Philippa Poppesqou

Johannesburg, South Africa

Inge

Hemiksem, Belgium

Ann Satchell

Birmingham

Kelly Marie

Rochester, NY, USA

English

This meditation helps you let go of negativity by envisioning yourself in a calming stream. You'll release troubling thoughts like leaves floating away. Then, you'll experience self-love and acceptance as a warm stream, leaving you refreshed and ready for your day.

Float Into Acceptance

 Acceptance of what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune. William James. Get comfortable either sitting on a chair or cushion or lying on your bed or on the floor in a relaxed position. Take a deep breath in, hold for a few seconds and release slowly. For a few moments just focus on your breath and clear your mind of worries. Follow your breath in and out. Follow it getting in through your nose, going down all the way to your lungs and then going back up and out with a whooshing sound from your mouth. Practice this slow breathing sequence a few times. Now go back to your regular breathing rhythm and imagine yourself sitting or standing in the middle of a stream. The water is flowing away in front of you. It's cool and comforting, trickling around you. Notice the sound of the running water. Notice if there are any trees, plants, flowers or animals on the banks of the stream. Now see leaves floating down the stream away from you. They can be any shape, color or size. As the negative thoughts come into your mind, be aware of what the thought is and then place it on the leaf. Now watch it float away down the stream. Do this with each thought as you notice it and for as long as you like until you feel better. As you acknowledge each of your thoughts, you don't need to hang on to them. There is no need to become attached to the thought. Just acknowledge it and then place it on a leaf. By watching it float away, it loses its hold on you and its intensity. Work on three thoughts and put each and every one of them on a leaf and send them down the stream while I stay quiet. Now shift your focus to the point above your head and imagine that there is a warm steady stream of sunlight flowing directly into your body. Accept this time that sunlight is love and acceptance. As it enters through the top of your head and radiates down to your toes, you can feel it cleansing your body, wiping any tension you have clean. Imagine that love and acceptance travels throughout your body, all the way to your toes. As it flows through you, it leaves you with a sense of ease. Love and acceptance fill your body and with it comes the dissolution of tension and discomfort. Now the love and self-acceptance are traveling back up your body, moving from your legs to your waist and into your chest. Love and acceptance spread to your shoulders, tingling into your arms, hands and fingers. As they move back into your neck, throat, face and head, you can feel all tension disappear. With every breath you take, feel your chest fill with air and your belly expand. With every breath you exhale, you relax deeper into a state of self-acceptance and love. As you focus on your breathing, you can feel the weather change slightly. It's still warm and welcoming, but droplets of cool, refreshing rainfall comes. As those drops meet your skin, you allow your head to fall back, arms outstretched, sinking deeper into acceptance as you accept the rain. You constantly evolve throughout this life. You shed old habits, characteristics and attitudes when they no longer serve you. While ending this acceptance meditation, take with you the feelings of love and acceptance you experienced. And in your own time, when you feel ready to return to your day, open your eyes gently, from my heart to yours, with all my love and gratitude. Namaste.