Hey.
Hey,
Welcome,
How's your day been?
Would you like to come on an adventure with me now?
A guided tour to a place in nature?
You find yourself in a beautiful green field next to a hiking track.
Long ago these meadows were created by horses walking the backtrack and as they stopped to feed they spread grass seed which made the lush expanse your body is resting on as you look up at the blue sky.
You stay for a moment to take in the peace around you,
The smell of the air is fresh and crisp as you realise you are already half way up a mountain and there is further decline if you would like to make it to the stunning views of the Milford Track.
You decide you would like to get up and explore the scenery around you.
You can see lupins and bloom,
Blue,
Violet,
Lilac all mixing together like an impressionist painting and swaying slightly in the breeze.
You feel that same gentle breeze touch your hair ever so slightly and as you get up and walk around you see the entry to the track.
Many other walkers have passed this way before you and you notice evidence with little rocks formed and sculptures,
One stacked on top of each other.
You enter the track and you see that there are large trees all around you,
The light is different in the forest and you notice small things like a leaf moving or a little bug climbing its way onto the tip of a leaf.
You can hear the crunch of the dried leaves under your feet with each step.
You keep walking and you notice the incline of the hill is getting a little bit steeper.
You're not quite sure what the path will be like ahead of you but you feel a sense that it's worth the effort.
You keep walking and you notice other changes to the flora around you.
Sometimes it becomes very dense and the light becomes dim like you are entering something that you know you will be able to get out the other side of.
You continue to walk and the light becomes brighter again,
The trees thin out and you see some little pebbles and rocks forming a riverbed.
You go over to the riverbed and there's a beautiful stream trickling with fresh mountain water.
You may even like to have a little sip of this water or splash it on your face to refresh you.
The water is clear and you can see all the stones underneath.
You might like to sit there for a moment and let the water run past leaves and debris.
They sometimes fall into the water and you watch them swim downstream not paying too much attention to any particular one but just letting them come into your periphery and letting them go.
There's more of the mountain to climb and you want to get on this journey so let's go.
Stand up and continue on the path.
It looks like it's going to be a steep part coming up just around the next corner.
You prepare yourself for it.
Maybe you tell yourself it's going to be really hard so then when it's not so hard the surprise is a good one.
Your legs get more tired as you keep climbing.
The air feels thinner up here but you feel very calm and at peace spending some time on your own.
As the ascent becomes more challenging you thank the mountain for allowing you to climb it.
As this gratitude emanates from you the walk becomes slightly easier.
You keep going,
You keep going.
There is a cliff beside the path that you need to be wary of,
That you feel sure-footed.
You continue on.
Occasionally a little chip of the cliff face breaks off and rolls down.
It reminds you of the impermanence of life and you feel very alive.
You pause to look around you,
You're not quite at the top yet but the view is already amazing.
You can see all the way to the ocean on one side and towards more green and grey rock and distant waterfalls on the other side.
You look up and see a bird soaring in the sky.
There's a part of you that feels you're not too far away from what that experience might be like to see things from so high up.
And there's a unity that you feel with other living beings in your surrounds.
You take a few deep breaths.
Blank the mountain again and continue to walk.
Any soreness in your legs disappears as the feeling of joy overtakes your mind and your body.
You feel a lightness.
These images you see will stay with you for a long time.
You wish you could share them with people you love.
It prompts you to think about taking a picture.
You do so and look at it however it can't quite capture what you were experiencing in this moment.
So you think maybe you'll take a picture of yourself to capture the feeling and on your face,
Your smiling.
You continue the ascent as you're nearing the clearing at the very top.
You feel grateful to yourself for taking time out.
It's been difficult to get here and some other things had to be sacrificed for the day so that you could be here.
But you're feeling that it's worth it.
You feel grateful to anyone who's allowed you to have the day to yourself as they may be taking care of affairs at home on your behalf today.
Trust in them that they will do their best by you.
They want you to be happy.
And while you've been thinking,
Suddenly you realize you are at the peak.
There's no one else here,
Just you and nature.
Your body feels tired and you decide to lie down and look up one more time.
You see some cumulus clouds drifting slowly and just like a child you imagine different things that the clouds look like.
As you're imagining,
You can't tell if you've fallen asleep or not as the images become more mystical.
And perhaps you're in charge of the movements that they're doing.
If you are asleep now,
Well done,
You deserve a good rest.
And if you're not quite there,
Taking this time out has been restful in of itself.
Thank you for joining me and I wish you happiness,
Peace and joy.
