdom and its support.
Take a moment to thank the earth for its constant support.
Consider how you might honour your connection with the earth in your daily life.
When you're ready,
Begin to bring your awareness back into your space,
Sensing your body,
Taking in little details of your experience,
Maybe inviting a little bit of movement,
See what feels nice and carry this sense of grounding with you into the rest of your day.
Thank you so much for meditating with me today.
Take care and be well.
