WEBVTT 00:00:01.039 --> 00:00:04.879 Welcome to this guided meditation practice. In 00:00:04.879 --> 00:00:07.799 a moment, you will go through a journey of relaxation 00:00:07.799 --> 00:00:12.259 in your body and mind. For the first step of 00:00:12.259 --> 00:00:17.320 this journey, find a comfortable position. Rest 00:00:17.320 --> 00:00:19.559 your hands wherever they feel most comfortable 00:00:19.559 --> 00:00:23.219 for you. And when you're ready, gently close 00:00:23.219 --> 00:00:32.850 your eyes. Imagine a string coming out of the 00:00:32.850 --> 00:00:36.890 top of your head. As the string is pulled, allow 00:00:36.890 --> 00:00:41.490 your body to be shifted into alignment. Your 00:00:41.490 --> 00:00:45.409 spine lengthens as your shoulders drop. Your 00:00:45.409 --> 00:00:48.649 head moves up as your chin tucks in slightly. 00:00:50.350 --> 00:00:53.649 Notice your breath without judgment, without 00:00:53.649 --> 00:00:57.850 trying to change it. Just place a soft awareness 00:00:57.850 --> 00:01:04.540 around it. Whether your breath is relaxed, deep 00:01:04.540 --> 00:01:08.480 and open, or tight and constricted, your body 00:01:08.480 --> 00:01:13.739 knows what it needs. So give yourself permission 00:01:13.739 --> 00:01:17.819 to breathe as it feels comfortable in this moment. 00:01:33.959 --> 00:01:37.040 now gently let go of that awareness and take 00:01:37.040 --> 00:01:42.920 a few deep breaths counting to four on your inhale 00:01:42.920 --> 00:01:52.400 and release your exhale with a sigh inhale two 00:01:52.400 --> 00:02:09.610 three four release Release, two, three, four. 00:02:16.389 --> 00:02:19.969 As you breathe in your own time, you may notice 00:02:19.969 --> 00:02:24.930 feelings coming up. That's okay. Take this time 00:02:24.930 --> 00:02:29.530 for yourself. Allow yourself to feel whatever 00:02:29.530 --> 00:02:36.020 you need. Know that you're safe. like this on 00:02:36.020 --> 00:02:40.319 your own for a few moments. And if there are 00:02:40.319 --> 00:02:44.699 no emotions being stirred, that's okay too. Allow 00:02:44.699 --> 00:02:49.979 your body to slowly sink into a deep relaxation. 00:02:53.740 --> 00:02:57.199 Allow yourself to return to a comfortable breathing 00:02:57.199 --> 00:03:01.280 pattern. Notice how it's changed since the start 00:03:01.280 --> 00:03:06.400 of the practice. Bring your tension to the top 00:03:06.400 --> 00:03:15.080 of your head. Scan down your body, moving through 00:03:15.080 --> 00:03:18.379 one muscle at a time, starting with your face. 00:03:19.500 --> 00:03:23.319 As you scan down your body, remember these parts 00:03:23.319 --> 00:03:27.219 to release any tension that may have built up. 00:03:28.439 --> 00:03:33.599 Feel your facial muscles soften, your jaws release. 00:03:39.629 --> 00:03:42.930 travel down through your neck feeling the muscles 00:03:42.930 --> 00:03:49.030 relax as your neck lengthens move into your upper 00:03:49.030 --> 00:03:55.849 back and shoulders and allow them to drop now 00:03:55.849 --> 00:04:00.750 down through your upper arms your elbows your 00:04:00.750 --> 00:04:07.389 forearms and your hands return your awareness 00:04:07.389 --> 00:04:11.930 to your neck as you journey into your chest. 00:04:13.710 --> 00:04:19.769 Remember to release any tightness you feel. If 00:04:19.769 --> 00:04:23.189 you spend too long in one area, that's okay. 00:04:23.689 --> 00:04:30.050 Gently let go and move on. Now from your chest, 00:04:30.290 --> 00:04:33.649 move past your ribs, feeling your muscles relax 00:04:33.649 --> 00:04:39.800 more and more. Since your abdomen the middle 00:04:39.800 --> 00:04:43.779 and lower parts of your back. Take awareness 00:04:43.779 --> 00:04:51.160 through every part of your torso. In your time, 00:04:51.540 --> 00:04:54.860 gently moving to your pelvis, feel the spaces 00:04:54.860 --> 00:05:01.779 between expand and release. Imagine your glutes 00:05:01.779 --> 00:05:07.079 softening. Now travel through your upper legs. 00:05:07.360 --> 00:05:10.860 without forgetting your hamstrings and your knees, 00:05:11.879 --> 00:05:16.319 into your calves, your ankles, and your feet. 00:05:17.899 --> 00:05:23.019 And finally, arrive down at your toes. Allow 00:05:23.019 --> 00:05:26.980 yourself to release that awareness and sit in 00:05:26.980 --> 00:05:32.879 your newfound state of relaxation. Feel the weight 00:05:32.879 --> 00:05:56.870 of your body sinking down. Let's take a journey 00:05:56.870 --> 00:06:02.509 together. Imagine yourself laying down on the 00:06:02.509 --> 00:06:07.129 bank of a river. The sound of the water flowing 00:06:07.129 --> 00:06:13.829 against the rocks fills the air. Feel as cool 00:06:13.829 --> 00:06:19.350 pebbles press against your back. The sun pulses 00:06:19.350 --> 00:06:24.279 an easy, comfortable heat down onto you. and 00:06:24.279 --> 00:06:32.579 it melts away any tension the edges of your feet 00:06:32.579 --> 00:06:35.560 will lay in the river as the water streams past 00:06:35.560 --> 00:06:42.540 them allow all the colors to burst into your 00:06:42.540 --> 00:06:53.230 vision trees with green, brown, yellow of the 00:06:53.230 --> 00:06:58.670 leaves around you. All the pebbles of different 00:06:58.670 --> 00:07:05.189 shades. The water is so clear you can see the 00:07:05.189 --> 00:07:10.970 riverbed and the stones that are lining it. Take 00:07:10.970 --> 00:07:14.709 some time to just notice and imagine the environment 00:07:14.709 --> 00:07:29.990 around you. Gently remind yourself to breathe. 