Hello and welcome.
This is a meditation to sync the cycles of your body with the cycles of the earth.
So just take a moment to get situated,
Whether that's sitting up or lying down,
Keeping your eyes closed or at a soft gaze.
And let's start with the first cycle of our body,
Our breath.
Just noticing the cycle of your inhale and exhale as you are right now.
Where are you inhaling from?
Where are you exhaling from?
Your nose,
Your mouth,
Both?
There's no right or wrong way to breathe.
Just take notice of this natural cycle,
The cycle that your body gifts you in order for you to live.
Now let's focus on inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth and adding a sound or sigh at the end if you'd like.
You're welcome to follow my pace or go at your own pace.
Again that's inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth and adding the sound or sigh at the end if you'd like for five times.
Inhale through your nose.
Exhale through your mouth.
Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah Just taking the time you need to finish those five breaths,
Pausing if you need more time.
Now let's think about the cycle of a full-grown tree.
While this might not be true for all trees,
It is true for many.
Let's start with the spring where trees sprout new leaves and flowers might be blossoming.
This indicates newness and growth.
And while we see this on the outside,
So much is happening on the inside of the tree to provide this growth.
Sometimes what's on the inside of a tree isn't healthy and the fruit it provides isn't to be eaten and sometimes it is.
It is how we cultivate it so that its insides are tended to that ends up being reflected on the outside.
And this is the same for us.
People might see our growth or even our overwhelm or grief but what is happening inside isn't always known to others and that is what's at the root of our wellness,
Our humanity.
So the question is how is what's happening on your insides reflected on the outside?
Is there congruence in this cycle?
Moving on to the summer,
The tree blossoms more and is in full force at the height of its growth.
And then in the fall the growth stops for a moment,
The leaves change color and they're released from the tree.
This shows us that we need time to contract in order to expand.
In order to renew we must release.
Just think to yourself what can you release so that you can renew and expand?
How can you make space for the upcoming growth that will occur?
And how can you remember that this letting go is also a form of grief and grief is part of our cycles as human beings too.
It is normal,
Expected even.
Then in the winter the leaves have fallen,
There might be snow on the branches painting a beautiful new look of its own hibernation only to prepare for the new growth again in the spring.
Take a moment to not just visualize all of this but to imagine it in yourself.
Think of one example of a new sprout or leaf or blossom in your life.
What helped to cultivate that?
Just imagine and take a moment to breathe into this growth.
Now think of an example of a leaf that needs to be released.
What helped to cultivate that release?
Just imagine and take a moment to breathe into this release.
Now let's get back to your breath observing those natural cycles inhaling and exhaling again,
Just noticing.
Now let's do three breaths together.
The first you'll inhale through your nose and exhale through your nose.
Just follow my lead.
Inhale through your nose,
Exhale through your nose.
Now you'll inhale through your mouth and exhale through your mouth allowing a sigh or sound if you'd like.
Just follow my lead.
Inhale through your mouth,
Exhale through your mouth.
Now you'll inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth again allowing a sigh or sound if you'd like.
Inhale through your nose,
Exhale through your mouth.
Ahh.
Just take a moment to give your body gratitude for honoring its natural cycles,
For connecting its cycles to the cycles of the earth,
The cycles of growth,
Of contraction,
Of releasing,
Of hibernating,
Of blossoming.
And I invite you throughout the day to think about what is supporting your cultivation.
Whenever you're ready you're welcome to lift your gaze and open your eyes.
Thank you so much.
