So welcome to the bench by the sea,
This is a meditation,
It's an opportunity to sit with ourselves through time,
It's an invitation to feel the gratitude for the body and that has carried us and to embrace the beauty of our life's journey,
Just as it is right now.
So as you find a comfortable position,
One that allows your body to feel supported and at ease,
There's nothing for you to do right now,
Nowhere else to be,
Simply give yourself permission to settle into this space,
You might choose to gently close your eyes or just soften your gaze,
Whatever feels right for you and just simply become aware of your breath,
The natural breathing in and breathing out,
There's no need to change it in any way,
Your body knows exactly how to breathe,
Just notice the gentle rise and fall and the quiet anchor to this present moment,
Breathing in calm,
Breathing out relaxed,
And while you're doing that allow the body to relax,
Your body knows how to relax,
We just need to allow it,
We need to let go of some control,
Allow the body to breathe,
Allow the body to relax,
And you allow this moment to be what it is,
It's going to be what it is whether you allow it or not,
So we may as well allow it,
And just while you're settling in,
In the Japanese tradition there's something called wabasabi,
But it's a deep appreciation for the beauty in things that are imperfect and impermanent,
Like a weathered bench or a cracked cup,
The marks of time tell a valuable story,
So let's apply this gentle idea to ourselves,
We can choose to see every line and every ache not as a flaw but as a testament to a life fully lived,
To age is not to decline but to integrate all what we have been into in the person that we are now,
So this meditation is a chance to honour the beautiful living story of who you are in this moment,
So just breathe in calm,
Breathe out relax,
And just imagine yourself walking along a beach,
And you can hear the waves,
And you feel the soft sand under your feet,
And as you just change direction and put the sea behind you,
You just carry on walking,
And just up ahead of you is a small sandy and grassy sand dune,
And as you walk towards it you notice the effort of your body,
Perhaps a knee complains or your back feels a familiar ache,
Just acknowledge it,
These sensations without judgement are part of this story,
And as you reach the top of the dune,
And there just overlooking the whole coastline,
It's a simple wooden bench,
It's been there a long time,
You notice it's really weathered by the years,
The sun and the salt and the wind,
It looks sturdy and peaceful,
And as you walk over it you feel your body a little bit grateful just to sit down,
And as you just sat in listening to the sea,
You become aware of some company on the bench,
To one side of you a teenager is sitting,
And you recognise them instantly,
It is you,
And you notice they're restless and they've got energy,
And their feet tapping and eager to get up,
Perhaps they want to run down to the waves and plunge into the cold water,
Perhaps you want to do some of the other things they did,
And just notice that spark of impulse and that boundless energy they had,
And there's still part of you,
A vibrant memory that's held within you,
And now bring your awareness to the other side,
Yes it's a young adult,
And you notice it's also you,
They're a little calmer,
More measured,
They watch the teenager with a knowing gentle smile,
They understand the need for rest,
The wisdom in preserving energy,
They represent the lessons learned,
The responsibilities carried,
And the path that has led here,
This wisdom and sensibility are also part of you,
Now feel yourself in the centre,
Between these two familiar selves,
You are the culmination of both,
In you resides the echo of that youthful fire,
And the quiet strength and wisdom of the adult,
And as you just feel really relaxed and calm,
Sat here on this bench,
Brings a gentle awareness to your body as it sits here now,
The aches,
The stiffness,
The scars,
Are marks of life well lived,
Each one is a reminder of your journey,
This body has been your most loyal companion,
It's never left you,
It has danced,
It's worked,
It's carried burdens,
It's experienced joy,
It's always done its absolute best for you,
In every circumstances,
It's taken whatever had been thrown at it,
And it's handled it the best way it can,
And just feel that wave of gratitude,
Just now for your whole body,
And your mind,
It's all been there,
It's experienced everything you've experienced,
The joys,
The sorrows,
The journeys,
The heartbreaks,
The desires,
The fools and the fighting back,
You may want to place your hand on your heart for this bit,
And just feel your body,
And feel the energy in your body right now,
Feel the life,
And just silently offering these words to yourself,
From your heart,
May I be grateful for the journey that has helped shape me,
May I be grateful for the journey that has helped to shape me,
And may I cherish my body as the loyal friend it has always been,
May I cherish my body as the loyal friend it has always been,
May I be at peace with the perfect unfolding story of my life,
May I be at peace with the perfect unfolding story of my life,
And just bring your awareness back to your breath,
And there's just moments that are here,
And in a moment we're going to come back from five,
And bring your awareness back to the room,
Just before we do,
I want you to bring back with you the gratitude for your body,
And your mind,
And your journey,
And it's all been part of you,
Your experience,
Everything's included,
The times when you felt like you must want to run,
But it was always there,
It always has been,
Always will be,
So have a deep gratitude for your body,
And your mind,
And your soul,
And your spirit,
So five,
Just become aware once more of the feeling surfacing within you,
Four,
Notice the sounds in the room,
Three,
Sense the air on your skin,
And the temperature of the room,
Gently shake out your arms,
Or wiggle your fingers,
And toes,
Bringing the soft movement back to your body,
And when you feel ready,
Just gently and slowly open your eyes,
And just look around,
And just take a moment to thank yourself,
Not only for this moment,
Not only for this little time out,
But thank you for my journey in my life,
Thank you for being here,
And thank you for this moment,
For deep reflection,
I'm Stephen Webb,
And thank you for supporting me.
