Welcome.
As you begin your practice today,
Perhaps take a moment to pause and find a comfortable place to let your body and your mind rest.
This time is just for you.
Feel free to let your eyes softly close if it feels alright.
See if you can gently guide your attention to the touch of your back against your chair or the floor.
Let's start with a deep grounding breath.
Deep inhale,
Long exhale.
Beautiful.
Now take a moment to tune inward,
Awakening your mind's eye.
In your mind's eye,
Perhaps you decide to take a walk in a beautiful forest.
As you walk along inside this forest,
What do you see?
What do you hear?
What are the scents that you notice around you?
As you walk further through the forest,
Maybe you notice a beautiful tree.
It's tall,
Solid.
As you move closer to the tree,
You begin to sense an aura of a gentle yet powerful energy.
This energy seems to be emanating from deep within this tree.
You pause and your eyes wander up and down the tree,
Noticing its many branches and leaves.
Perhaps you watch the branches sway,
Ebbing and flowing with the wind.
You might notice the leaves fluttering and dancing on their branches.
Perhaps many leaves begin to depart,
Sailing upon the breeze.
Yet,
Even with the strength of the wind,
Even though leaves and even branches may fall,
The tree stays stable and secure,
Connected strongly to the earth.
You notice the thick,
Sturdy roots of the tree.
They reach down,
Down,
Deeply down into the earth below,
Connecting this tree with such strength and security.
This tree looks as though it has lived so many lives,
Weathered so many storms,
And been privy to so many sights,
Sounds,
And feelings around it through its many years on this earth.
Yet,
There is a grace about it,
An elegance.
There is life,
Energy,
Intuition.
There is wisdom within.
As you stand beside this tree,
You gently let your eyelids close.
Your arms lift effortlessly from your sides,
And you stretch out your hands,
Each finger reaching out beyond you,
Just like the branches and leaves of this tree.
You feel your feet solid,
Secure,
Rooted into the ground,
And soon you sense that your feet are beginning to grow,
Elongate.
They are beginning to root down,
Down,
Deeper into the earth.
Perhaps they are roots,
Strong roots,
Beautiful roots,
Connecting you to the earth below,
And to the tree beside you.
Through these roots,
And through this connection,
The tree shares its life energy with you.
Its wisdom,
Confidence,
Love,
Compassion,
Its strength,
And its power.
As you stand beside this tree,
Rooted so deeply into the earth,
You become aware of this powerful life force beginning to stir within you.
Pause for a moment to notice what this feels like.
Notice how this powerful life force feels inside as it travels through your whole body,
Starting in your toes,
And flowing all the way up through your legs and your arms,
Your stomach,
Your back and your chest,
All the way to the very tip of your head.
Perhaps it feels warm,
Or cool,
Maybe it's tingly,
Or smooth.
Take a deep breath,
Helping this nourishing life force melt even more completely into every muscle of your body,
Any space that needs it.
Maybe you invite this powerful life force,
This radiant,
Restorative energy,
Into your heart,
Perhaps within your heart.
This energy encourages your own natural,
Raw,
And very powerful life force,
Your own unique and special energy.
Take a moment to pause and feel your own life force.
Maybe you can feel it so strongly,
And maybe you can sense just a little bit of it.
Maybe it begins to grow with every breath that you take.
As you breathe,
Feel it move through your body with the ebb and flow of each breath,
Nourishing and restoring your bones and your muscles,
Your heart.
Feel it travel through your roots,
Helping you feel even more calm,
Rooted,
Centered,
And secure.
Perhaps you share some of your energy with the tree,
Sending it down through your roots,
And strengthening the tree even more.
There is so much love,
Respect,
Compassion,
And gratitude in this connection between you and the tree,
This relationship,
This harmony.
As you take another deep breath,
You release any tension that might remain within you,
Any pain,
Troubles,
Doubt,
Out through the tips of your fingers,
To be carried away by the breeze.
Notice how you feel.
Perhaps you might stay and breathe with this feeling for a moment,
And when you are ready,
Gently open your eyes and take a look around you.
I'm honored to have been your guide today,
And I send you all my warmest wishes as you step into the rest of your day.
