Close your eyes and take in a nice deep breath.
Feel your entire body begin to relax with your calm,
Even breathing.
Let your body get cozy and comfortable.
If you need to change positions,
Go ahead and move to wherever or however feels good to you.
Take another big deep breath and release it gently.
We are going to use the power of our minds to go on a peaceful retreat.
This will be a place you can visit anytime you like,
Just by using your mind.
Let your imagination take you to a beautiful wooded area.
Sunlight filters down through the thick leaves of tall trees.
The air around you is perfectly comfortable,
Not too hot and not too cool.
It's a safe place and everything around you is ripe for exploration.
The air smells fresh and as you pay attention to other scents,
You notice the smell of moss and maybe even water nearby.
You walk slowly through this happy,
Welcoming forest,
Looking all around at the beauty of nature.
Small birds chirp and hop around the forest floor and flitter up to the trees.
There is an old fallen tree on the ground and you watch as a squirrel darts inside to store an acorn.
As you walk further,
You hear the sound of gently flowing water.
You follow the sound and the smell of fresh water.
Then you see it,
A crystal clear spring that flows down into a narrow stream.
You're drawn to the lightly flowing water.
It looks so peaceful.
So you sit on a big rock right beside the spring.
The rock is warm from the sun and as you stretch your legs down,
Your toes dip into the shallow,
Clear spring water.
It feels so refreshing and relaxing.
This spot feels like it was created especially for you.
Your own personal retreat in the natural world.
You lean your head back and close your eyes as the leaves dance above you in the gentle breeze and little patches of sunlight and shadow move across your face.
Doesn't it feel wonderful to be in this special place?
The stream is constantly flowing,
Just like good things can always come into your life.
And just like you can let go of worries or fears by letting them flow the way downstream.
This place lives inside you.
Anytime you want to visit it,
You can simply come here in your mind and stay here in your peaceful retreat for as long as you like.
To conclude the meditation,
Take another deep breath in and when you are ready,
Gently open your eyes and give your body a big stretch.
From my heart to yours,
With all my love and gratitude,
Namaste.
