Guided Meditation for Planting the Seeds of Intention.
Prepared for Nourish Your Body,
Nourish Your Life by Jen Kahn,
February 2013.
Begin by finding a comfortable way to sit or lie down.
Not so comfortable that you're likely to fall asleep,
But know that you'll be sitting for a bit.
Allow your eyes to close or bring them to a soft gaze,
Whatever best supports your internal experience while staying present in your body.
Bring your attention to your breath and notice how your breath feels as you inhale and exhale.
Allow your breath to guide your attention further inside.
With each inhale,
Your awareness moves in.
With each exhale,
Relaxing,
Releasing,
Allowing,
And letting go.
Begin to picture a small room somewhere inside of your body.
It doesn't matter where it is,
But notice.
Maybe it's in your head or your heart,
Your pelvis or your throat.
Notice where it is and what it looks like.
Notice also what it feels like to have this room.
Over your next few breaths,
Find your way to be inside this room that is inside of your body.
Allow the detail to become more vivid.
Know that this is a safe space,
That it is yours and only yours to be in.
As you find a comfortable spot to sit in this room,
Notice how beautiful it is,
How special,
How unique.
Notice that the walls are beginning to expand and you can see trees.
The ceiling is rising and you can see sky.
You're still inside your room,
Inside your body,
But you're also in a beautiful outdoor clearing.
The wind is soft and warm.
It smells wonderful.
It's exactly the perfect temperature.
Notice what it looks like,
What it's like to be there.
If you like,
You can wander around this space and explore.
What's on the ground?
Is it a rock or grass?
What kinds of trees are there?
Are there flowers?
Is there a view?
Somewhere in this space,
The earth has been prepared as a garden,
Perfectly ready for planting.
You look to your left and notice the perfect spot to sit,
Maybe a rock or log or delicious space on the ground.
Make your way to this spot and sit down,
Making yourself as comfortable as you can imagine.
You look down and on the ground in front of you is a box.
Notice what it's made of and what it looks like.
You realize that you know somehow without even opening it that inside of this box is a seed.
The seed symbolizes your intention for yourself and nourishing your body and your life,
How you want to be with it,
What you want to realize and what you want to experience.
This may be something you already consciously know.
It also might be something that's not quite clear yet.
That's okay.
When you're ready and if you are ready,
Open the box.
If you're not ready to open the box,
That's okay too.
You can continue to enjoy the beautiful garden you're in inside of the room,
Inside of your body.
If you do choose to open it,
Notice what the seed looks like.
Is it big or small?
What color is it?
Is it fuzzy?
Is it smooth?
Explore it any way you like.
What does it feel like to your hand?
What does it taste like?
Does it make a sound?
Any way you want to explore is okay.
Holding the seed,
Make your way over to the prepared earth.
Push some dirt aside to make a small hole to receive your intention.
If you want to plant it,
Even if you're not clear on what that intention is at this point,
That's okay too.
The earth can receive.
If it feels right,
Take the seed out of the box and press it down into the soft moist dirt and move some earth to cover it over.
If that doesn't feel quite right to you,
You can also choose to let it be carried away by the wind or even continue to keep the seed in the box for now.
Whatever you decide is your choice and is fine and valid.
If you do choose to plant it,
Give it a drink of water from the watering can to your right and tamp down the earth to seal it in.
Sit down again on the ground in front of your seed and think about what it takes to make a seed grow.
Water,
Food,
Sunshine.
What else does it take?
Some people believe that plants grow better when you sing to them and spend time with them.
What will it take to make your attention grow?
What do you need to support you?
You lie or sit down on the ground and close your eyes,
Finding your way back to your room.
The sky and trees begin again to become the walls of that safe space inside your body where you return breath by breath.
With each inhale,
The walls become more material and with each exhale,
Your awareness returns to your body,
Your physical body.
Know that you can always return to this place to visit your intention,
To water and warm it or to set a new one as many times as you like.
Notice your breath.
Notice your body.
Wiggle your fingers and toes.
Bring some movement into your hands and feet and into your limbs.
Bring your attention to your tailbone.
Stomp your feet and smack your hands on the ground and open your eyes.
