My Lucid Reality

Every week I post a guided meditation, I do this at the end of the week in order to help release the past week and give us a fresh start leading into the new one.  The purpose of guided meditation is to take you beyond conditioned thinking into a deeper state of relaxation and awareness.  Some of the reported benefits of meditation include: allowing improvements in concentration, general health, a deeper level of relaxation, and a decrease in muscle tension.

Disclaimer:  This is not a substitute for appropriate medical attention. Statements offered on this website are not intended to treat, cure, or prevent any disease or illness.  This recording is not recommended for people suffering from mental disorders or illness.

I call this weeks meditation “The Bridge” we start off listening or reading, the details are vague, but as we listen, as we read, as we let the words wash over us, we begin to experience more detail, more sensations, more of this imagination world and less of the one that you are in right now.  As we continue, each word, each noise, everything will guide us slowly over the bridge into a stage of sleep very much like a dream.  Breathing will become easier, thought will no longer have to be so structured and focus, it’ll feel like falling to sleep, and in that regard it’s safe to let yourself go, lean back, and breathe deep.

Before we begin it’s important to be in a place that is comfortable, and where you won’t be very interrupted, random noises won’t matter, but major disruptions are more difficult to ignore.

Sit back, relax, let your thoughts flow freely over the course of your week, don’t worry about structuring your thoughts, simply imagine yourself to be a large kettle that over the last week has been filled with water from so many sources, where the water came from isn’t important, take this time to let it tip and pour out, as you do so thoughts and memories and feelings will all flow through your mind.  You need not take the time to filter through the events that flash through you, just let go, let it flow over you, and listen.

It all begins as you sit, breathing, relaxing, letting your muscles relax with every word, letting your eyes relax, letting these words flow into you, and around you, like a rock on a riverbed, saturated, surrounded, and strong by the words that slowly move you towards the destination of rest, relaxation, and meditation.  Let images replace what your eyes see, you can close them, or open them, it works either way, breathe deep, let solace wash over you with every thought.  At first the images are fuzzy, covered in grey, a thick mist that hovers all around you, it eddies and flurries around you as you move, looking left and right, memorizing your surroundings, taking in what details you can through the gray earthbound cloud.

To your left there is a hand rail, solid wood as thick around as your wrist; it leads off towards the distance, the wood clean and fresh, despite an indefinable age.  It seems to echo life, as though it were still a part of a living tree, touching the guide it feels warm to your hand, now looking right you see the other side of the bridge, not far to the right, but distorted slightly by the heavy fog.  Take a deep breath, let your shoulder relax as you take a step forward, moving from the gravely sand of the path onto the solid aged wood of the bridge.  Planks without finite detail feel solid under your confident foot step, the wood moving left to right through the haze, a sprout of life at the edge of each side furthering the imagined life that still courses through this airborne path.

Take a further step forward, listen closely as with the step birds sing in the distance, a playful twitter that echoes through the woods you just passed through, listen again as your feet pad with continued steps forward, feeling comfortable with the wooden rail casually within reach, noticing with this step that there’s an intricate branching woven from the bridge to the rail artistry to rival that of a flowery basket.

Slow and steady the path across the bridge moves, with each step moving closer to this stage of meditation where the details are clearer, the feelings, the smells and sounds all so real.  With this footstep forward you look towards the sky, grey high above giving way to a hint of blue skies to come, rolling, billowing, slowly drifting clouds that block out the sun, but leave enough light for hope to still shine through.

Take another step forward, as you do so let your shoulder muscles relax, your arms can rest easily at your side, breathe, find comfort in the little details you feel and see around you, the clothes you’re wearing, the feeling of solid wood beneath you, the invigorating sensation of cool mist on your hands and face, not uncomfortably cold, but undeniably ideal and real.  As the details take shape you feel yourself falling into a deeper state of relaxation, the pleasant sensation of peace and rest saturating you.  Notice the details, listen closely to the steady flowing water under the bridge; like the pain and stress from the week before, it passes, water under the bridge.  Smile, breathe, let the water flow on, unhindered.  Laughing silently at how ridiculous it would be to go under the bridge and chase the swiftly flowing water to hold onto moments that are better left in the past.

Another step, a cleansing breath in, and out, releasing tension as with this step a ray of sunshine breaks through the fog, the smell is that of a fresh garden, ready to harvest.  Close your eyes against the light, even with your eyes closed you can sense it, slightly above and in front of you, at first searing and white, but as you smile and breathe again the light burns less, and you take another step forward.  Opening your eyes you can see the bridge is greater detail, the wood looks alive, blossoms opening to the light as you look around, through the twined railing water as it flows away to your left.  The water bounces off of stones in a playful white and clear display, disappearing into the glowing white mist, illuminated by the glowing light.

Moving forward, the detail again become more clear as the mist retreats to a full blue sky, green horizon, endless stretches of grass ahead with just enough trees to be welcoming; in the distance as the haze gives way you see a picnic blanket and a loved one.  Your hand leaves the railing, kicking off your shoes you feel the grass against your feet, mist disappearing behind you as you burst forward, laughing, running, singing with joy and contentment.  Take a deep breath, hold it, and release.  Remember every step on the bridge, every detail of the path as you reach the picnic blanket and continue the dream, letting your mind take the details so much further, with every thought, every word, and every sensation finding contentment and peace.

Take all the time on the grass that you need, explore the basket, the food, lay back and watch the sky; feel the wind from the gentle breeze trace over your skin.  Remember to breathe as you hold this moment, letting your body relax.

Stay here as long as you feel the need, take it slow and easy; when you feel rested and ready hear the soft voice calling: one… coming up now; two, lighter still, and three, fully awake and able to face a new week refreshed and confident. 

Thank you for coming to my meditation with me, please let me know what you think, what you felt, and if you could share this with someone you feel needs a little mental rinse after last week, send them here. 

Note:  Audio File coming shortly, it’s been a tiring week and it’ll take me a minute to get a recording that doesn’t sound like I’m about to fall asleep myself.  I appreciate your understanding, and sympathy, and kind words, and encouragement, and smiles, and happiness, and… I think I’ll go to bed.