Hey there,
Welcome,
I'm Lauren Behr.
I'm really glad you're here.
Let's just take a minute wherever you are to get comfy.
You don't need anything fancy,
Just a spot where you can let go for a little while.
Maybe you like sitting cross-legged on the floor.
Maybe being wrapped up in a blanket on the couch is your style.
Wherever you're at,
Just soften into it.
All right,
Go ahead and close your eyes and let's start with a deep breath in and then let it go.
Let's do that again,
Slower this time.
Breathing in and out.
One more,
Like a long sigh that lets everything drop away.
So breathe in and breathe out that long sigh that lets the stress melt away with it.
Nice,
Let your breath settle into a natural rhythm now,
No forcing,
Just flowing like a mountain stream.
Now I want you to picture yourself walking barefoot along a dusty path.
The sun is warm,
But not too hot,
Just that perfect golden glow of late afternoon.
Where you feel deeply relaxed and comfortable.
There's a soft breeze,
The kind that smells like sage and sunshine.
You're surrounded by wildflowers and tall grasses dancing in the wind.
Somewhere off,
A little ways away,
You can hear the faint hum of bees doing their sacred work.
You keep walking and up ahead,
You see this old wooden gate.
It's tucked between two wild rose bushes,
Their pink blooms full and fragrant.
You push the gate open and it creaks just a little,
Welcoming you in.
You've just stepped into a secret,
Mystical herb garden.
It's the kind of place you don't find on a map,
You just stumble on it when the timing's right.
The air here is different,
Thick with the scent of rosemary and lavender.
And something a little more mysterious,
Maybe it's mugwort,
But you're not quite sure.
The garden is overgrown in that beautiful,
Intentional way.
Plants spilling out of handmade stone beds.
Moss on some of the rocks.
Bees and butterflies.
And dragonflies.
There's a soft hum in the air like the earth itself is singing,
Low and slow.
You walk in a little further and reach out gently to brush your fingertips across the leaves of a big,
Bushy lavender plant.
Its aroma fills the air immediately.
You can smell lavender on your hands.
Next to it,
There's a patch of chamomile.
All tiny white petals with sunny yellow centers.
Swaying gently.
You crouch down and you press your palms into the soil.
It feels cool and alive.
It's like you can feel the pulse of the planet underneath you.
Steady,
Ancient,
And patient.
Somewhere deeper in the garden,
You see smoke curling up.
There's a little fire pit with a stone bench beside it.
Someone's been here,
Maybe they still are.
You walk over and sit.
The bench is cool,
Worn smooth by time.
Next to the fire,
Someone's brewed tea infused with mint,
Lemon balm,
A touch of thyme.
It's earthy and calming and you know it was made for you.
You sip it in your mind,
Feeling it ripple warm through your whole being.
The trees around you whisper with the wind.
You feel safe in the shade.
You feel safe here,
Like you've been here before in dreams,
Or maybe lifetimes ago.
It's a place that knows your name,
Even if you don't speak it aloud.
You take a deep breath in,
Taking in all of this.
The smells,
The light,
The energy.
They fill you up.
When you breathe out,
You find that you're releasing anything that's not meant to come with you.
You look back to the fire and where your tea had been,
And you now see all of the components to make the tea.
And you have this feeling that it was you who made the tea for yourself.
As if there's some kind of a time loop here.
So you go ahead and you make a cup of tea for the next time you come to the garden,
Because you know it'll be waiting for you.
We wander back towards the old gate and back into the mundane world,
But we bring a little magic with us.
And let's just sit here for a few more breaths,
Letting the garden hold us.
The garden doesn't need anything from us.
The garden just wants to support us.
And be there for us whenever we want to return.
All right,
It's time to head back.
Let's thank the garden in whatever way feels right.
Maybe a whisper,
A bow,
A smile.
You start walking back down the path,
Past the herbs,
Past the roses,
Back down the dusty trail,
Back towards your body.
Gently start bringing your awareness back to the room around you.
Wiggle your fingers and your toes.
Maybe stretch a little if that feels good.
And when you're ready,
Go ahead and open your eyes.
Thanks for being here.
Thank you for sharing this little journey with me.
This garden's always here whenever you want to drop back in and enjoy a cup of tea.
Sending you big love.
Go gently.
