The Mountain Within

Find a comfortable place to sit and take a moment to arrive into your space and into this practice.

And as we draw our attention inwards,

Notice your posture as you sit.

Often we can find ourselves unconsciously hunching or bracing.

Take a slower,

Deeper breath in and as you exhale,

Relax the shoulders down and away from the ears.

Soften the jaw.

And if you find that you are hunched,

See if you can gently draw the spine straighter and taller,

Like a mountain.

Allow yourself to take up space.

And if you need to,

You can sit against something to add extra support.

But to whatever degree,

Let yourself sit a little taller.

Present,

Purposeful,

Grounded.

Let the hands rest in your lap and feel the support underneath your sit bones,

Holding you and anchoring you into the steadiness beneath.

Sit like a mountain.

Be like a mountain.

Steadfast.

Unwavering.

What kind of mountain are you?

What is the landscape like?

Are you an earthy,

Green mountain,

Rich with vegetation?

Are you a rocky,

Weathered mountain,

Shaped by time and the elements?

Perhaps an island mountain,

Rising from the ocean,

Solid as the waves crash against you.

Letting the vision unfold.

Take a moment to notice your surroundings.

Notice the landscape that you are a part of,

That you grow tall and strong from.

Above you,

The vast blue sky stretches endlessly without a cloud in sight.

Expansive.

Limitless.

The sun shines brightly,

Its warmth and heat sinking into you.

Radiating through the landscape.

The energy of the summer season breathes new life into you.

Wildflowers bloom vibrantly.

Water sparkles under the golden light and a gentle breeze softly sways the tall grass.

Clouds begin to roll in,

Bringing with them cooler air and the welcome touch of rain,

Offering you a reprieve from the heat that has dried the land.

The once lush,

Bright greens soften,

Giving way to hues of burnt orange,

Deep red,

And warm browns.

Signalling that change is here.

As the days pass,

The wind picks up,

Swirling and scattering leaves like confetti.

The land is transforming.

Trees becoming bare.

The earth is damp and supple,

Carrying the rich scent of decaying leaves.

But you stand steady,

Understanding its rhythm,

Its process.

There is nothing to fear.

Nature knows when to let go.

With another turn of the season,

The weather grows wilder still,

Shifting and disrupting what was once a peaceful landscape.

The wind scatters debris of fallen branches and leaves,

While the trees stand bare,

Stripped of their colour and bloom.

The sun still visits,

Yet its warmth is absent,

And frost hardens the earth beneath you.

But while the surface changes,

Deep below,

There remains an unwavering steadiness,

An unshakable presence in you,

Rooted firmly in the earth.

Winter settles in,

Draping the land in silence.

The once vibrant landscape now subdued,

Stripped of movement and colour.

The earth covered by a thick blanket of snow.

Rivers and streams grow sluggish,

Stagnant water trapped beneath sheets of ice.

The air is bitter and quiet.

The animals have surrendered to the rhythm of the season,

Burrowed deep in the earth,

Curled up in the hidden dens and nests.

And just as nature does not resist this season,

Neither must you.

This season of life may feel endless,

As though the cold will never pass,

And it feels like forever since you last felt the warmth of the sun,

As though everything has withered away,

Leaving only emptiness.

But just like the mountain,

You are not lost.

You are simply in a season of surrender,

Stillness,

Gathering strength.

You see,

Even in the midst of winter,

When the land and trees are bare,

There is a promise of life,

Whispering,

Gathering.

Seeds lying in darkness,

Surrendering to the process and timing.

Of inevitable change and growth.

You see,

No matter how cold or how long the winter,

Spring will always follow.

And sure enough,

As the days lengthen and the light lingers,

You begin to notice a subtle warmth in the cool air,

Beneath your surface,

There is a quiet stirring.

You hear the familiar song of birds returning,

Filling the silence and reminding you that life is awakening once more,

Yet to be seen in its fullness.

Fledglings stretch their wings,

Eager to join the world.

Buds appear on the trees,

And delicate yet strong shoots push their way through the earth,

Bursting with new colour and renewed energy.

It grows warmer and lighter still.

Spring showers invigorating and encouraging growth and renewal.

The land is blooming.

And you are blooming.

You stand taller now.

The mountain that withstood the seasons.

And even though the winds in winter stripped you bare,

You stood,

Rooted,

Brave,

Resilient,

Growth and new life came again.

Change is a natural part of life,

And though at times it feels disruptive and overwhelming,

May you always be reminded that beneath the surface,

Beyond the stories,

The self-limiting beliefs and the fear,

There is a strength within you that is unyielding and unwavering,

Just like the mountain.

And like the seasons,

These challenges and difficulties will not last forever.

The promise of renewal and reprieve will always follow,

No matter how harsh the winter has been.