Ever since I was a young child,
I've always been fascinated with peregrine falcons and living in Cornwall,
Having the lovely clear skies a lot of the summer,
We often had birds of prey and even now with the cathedral just down the road,
We often have peregrine falcons nesting in the top of the cathedral.
So I thought about the qualities the last time I was sat down there in a bustling town and I was just sitting there thinking,
What does the peregrine see?
What does the peregrine feel?
What does the peregrine,
What kind of feelings and what kind of qualities does the peregrine falcon have?
So I decided to do a meditation on it as I did there in that moment and I often do this.
So while you just get comfortable,
I'm just going to talk about some of these qualities.
Just allow your arms to be placed either side of you and just allow your body to relax into this moment.
Allow your breath to be what it wants to be and just become aware and while you're doing that,
While you're settling in,
I just imagine a peregrine to have really good eyesight and it can saw above the town or the fields.
It's just taking everything in,
It's got confidence of the skies,
It doesn't have to worry about too much and it seems to have this stability about it even with high winds or whatever weather.
It seems to always not be frightened where it nests,
I'll take the highest,
Safest place and that's mine and it builds its own nest and so those wisdoms and qualities I think that it wouldn't hurt us to embrace a little more in our day to day lives.
So as I'm not the most creative of creators out there,
I've called this meditation embracing the peregrine falcon,
A journey of confidence and calm.
So as we're starting to relax into this moment,
Just breathing in calm,
Breathing out relax.
You don't have to do anything with your body.
Just allow your body to relax into this moment,
Allow your shoulders,
Allow your arms,
Your torso and your belly,
Allowing your legs to relax,
Allowing your face and your neck,
Any parts of your body that may be a little bit of tension,
Just allow it to relax into this moment.
Your body knows how to relax,
You don't have to do anything,
Just invite it and give it permission and it's the same with your breath.
Your body knows how to breathe,
I always say it's been doing it a long time without you taking any notice and whenever we start taking notice of our breath we always change it,
We think we're the ones with the wisdom.
So imagine you're walking along a path,
To your right there's a river flowing gently,
On the other side of the river there's some tall trees.
You can feel the sun on your face,
You can also feel the freshness of a gentle cool breeze.
And you notice just up on the left there's a bench.
Imagine yourself walking up towards the bench and when you get there you sit down comfortably.
There's nobody else around,
It's just a nice river in front of you and the other side of the tall trees.
Then you notice a lone bird in the sky just soaring above the trees.
Seems to be circling around,
Then disappears and then it comes back.
Then you notice the greyness that it's a peregrine falcon as it flies up above you but close enough for you to recognise it.
It doesn't seem to be in any hurry,
Almost like it's enjoying the day just like you are on the bench.
Then you start to wonder what the peregrine can see,
It can see the tops of the trees,
It can see the rivers,
It can see you on the bench,
Maybe there's some trees behind you.
It can feel the sun on the top of its wings and the back of its body,
It can feel the wind going over its wings,
It can feel the wind in its eyes.
Maybe today the peregrine falcon is not hungry and it's just flying around and it can see large distances,
It may be able to see cities in the background and mountains and lakes.
And imagine if the peregrine falcon can understand what confidence is,
How confident would the peregrine falcon feel?
In there in the sky,
Flying around the sky,
Not having to be anywhere.
Its ability to stay smooth and glide even though the air is buffeting.
So with all that confidence it still remains calm,
It can see clearly around,
It can feel the wind but it stays strong and steady.
It doesn't have to fear any of the other birds,
It doesn't have to fear anything on the ground.
Its confidence and wisdom knows that,
It's got the confidence to know it's the king of the sky.
Now bring this energy and confidence back to you sat on the bench and imagine what you would be like today if you went around your day with the similar confidence,
The similar wisdom and your ability to see all the situations from all angles by stepping out and stepping away.
How would you see things from this wider,
Wiser perspective?
And I like to go through a few affirmations,
Just so I can use words,
Just to allow me to feel what perhaps the peregrine falcon might feel if it had awareness,
We don't know it hasn't,
So these affirmations and feel them deeply throughout your whole body as if they are totally true,
I am strong and confident,
I am strong and confident.
I see the world with clear vision,
I see the world with clear vision.
I move through life with calm and peace,
I move through life with calm and peace.
So while you're sat there on the bench just imagine a situation later today where you may struggle with a little bit of confidence and just imagine what that situation would be like or how different it would be if you had the clear view and the wisdom and the confidence,
How much different you might approach it,
How much different people might treat you,
How much more compassion and empathy you might have.
And just before we bring this meditation to a close,
It might be nice to do a loving kindness,
So place your hand on your heart and just say with me and feel it deeply,
May I be well,
May I be happy,
May I be loved,
May I be well,
May I be happy,
May I be loved.
I'm going to turn this around and point it outwards and we're going to include all the humans,
All the sentient beings,
The animals,
Including that peregrine.
May we all be well,
May we all be happy,
May we all be loved,
May we all be well,
May we all be happy,
May we all be loved.
Just take a moment to feel that kindness in your heart as you bring your awareness back to your breath and if you've got your eyes closed just gently open your eyes and move your arms,
Shake out your hands and just feel the wisdom of the peregrine falcon and the wisdom you have within.
And also I'd just like to say how much when I'm out walking,
When I used to walk the dog or anything,
I'd like to look at birds or animals and how do they see the world?
And we can do it with other humans and we can do it with other people and then we grow that compassion,
That understanding from their perspective.
It's the one sure way of deepening our wisdom and seeing things from outside of ourselves and that's where confidence and that's where calmness and wisdom comes from.
Thank you for joining me on this meditation and thank you for following me and supporting me on Insight Timer.