00:07:30.509 --> 00:07:34.310 Imagine the pure air entering your body and clearing 00:07:34.310 --> 00:07:44.110 it out, filling you with life. As you tune into 00:07:44.110 --> 00:07:48.410 the world around you with your senses, your breath, 00:07:49.149 --> 00:07:57.139 notice the clear flowing water. child to come 00:07:57.139 --> 00:08:00.879 out, the part of you that wants to explore, the 00:08:00.879 --> 00:08:08.360 part of you that wants to play. Gently imagine 00:08:08.360 --> 00:08:17.300 yourself walking into the river. Feel as the 00:08:17.300 --> 00:08:20.620 water pushes and tugs at your feet with the soft 00:08:20.620 --> 00:08:32.909 force of the stream. Each step the water climbs 00:08:32.909 --> 00:08:40.049 higher and higher. Notice the cool water as it 00:08:40.049 --> 00:08:48.070 swallows your legs a little more. Your feet wade 00:08:48.070 --> 00:08:57.250 through smooth, soft stones on the bottom. Give 00:08:57.250 --> 00:09:02.769 yourself permission away from daily life and 00:09:02.769 --> 00:09:05.409 notice the textures you feel on the bottom of 00:09:05.409 --> 00:09:11.289 your feet. The different sizes of the pebbles 00:09:11.289 --> 00:09:17.210 and stones, the smooth surfaces, the rough ones, 00:09:18.370 --> 00:09:20.309 some that have a layer of moss that makes them 00:09:20.309 --> 00:09:29.210 soft and slippery. Wiggle and stretch your toes 00:09:29.210 --> 00:09:35.610 as you breathe Feel the sun still beaming above 00:09:35.610 --> 00:09:44.230 while the water caresses your legs below Walk 00:09:44.230 --> 00:09:47.190 a little further towards the middle of the river 00:09:47.190 --> 00:09:53.070 As a water level rests below your knees, look 00:09:53.070 --> 00:10:00.470 down The water is so pure, so clean, you could 00:10:00.470 --> 00:10:05.669 drink it. Notice all the different colors and 00:10:05.669 --> 00:10:08.870 the way the ripples act on the surface of the 00:10:08.870 --> 00:10:16.570 water. Notice any small fish that are darting 00:10:16.570 --> 00:10:21.850 around, all living in a balance, existing for 00:10:21.850 --> 00:10:39.809 their purpose in the river. Their mouths gently 00:10:39.809 --> 00:10:50.870 tickling you, cleaning you, cleansing you. Take 00:10:50.870 --> 00:10:54.230 a moment to enjoy your presence here and remind 00:10:54.230 --> 00:11:22.340 yourself to breathe. back to the bank of the 00:11:22.340 --> 00:11:28.259 river. The water gives you a little resistance 00:11:28.259 --> 00:11:38.240 as it continues to course along your legs. Fall 00:11:38.240 --> 00:11:41.580 into a pattern of regular breathing that you 00:11:41.580 --> 00:11:46.220 find comfortable and slowly bring your awareness 00:11:46.220 --> 00:11:52.669 back to the world around you. right here in this 00:11:52.669 --> 00:11:58.970 room, the sounds, the sensation of the air, the 00:11:58.970 --> 00:12:07.389 way you feel right now. And as we begin to come 00:12:07.389 --> 00:12:11.470 out of this meditation, wiggle your toes and 00:12:11.470 --> 00:12:16.330 your fingers, sway your head from side to side, 00:12:17.389 --> 00:12:21.809 and give your body a gentle stretch. Coming back, 00:12:21.970 --> 00:12:40.429 coming back to reality. Remember that taking 00:12:40.429 --> 00:12:43.289 some time in nature has impressive results on 00:12:43.289 --> 00:12:46.730 your cognition, your brain activity, and your 00:12:46.730 --> 00:12:51.409 mental health. Exposing ourselves to nature by 00:12:51.409 --> 00:12:54.169 taking a walk for just 10 minutes can help reduce 00:12:54.169 --> 00:13:03.769 our stress and anxiety levels. As you continue 00:13:03.769 --> 00:13:07.450 on this journey of deep relaxation and meditation, 00:13:08.230 --> 00:13:11.529 try to find some time each day for yourself to 00:13:11.529 --> 00:13:14.769 walk through a park or anywhere that nature is 00:13:14.769 --> 00:13:18.690 present or come back to this recording. at any 00:13:18.690 --> 00:13:27.750 time. And when you're ready, gently open your 00:13:27.750 --> 00:13:32.090 eyes and give yourself gratitude and thanks. 00:13:37.710 --> 00:13:40.509 And here at Combination, we want to thank you 00:13:40.509 --> 00:13:43.070 for joining us on this guided meditation journey, 00:13:43.429 --> 00:13:47.139 and we're grateful you are here. look forward 00:13:47.139 --> 00:13:49.879 to spending time with you together on the next 00:13:49.879 --> 00:13:50.139 one.