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This guided meditation will help to align your energies with the earth’s energies so that you feel calm, refreshed and at peace. It begins with awareness on the out breath, which helps to keep you focused in the present moment. The guided meditation itself is done as a visualization exercise, but you could do it outdoors sitting with your back against a tree. Trees and plants have their own energy fields and you can absorb this energy in a positive and revitalizing way for your whole being. The Tree guided meditation could be particularly grounding for you if you live in a city and do not have easy access to nature.

Preparation

Find a room in your home where you will be undisturbed. If this is not possible, a corner in a room could become your place of regular meditation. Prepare the room if you can with a lighted candle, some fresh flowers, and some lighted incense, or aromatherapy oils to purify the space. Make sure the room is warm, and that the lighting is soft. When you first begin to meditate choose a place that is not too noisy. A blanket over your legs can be comforting. Placing a shawl, or blanket around your shoulders can also be a part of your attire for your meditations. Wear loose, comfortable clothing making sure there is no tightness at your waist, hips, or chest. Switch off your mobile, and take the phone off the hook. Turn off any other appliances that may interfere with your meditation. This is time out for you, your time away from all other responsibilities. Affirm that you deserve this time out.

Posture

You can sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor, and your hands resting in your lap, or on your thighs. It is preferable to sit for meditation without leaning onto the back of the chair.

You may choose to sit on a cushion on the floor. You can do this by sitting cross-legged. Choose a cushion that elevates your buttocks. Rest your hands in your lap. Traditionally the palms of the hands can be upturned on your thighs with the thumbs and index fingers lightly touching.

However you decide to sit, keep your back straight throughout the practice.

To help center yourself, gently sway from side to side, and then gently move from your hips, forwards and then backwards. You will sense where the center of gravity is in your body to keep you aligned.

So, let’s begin …

Gently close your eyes. Take in a deep breath … and as you breathe out, just notice how your body is feeling right now. Become aware of yourself sitting on the chair … your back straight … your buttocks on the seat … your hands resting in your lap … your feet flat on the floor … or, if you are seated on the floor, also be aware that you are sitting comfortably, with your back straight and your hands resting in your lap or your preferred position.

Now, bring your attention to your breath … but only the outward breath. Just be aware of each outward breath … stay focused on the breath as you breathe out, just the outward breath only. Become aware of the breath going out … stay focused on the outward breath … focusing on the outward breath brings your attention back to being in the present. Become aware of the breath going out … let the noticing of the breath trail away as you breathe out so that there is a gap in your concentration when you breathe in. Continue to focus on the out-breath only and be aware of the gap between the outgoing breath and the incoming breathe. Continue by yourself now for another thirty seconds.

Resting now in timeless awareness, allow the breath to be just as it is … allowing the breath to come and go as it will, being in a state of mental awareness and deeper and deeper relaxation.

Create in your mind now an image or a picture of a large tree. Imagine that you are sitting with your back against the tree. Feeling the roughness or smoothness of the bark of the tree against your back.

Now, slowly merge yourself with the bark of the tree and become it. As you meld with the tree, becoming one with it, visualize its or your roots penetrating deeply into the earth. Visualize the roots sinking down into the earth and spreading up to find nourishment from the soil … spreading out in a wide arc to absorb water and minerals from the earth … feel yourself being held by the gravitational pull to the earth … feel the earth nourishing and feeding you so that you remain grounded … and sink deeper and deeper into a calm and still space.

Keep on allowing the breath to come and go as it will. Feel the earth beneath you and feel yourself merged with the tree.

Now, watch the branches in your mind fanning outward and upward into the sky. See, feel, or hear the branches reaching out towards the Sun’s warmth and vitality … reaching up to the Sun for nourishment and life.

Feel the solidness of the trunk of the tree as the center of your body keeping you straight and upright. The trunk as the carrier for nutrients to flow through your body …

Now, still with your eyes closed, very slowly reach down and touch the floor beside you with the palms of your hands … and as you do this, visualize that you are feeling the warmth of the earth and your connectedness with the earth.

Now, very very slowly, turn your hands over with your eyes closed so that your palms are facing upwards … and slowly raise your hands and your arms upwards until they are extending over your head. As you do this, imagine that you are feeling the warmth of the sun and your connectedness to it … feeling your chest opening with your arms raised … feeling the energy flowing through your body … the subtle vibrations of the life force being drawn into your body.

Slowly now, bring your hands and arms down and place your left hand … about one inch or two centimeters below your navel … and your right hand just below your rib cage. Feel the warmth and flow of energy through your hands and into your body … the warmth of the earth and the warmth of the sun … as above, so below … holding you in quiescence and harmony and equanimity … in groundedness and awareness and consciousness.

And in the still, silent space … come back to your breath once more … letting the image of the tree fade … but knowing that you are imbued with these qualities … knowing that you are imbued with the qualities of harmony … quiescence … equanimity … groundedness … awareness …

Be again being just aware of the outward breath … and the space between the outward breath and the inward breath … just be aware of each outward breath … the breath trailing out as you breathe out … and the pause as you breathe in … the outward breath, just be aware of the outward breath … breathing in your own rhythm … breathing with stillness … each outward breath centering you in this present moment. Breathe with awareness each outward breath …

And, once again, just breathe freely and easily … remain breathing in your own rhythm … and taking a deep and clearing breath … And when you are ready, slowly open your eyes.