showing peace

image by Fabrice Villard on Unsplash

doing peace

the theme today is Inner Peace

This is a 5 minute mindfulness practice, based on the poem by Rumi.

Find a comfortable position with some part of your feet touching the ground - lying down, sitting cross legged, sprawled on a chair, leaning against a friendly wall. Get comfortable and stable. Take a few deep breaths, making your out-breath a little longer than your in-breath. Let your shoulders scrunch up close to your ears and then drop them down. Do it again. And once more.

Now close your eyes and imagine yourself as a tree in the summer; your torso and legs are the trunk, your arms branches reaching for the sky, your senses like leaves, drawing in information. Is there a bird nesting in one of your hands, an idea you are nurturing? Breath deeply in and out. Enjoy the sunlight, dappled through your leaves. Then imagine the seasons changing, your leaves turning gold and red before tumbling groundwards. Hear their crunch under feet, as the fiery colours of autumn bleach to greys and whites, dark silhouettes against the sky.

It is winter now. Your arms are wrapped in coats and gloves and your senses are switched to a different rhythm, turned inwards against the chill.

But how about your roots? Send your breaths down to your feet. Imagine your feet grounding into the floor, tendrils anchoring you, earth between your toes. They hold you strong and steady in the winter storms. Imagine them strengthened with every in-breath, any sadness or anger let go with every out-breath. Your foot-roots are growing as you breathe, making sure you are safe and secure.

Keep thinking about your breaths in and out as you imagine the roots, now established, being riotous - having a party in the dark earth, while your leaf senses sleep. Each inhale refreshes them a little more and fills them with a bit more energy, ready for spring. Feel their joy, their ecstasy. Each season brings new opportunities, none better, none worse, and the roots are enjoying winter's possibilities.

Let that feeling, that energy, begin to rise up through your feet. Wriggle your toes. Imagine your legs alive with that happiness. Wriggle your fingers. It is spreading through your whole body now, suffusing you with a smile - let it appear on your face. Move your head from side to side.

It may be cold and dark outside but you are full of that energy, just waiting for spring, ready for anything.

Let your breathing return to normal and drop your head towards your chest before letting your eyes drift open. Breathe in and out. Stretch up, feel tall. Hold on to that thought - it may be quiet, but the roots are down there riotous.