The Forest and the Meadow.

Hi, it's me again with your next meditation. So with that, let's get started.
Make yourself comfortable and allow yourself to relax. Take a deep cleansing breath all the way down into your belly. Continue to breathe in this way for a moment or two. Allow your eyes to close and your mind to clear. If a thought comes into your mind, don’t worry about it. Just let it go and decide that you can come back to it later, but not right now. Inhale slowly, and exhale letting go of all the tension of the day. Once again, breathe in and out. Pay attention to your muscles. Let go of all of the tension that has them all tied up in knots. Inhale, exhale, you’re calm.
Now visualize that you’re walking through a lush green forest. There are tall trees reaching up on every side of you. The branches are filled with green leaves and are reaching high above you. Notice that the sun’s rays make designs of darkness and light all around you. Notice how at the same time the patterns of darkness and light play across your face and body. Notice also the warmth of the sun and the coolness of the shade at the same time.
Remember how your life was filled with moments of darkness and light. Despair and hope, disappointment and expectancy. Both the times of warmth and cold have come together to shape that you are today. Joy and sorrow are like the patterns of the leaves. Enjoy the warmth and the coolness. They both come together in order to make life good.
Over a little hill you come to a meadow of grass and wild flowers. All the colors of the rainbow. They’re all intermingled with the green grass. You lay down in the meadow and look up at the bright colors. The ground is inviting. There’s nothing here that can harm you in any way. Laying here is pleasurable. The ground moves under you, just like the waves of the ocean. Soft winds move through the blades of grass and wildflowers, and they touch you softly. The soft touches are relaxing.
You feel total quietude and solitude as the forest and the meadow captivate you and you’re one with nature. Everything in your life has come together to make this moment. You don’t have any regrets. You didn’t make any mistakes. During your life, you made choices that you thought were the best at that time. Each event of your life was a stepping-stone for the event that followed. In addition, this moment will lead you to others. However, for now you’re at peace and rest.
Notice the different sounds of the woodlands. The songs of various kinds of birds, the breezes rustling through the grass and wildflowers, you hear the branches making a creaking sound as it moves towards the earth. A woodpecker makes a hammering sound. These entire melodies come together to make nature’s symphony.
Every moment of life has come together to make its own special blend to the harmony in your life. Every sound around you came together to make a wonderful song of nature. Every individual sound is pleasurable by itself. However, when they come together, they sing a combined hymn of praise to God. You too, are part of God’s creation. You’re so calm and at one
With nature. The woodland creatures have adopted you as one of their own. A squirrel climbs halfway down an oak tree to get a closer look at you lying in the grass. A deer comes into the clearing. Both of you look at each other. Then she crosses the meadow. Next a blue bird lands next to you looking for worms. He looks at you shortly as if to say “Hi” then goes about his business. You feel at home here in the forest. Lay here and enjoy the communion with God and nature.
Close your eyes and listen to the sounds of nature. Inhale deeply, and exhale slowly. Fondly remember all that your senses beheld. Continue to feel all of the calmness, joy, and tranquility of relaxing in the forest.
Another cleansing breath brings you gently to the present. The contentment, mood, sights, smells, sounds, and textures of nature stay with you. As you come back to the here and now, you keep all that you’ve experienced in the forest and the meadow with you. One more deep cleansing breath and you feel refreshed, relaxed, and renewed. You still feel connected with nature and all is well.
When you feel ready, gently rouse yourself by counting slowly to five, opening your eyes, and stretching yourself out a little. Be as mindful of your surroundings now as you were in the woods a little while ago. Hold onto all of the good feelings that you’ve experienced as you go on with the rest of your day or evening.
I hope that you've enjoyed this meditation as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you. I'll be back in a couple of days with another meditation. So until then ~Nameste~,
Dana