Today,
We'll explore a winter meditation to empower you to welcome warmth and wonder by weaving your most precious memories and moments.
Before we begin,
Find a comfortable place to sit where you feel neither too warm nor too cold.
You may wish to prepare a cushion,
Blanket,
Or whatever makes you feel supported as you come into this comfortable seated position,
Whether that is on the ground,
A chair,
Or in whatever shape and position that feels supportive for you.
If it feels good for you,
Allow your eyes to gently close.
If it feels better to keep your eyes open,
Then hold a soft gaze at a point in front of you and guide your awareness inwards to your breath.
Notice the rise and fall of your breath.
Inhale.
Feel your heart expand.
Exhale.
Feel your lungs embrace your heart.
Inhale.
Feel your heart expand.
Exhale.
Feel your lungs embrace your heart.
Inhale.
Feel your heart expand.
Exhale.
Feel your lungs embrace your heart.
Now,
Bring to mind the last time you were outside and found a bit of chill in the air.
The warmth of summer has gone,
Taking the comfort of autumn with it,
And in its place is a crisp coldness in the air.
Notice how it feels,
The way the cold caresses your skin,
And how you can taste the iciness of winter in the back of your throat.
Here you are,
In this moment,
Feeling the hush of the world after a fresh snowfall.
You watch the snow falling,
Sparkling in the sun,
Slowly,
Silently,
Surely,
And seamlessly layering itself over the earth.
Like a pure white blanket,
The snow covers the earth,
Soothing the earth beneath it.
Feel how the snow invites a permeating sense of stillness.
Acknowledge and welcome its presence.
Allow this stillness to permeate your consciousness,
Your body,
Your being.
As you sense the stillness of the snow,
Guide your awareness to your body.
On your body,
Feel the weight of your clothing.
Perhaps your winter is mild,
Only requiring a light layer to keep warm from the day's bitterness.
Or maybe your winter is a blizzard,
And your sweater is one layer amongst many layers needed to keep you warm and safe.
See now the kind of sweater that is keeping you warm,
Starting with how thick and solid this layer is.
As you see and feel it in your mind,
Feel the weight of the fabric on your shoulders,
The way it wraps around you,
Embracing and holding you.
You can make it any fabric you need,
Any texture,
Color that creates warmth,
Calm,
And safety.
Notice the way the fabric feels against your skin,
How it touches you,
Warm,
Heavy,
Yet gentle and reassuring with its cloud-like softness.
As you notice the way your sweater feels,
Bring to mind the last time you felt touched,
A moment,
A memory that felt like magic.
Maybe it's the sound of the laughter of someone you love.
Perhaps it's the way the words from your favorite book speak to your heart.
Or maybe the soundtrack of a movie that brings tears to your eyes each time you hear it.
Maybe it is the feeling of being embraced by someone who loves you.
In these small and subtle things,
You feel touched,
You feel moved.
You sense and see magic,
And this magic surrounds you.
Life has brought you magical and moving moments and memories.
This doesn't change the winters you've had to weather.
Both are present and will be again.
And no matter the winter,
This magic is always with you as you bring these bright,
Soothing,
And magical moments and memories to mind,
To heart.
See each one of them as a strand of yarn or thread in the sweater you are wearing.
See and feel them weave together to bring you warmth,
To bring you safety,
To protect you from the cold of winter.
Know that no winter can rid you of this magic that embraces you,
Surrounds you,
And lives inside of you.
Sometimes this magic may feel stronger and more present,
And other times it will feel softer,
More distant,
Faint,
Almost like a memory.
But it will always be something that you can come home to,
Like the feeling of warmth and the embrace of your favorite sweater.
These memories and moments that you've woven into this fabric,
They are always here with you.
With your next inhale,
Feel your heart expand.
With your next exhale,
Feel your sweater warm you.
Inhale,
Feel your heart expand even more.
Exhale,
Feel your sweater comfort you.
Inhale,
Feel your heart expand fully and completely.
Exhale,
Feel your sweater embrace you.
You are welcome to stay here for as long as you wish in this embrace,
In this magic,
If and when you feel you would like to bring this meditation to a close.
Gently,
Slowly,
Guide your awareness back to the world around you.
Let your senses ground you in the present,
In the way your surroundings feel,
Smell,
And sound.
Feel the points of contact of your body with the earth beneath you,
And if your eyes are closed,
Gently,
Tenderly,
And slowly,
Let them blink open.
Bring this magic and warmth with you into the rest of your day.
At the bottom of the screen,
You'll see an invitation to view the classroom or ask a question.
I invite you to take a moment to click through and share your experience,
To read the experiences and answers from other practitioners,
And to hear my replies.
Remember to start your responses with session one or restate the question so we know what question you're referring to.
For the rest of today,
Reflect on this question and share your answers as a post.
In our cause community,
What brings me warmth and comfort during the winter holiday season?
