Resting in the Woods

This meditation is about recognizing the beauty and nurturing nature of Mother Earth at her finest and your connection to that energy.

Taking a deep breath in and a long breath out,

Find yourself in a comfortable position either seated or lying down.

Another deep breath in and long breath out,

Bringing in what you need most today and releasing what you no longer need.

Becoming as comfortable as you can,

Right here,

Right now.

Bring your awareness inside and in your imagination begin to visualize your bare feet against a backdrop of soft green grass.

This grass is so soft and so giving under your feet that it feels like you are walking on a bed with a soft comforter.

Looking down you see that your feet sink deeply into the earth as if the earth wants to hold them in her loving embrace.

Your feet feel happy to be here,

Naked to the air and the earth,

Embraced by the elements.

Today is a day for exploring and bringing your gaze up from the feet you see a path ahead.

The sky is blue with a few white drifting clouds,

The temperature is perfect and there is no need for a jacket or a sweater.

The best part of all is that you have all the time in the world for your journey today.

There are no obligations,

No appointments and for this one afternoon you are completely free.

Inhaling the beautiful,

Clean,

Clear air you drink in the scent of healthy,

Freshly cut grass,

A light earthy tenor and a more faint subtle aroma of wild flowers and something else undistinguishable in the distance.

Opening your eyes you see a path well worn in the grass and as you are the master of your schedule today with no obligations or appointments you decide to follow it.

It is a beautiful day,

You have no worries or cares with you at this time and you feel a tingle of excitement as a happy shiver runs up your body.

Taking a deep breath in you begin to follow the path as it leads off the soft,

Well tended lawn and onto more firm earth,

Earth that has been exposed to the elements.

Following the path and taking time to enjoy the scenery and beauty around you.

It is early summer and the wild flowers are in full bloom.

As you stroll down this well worn,

Hard packed earthen path you have your hands out and open by the sides of your body,

Gently catching and releasing the flowers and grasses that brush by.

As you do this all sorts of delightful aromas arrive from the meadow.

The scent of the sun warmed earth mingles with the deeper aroma of crushed grasses under foot and the lighter,

Refreshing scent of wild flowers in every color,

Shape and size.

You recognize some of the varieties,

Your favorites of course,

And others though equally as beautiful are a mystery to you.

You continue to stroll down the path with all the time in the world and feel grateful to be the master of your schedule today,

To have put everything else down in favor of this afternoon's connection time.

It has been a while since you connected with the earth and through the earth and her bounty yourself.

Lately you have been caught up in life and have found yourself disconnected.

It feels as if you are missing something important by squirreling yourself away to concentrate on work,

On family and other activities.

Knowing deep inside that the cure for your restlessness and feeling a lack of fulfillment has been missing this piece of connection to the earth and for you through the earth,

Spirit.

This was why you took the time out today to reconnect.

This is why you are strolling through the field with hands out to touch flowers and grasses.

This is why you stand here gazing at the soft white clouds drifting by and feel with an opening and lifting heart the warm breeze caress you like an old friend.

It is this connection that you crave and it is this connection to yourself and to your spirit that always seems to arrive when you spend time with nature.

Taking a deep breath in you catch a whiff of pine,

Aspen poplar and balsam fir and you smile.

You have been down this path before and you know where it leads.

Already you feel as if the stresses are melting away and that nothing else matters.

The only thing that does matter is that you are here now spending time with yourself and mother earth.

It is almost as if you feed each other on an energetic level as if your walk here today was an exchange of sorts.

Your love for the wild,

For the earthy,

For mother nature's energies feeds you what you desperately need and your excess baggage of stress and worry are lifted off your shoulders by her caring hands and recycled into something beautiful and spiritually whole.

You feel a wave of gratitude as you always do when you stroll in this place,

Pausing at the boulder where you always pause,

Looking out at the vista in front and around you.

Your heart feels full and nurtured and you say a prayer of thanks to yourself and the earth for being here today.

When you are ready to carry on,

You leave the boulder and reach the end of the grassy meadow.

Straight ahead is the boreal forest that you have come to know and love.

This is the time for communion with nature,

With yourself and your spirit.

This is your place to release what you no longer need and receive in turn the peace and tranquility you seek.

Following the well-worn path into the forest,

You see that it changes from dry and weathered to slightly spongy and damp.

