Hi,
Welcome.
My name is Anneliese and today I'm guiding you through an active imagination practice to help you connect with the wisdom of your inner child.
Come into a comfortable position,
Either sitting up or lying down,
With your back supported and your spine extended.
Close your eyes and allow the darkness beneath your eyelids to bring you deeper into yourself.
Right now there is nothing outside that you need to see.
Recognize your own body in its wholeness,
Present in this moment with you and for you.
Let's take three deep breaths together,
Noticing the pauses when the lungs are full of air at the end of the inhales and when they are empty at the end of the exhales.
Breathing in softly through the nose,
Allowing the belly to expand and breathing out slowly through the mouth,
Extending the breath.
Breathing slowly through the nose,
Feeling the air entering your nostrils and breathe out through the mouth,
Extending the breath,
Feeling the air leaving your nostrils.
And again,
Breathing in through the nose,
Expanding the muscles in the abdomen and breathing out through the mouth slowly and completely.
Take one more deep breath in through the nose and on the exhale,
Let the air out with a sigh,
Releasing sounds if they appear,
Letting the body settle in itself in your space right here,
Right now.
Take a moment to attend to your physical body.
Notice the spots of tension,
Of tightness.
Notice where you are holding and with the support of the breathing,
Release a little deeper with each exhalation.
Finding comfort,
Coming into ease.
There is nothing to do,
Nothing to say,
Nothing to consume,
Nothing to resist,
Nothing to achieve and nothing to fear.
Following the movement of the breathing in your body as it breathes yourself alive.
Making an intention to invite your imagination into this practice.
It will serve you as a bridge between your unconscious material and your conscious awareness.
So maybe say an affirmation such as,
I welcome and trust my imagination.
When you're ready,
Find yourself entering a place in nature that is calm and beautiful like a sanctuary.
Maybe it's a place where you have been before and maybe it's a magical place that you're creating in your mind.
The temperature is just how you like it.
The air delicately touching your skin.
You look around and notice colors and textures.
You see the elements surrounding you.
You might even be able to smell the trees,
The ocean or the earth.
Feel the ground beneath your feet,
Stable,
Supportive.
Breathing in and out through the nose.
At each cycle,
The air becoming thinner and smoother like silk.
And if you find yourself drifting away from this place of utter beauty,
That's okay.
With your next breath in,
Bring yourself back,
Noticing something in your sanctuary.
Maybe the temperature in the air,
A color or an element.
Take a seat on the ground and silently say to yourself as you breathe in,
I am safe.
And as you breathe out,
I am open.
Enjoying this feeling of ease and tranquility.
Gently bringing to mind a challenge that has been a recurrent theme in your life.
A pattern,
A behavior,
A limiting narrative.
Something that you are working with or you would like to work with.
Something you wish to transform.
Look around one more time.
And when you bring your gaze forward,
See your inner child sitting right in front of you.
Take a good look at her and see what you notice.
Make eye contact and set an intention to connect.
To receive whatever it is that she has to share with you.
Welcoming your inner child to this sacred space and seeing her outside of yourself.
And if you'd like,
Bring your right hand over your heart.
And ask your inner child,
What do you need from me right now?
And rather than looking for a concrete answer,
Pay attention to feelings,
Images,
Words,
Symbols,
Colors and memories that arise.
Ask her,
What was it that you needed and didn't receive?
And ask her,
How can I be there for you?
Take a smooth and deep breath in and a slow breath out.
And ask your inner child,
What can I learn from you today?
And whatever is coming up,
Accept it wholeheartedly.
Your inner child is a guide from within,
One that you can trust.
Take this opportunity sitting here with her to let her know how much she matters.
You can repeat some phrases with me.
I see you.
I accept and understand you.
I cherish you.
I love you.
Your needs deserve to be met.
I am here for you.
And before saying goodbye,
You might ask her if there is anything else that she would like to share with you.
And when you're ready,
Letting your inner child walk into nature,
Where she's safe and free to play and to explore,
Knowing that you can meet her again in this beautiful place whenever you would like.
And seeing yourself alone in your sanctuary,
Ask your adult self,
What can I give myself right now?
Wherever you are in your life,
Be proud of the progress you have made.
Be proud of the path you are walking and know that you can always adjust the direction.
Coming back to yourself in this moment,
Noticing your feet on the ground and your sit bones making contact with the surface beneath you.
Noticing your spine,
Your posture.
Noticing the opposing pose of gravity weighing you down and the lengthening up through the crown of your head.
Noticing how your body is breathing and checking in with your emotional landscape,
What emotions are present and how are you completing this practice mentally?
And take one more deep breath in through the nose and let it go through the mouth.
Gently start to bring movement back to your body,
Wiggling fingers and toes.
And when you're ready,
Gently opening the eyes,
Allowing images to gradually become clearer,
Taking in the space where you are,
Maybe stretching out or touching a part of your body that needs attention.
Thank you for practicing with me and as you move through your day,
May you have peace in your thoughts,
May you have peace in your heart and peace in your actions.
Ciao.
