Good morning and welcome.
I'm so pleased to have you here with us today.
In this guided visualisation we're going to be travelling to some old and ancient rolling hills and seeing what insight might be there for us to carry on our day with us today.
I really like to start my days engaging my imagination.
I find that my imagination can be my best friend and my worst enemy,
Sometimes at the same time,
At any given time.
So by taking a few minutes this morning or whenever it is you're doing this visualisation to recruit your imagination and use it to connect with yourself and what you'd like to get out of the day ahead of you.
It's just a great way of channelling all that imaginative energy into something that serves you.
So I'll invite you now to begin by finding a comfortable position if you're not in one already,
Whether that's seated or lying down.
Once you're there,
I just want you to allow your body to settle.
Gently close your eyes or soften your gaze as we take a slow,
Deep breath in through the nose if you can and then exhale gently out through the mouth.
Let your breath return to its natural rhythm now and just bring your awareness to the weight of your body.
Feel it being held by the earth,
The bed,
A chair,
The floor beneath you,
Whatever it is that's rising gently to meet you and supporting every part of your body that connects with it.
We're just going to take our attention there.
Knowing that you're held and supported,
I want you to try and let your shoulders soften a bit more.
Unclench your jaw.
Imagine your eyebrows and your forehead and all of those tiny little muscles around the crown of your head releasing,
Like soft morning mist lifting off the land.
If you can,
We're just trying to relax them 10% more than they are already.
Your day is beginning but there is no need to rush into it with force or haste.
For these next few minutes,
Nothing is required of you.
This is your time to arrive gently and set the tone for the day ahead.
So let's begin.
In your mind's eye,
I want you to picture yourself inside a small cottage,
With a large solid door and wooden beamed windows.
It's cosy and comfortable in here and it's decorated exactly to your taste.
Golden light spills in through the glass,
Casting warmth over familiar furniture and soft textures.
And as you look through the window,
You see other cottages nestled nearby in vibrant green rolling hills that go on and on.
The land here feels old and kind and it's reassuring.
You walk towards the front door and open it,
And as you take a step outside,
The air is cool and fresh on your skin.
The scent of morning dew on the grass fills your nostrils.
You hear birdsong,
A passing breeze,
A distant laugh,
The gentle hum of the hillsfolk waking up around you.
Take a moment to look around.
What or who do you see?
This is a safe place,
A beginning place,
And with each breath,
You root more deeply into this world,
Into its stillness,
Its wholeness and its quiet wisdom.
In the distance,
You can make out someone who seems to be steadily approaching you,
Up a winding path that leads to you.
From this far away,
You can't make out much about them,
But as they get closer to you,
You can tell that they move with calm,
Purposeful steps.
There's something familiar about them.
They seem wise,
Kind and deeply knowing.
And with that insight,
You trust them.
You wait as they make their way closer towards you,
And as they reach you,
You notice the finer details of their face.
The warmth in their eyes.
The stillness in their presence.
You take in what they're wearing,
And the quiet but assuring way they seem to see right through you.
Behind their back,
They're holding something,
And you know that what they hold is a gift they have come to bring you.
Something for you to carry with you on your journey out beyond the village today.
Take a second to imagine what that gift is.
Receive it as they outstretch their hand and give it to you.
Observe every detail,
And let whatever it is find its form in your mind's eye and just allow it to be what it is,
Whether it makes sense or not.
Does this gift carry any meaning?
A message?
A word or a colour?
Perhaps it might have a scent or song,
Or perhaps it might be a little bit perplexing.
You're not entirely sure why you're being given this,
But you trust this stranger,
And that it might come to make sense.
So you hold it close,
Or tuck it somewhere safe.
You thank this stranger,
And as they turn to walk onward on their own path,
You feel something gently shift inside you,
As if a new thread of your day has been teased out,
A new option of how things could be today.
You take another look at the gift you were given,
A symbol from this world that now belongs to you.
Let it speak to you.
Ask yourself,
What quality does this gift offer me today?
Perhaps it carries calm,
Or courage,
Or a spark of creativity.
Maybe it's a reminder to speak gently,
Assertively,
Or to listen more closely or discerningly.
Perhaps it encourages action,
Or a pause for thought.
There's no right or wrong answer,
Just some insight that rises up from within you.
Now take a breath in,
And as you exhale,
Softly name this quality to yourself,
Either in your mind or out loud if you'd like.
Today I carry… what is it?
What is it you carry that the gift is offering you?
Say it again,
Letting it take shape in your mind and being.
Today I carry… know that to be true.
Because now you are ready to go out on your adventure,
Wherever it takes you,
Beyond the rolling green hills.
So we're going to start to bring your awareness back to your body now.
Back to the feeling in your body.
Supported,
Steady,
Safe.
Gently wiggling your fingers and your toes.
Taking a deep breath in and out.
Tune in to your senses and anything you can hear,
Touch,
Taste or smell in the space that surrounds you as we come back to the present moment.
And when you're ready,
Flutter your eyes open and lift your gaze.
Carry your gift with you today.
The rolling hills with their wisdom and kindness are always here,
And so is the part of you that met the morning with peace and life.
This insight is yours.
Let it guide you,
Steady you and gently draw you back to what matters to you most as you move through the day.
Thank you again for taking this time to sit with me today and travel to the rolling hills and I look forward to being with you again for another guided visualisation soon.