This path here under the trees is covered with pine needles,

Leaves and other natural debris.

Every step you take results in wafts of the deep and delicious forest aroma.

You brush by a balsam fir and a light,

Almost spicy scent joins the multitude of other scents.

One layer on top of another,

Some are distinguishable from each other and others are not.

Either way,

It forms a bouquet of the most nurturing aromas you have ever encountered and you feel safe and loved.

Walking a little further,

A little deeper into the forest,

You find your special spot.

It is a small clearing filled with layer upon layer of soft,

Gorgeous moss.

There is a circle of ancient trees around this clearing.

This is your place of communion.

This is the place you come to let go of what you no longer need and to fill that space with pure,

Loving earth energy.

You find your special seat among the soft moss with your back to the largest and most ancient tree.

The trunk of this grandmother tree is curved slightly,

As if it was made like that just for you to lean against.

It is comfortable here and so special that sometimes you never want to leave.

This is your time with the forest,

With Mother Nature.

This is your time to let go of whatever you no longer need,

To release the veils of illusion that so easily disguise and cover your dreams.

And as you do this now,

Sharing with the trees your problems,

Pouring out your heart and releasing all the old hurts,

You might yell or cry,

You might laugh.

This is your time to let go of whatever it is you need to,

Knowing of course that the forest supports you unconditionally,

That it never judges or complains.

Instead,

This is a listening forest.

It hears your problems,

Listens to your ideas,

And supports you as a silent partner every time.

Release now whatever it is that you no longer need and trust the earth will listen and help you to find a solution.

Taking a deep breath in,

Feeling lighter and more free as you no longer carry any burdens,

You wipe your eyes,

Your cheeks,

And pause once more to enjoy the beauty and serenity of this forest.

You sit here for a few more moments,

Silently asking the circle of trees and Mother Nature for solutions to your challenges,

Asking for your spirit to be full and happy,

Asking and waiting in silence for the response.

You do get a response,

As you always do,

And it may come from Mother Nature,

Though really it bubbles up from inside your deepest depths,

From your intuition,

Your heart,

Your spirit,

Your soul,

Your source.

The answers to your questions are always more simple and to the point than the questions themselves.

They are always exactly right,

And you appreciate this simplicity.

Looking deep into your heart,

You know these answers are your truth,

And you take the time now to ask a follow-up question or two to clarify.

Receiving the answers you needed,

Once more you feel full and unburdened,

Taking the time to thank the forest,

Mother Nature for her healing ways,

And sending gratitude out to the universe for the gift of this afternoon and the answers to your questions.

You gently push yourself up to standing.

Turning around,

Gazing lovingly at the grandmother tree with the little curved backrest,

You share your gratitude for the afternoon with the tree by giving it a long embrace or simply placing your hand on its trunk.

Feeling as you do that this is the tree that helps you to ground more deeply into the earth than any other,

As if you had your own roots.

You remember all at once that you have trees in your own backyard at home,

And that you can receive the same loving,

Grounding energy by embracing them.

You give thanks for this memory and the realization.

Releasing the grandmother tree you bid farewell to the forest,

To this special place,

And begin your journey back home.

You are lighter,

You feel more free,

More loved and nurtured,

And once again taking your time to walk home,

Enjoying the change of colors on the grassy meadow as the sun sets and the angles of the rays begin to leave deep shadows.

You take a deep cleansing breath in and release a long breath of gratitude,

Thanking yourself for taking the time today to reconnect with your most sacred resources,

The earth,

The meadow,

The forest,

Mother nature,

Your source and your spirit.

It feels good to do this and you vow to do it more often.

You also vow to take time with the trees and plants in your own yard,

Taking pleasure in the little things in those times when you are unable to come to the forest.

Being completely clear and refreshed,

You look forward to coming back home and moving onward with this new awareness,

Secure in the knowledge that you can move forward in a way that honors your spirit,

Your heart's true purpose and the earth all at the same time.

You continue your way home and as you reach the edge of the property,

You can see the lights are on and it's almost time for dinner.

Pausing,

You turn just as the sun is setting and releasing to the sky all the beautiful blues,

Pinks and purples.

With one more thought of gratitude to mother earth in all her splendor,

You turn back and enter your life once more.

This time with both the confidence and the ability to listen to your heart and fulfill your soul's true purpose.