Allow yourself to breathe

Hello and welcome! I’m so happy you chose to take this walk with me, but first and foremost thank you for choosing to show up for yourself and do something a little bit different that you would normally do at this time.

Grab your shoes, grab yourself and let’s begin whenever you are ready.

You are standing up, staying still.

You are not moving, yet your thoughts are running wild in your mind.

Just for a moment allow yourself to breathe...

It’s okay, let your thoughts run. Watch them, observe them, you don’t have to understand them.

Allow yourself to breathe...

When was the last time you chose to take a pause? When was the last time you looked at the sky? The trees? The miracles that exist and happen right in front of our eyes?

Take a moment to look at what's right in front of you, take it in.

Allow yourself to breathe...

Before you start walking, I’d like to invite you to close your eyes for a second. I want you to set your intentions for this meditation. Make a conscious decision about what you will choose, about how you would like to feel by the end of your walk.

Set this intention, that with every step you take you will be getting closer and closer to yourself. You will connect deeper and deeper with the present moment, letting go of any thoughts or fears that do not serve you at this very time. That by the end of your walk you will feel lighter, happier, at peace.

Allow yourself to breathe…

Can you make this promise to yourself, for yourself, at this moment, to be present? To see, to taste, to feel, to smell, to hear, without attachment?

What are you going to choose? Who are you going to be? Allow yourself to see it, to feel it.

Open your eyes and experience that potential - that could be you, in fact... that is you.

Allow yourself to breathe…

Take your first step, and now take your second. Create your own pace, going as fast or as slow as you like.

One step at a time, one breath at a time… Allow yourself to breathe…

If no one was watching how would you act? Who would you be? Would you run like a child, carefree and delighted? Would you be walking on a straight line or going zic zac, up and down? Really, how would you walk?

Walk like yourself, walk in a way that makes you feel good, in a way that expresses everything you want to feel and everything you would like to be.

One step at a time, one breath at a time… Allow yourself to breathe…

Bring your awareness to your posture. Are your shoulders back or are you facing towards the ground? Are you proud to be walking like your empowered self or are you rushing, passing through blessings and miracles of life without giving them a second glance?

Take a look, observe. Scan your body, how does it feel? How do you feel?

One step at a time, one breath at a time… Allow yourself to breathe...

Pretend that this is the first time you are walking. Pretend that you are a tourist, passing for the first time by this road, pathway, corridor or wherever you might be at this very moment. Pretend that you have no identity, no name, no past, no future. Pretend that all you have is the now. What can you see? Really, what can you see?

One step at a time, one breath at a time… Allow yourself to breathe…

Let your thoughts come and go. Let them be without fighting them. Let them come and go. It’s okay if you get caught up in them. It’s okay if they drag you along. Your mind is constantly running, never choosing to walk. You are usually the one to follow and let it carry you along, but for this time just allow it to adapt to your pace instead, to follow your rhythm so it can get some rest.

One step at a time, one breath at a time… Allow yourself to breathe…

Will you choose to come back to the now?

Will you choose to be the leader and guide of your life?

The choice is yours to make - who do you want to be?

One step at a time, one breath at a time… Allow yourself to breathe…

How does your body feel when you choose yourself? How does your body feel when you consciously choose not to engage with your thoughts but rather be greater than them? How do you fee as the observer? How does your body feel?

No need to name those feelings, no need to analyse them or question them. Just be present with them, feel them, and if they feel good even better, embrace them.

One step at a time, one breath at a time… Allow yourself to breathe…

Watch where your mind might linger to, watch from a distance and kindly ask yourself to let go a little bit more. To patiently and peacefully connect with this moment, with your surroundings, your breath and your body. Breathe in, breathe out.

Your mind will try to understand, to make a meaning out of your feelings. Your mind would be your enemy unless you give it permission to let go, to surrender.

Your feelings are not meant to be understood, they are meant to be felt.

Breathe in, breathe out.

One step at a time, one breath at a time… Allow yourself to breathe…

Where are you walking? How does the ground feel with every step you take?

Slow down a little bit more. Can you hear the sound your shoes, your feet make when you hit the surface of the ground? Listen.

How does it sound? Does it have a rhythm to it? A beat?

Make every step count, walk with purpose. Listen.

One… two… three… one… two… three…

This is your music, this is your walk. You are the creator - how does your song sound? How do you want it to sound? Do the echoes of nature adequately merge with your masterpiece? Listen.

What is that melody in the background? I can hear the wind among the trees, a chant of comfort and peace. Listen, I think they are trying to speak.

One step at a time, one breath at a time… Allow yourself to breathe…

It’s the wind. It’s the wind that delicately orchestrates the elements of nature. Tell me, how does it feel? Is it a cold or warm breeze?

Does it gently caress your face or does it wildly run through your hair? Feel.

How does your body, your feet, your soles feel when you hit the ground? Are you walking on soft sand, or amongst a forest full of trees? Is it a delicate surface or are you walking on sharp, edgy rocks?

Make every step count, walk with purpose. Feel.

One… two… three… one… two… three…

This is your story, this is your walk. How does your body feel? Are you tense or are you relaxed? How do you want to feel? Are you trusting your journey or anxiously watching every step? Be present. Feel.

Slow down a little bit more, be gentle with yourself. No one is rushing, no one is running. Take a deep breath in, feel.

One step at a time, one breath at a time… Allow yourself to breathe…

The trees. Those magical creations of nature, essentials for our being. Can you spot one around you? Tell me, what do you see?

Where are you at this very moment? Can you see anything unusual? Observe.

If this was a picture, how many colors could you name for me? What’s a detail you never came across before and only became aware of right now? May with every step you take become more and more aware of the magic that surrounds you. May you connect deeper with your surroundings.

Make every step count, walk with purpose. Observe.

One… two… three… one… two… three…

This is your movie, this is your walk. What can you see? Pay attention to those miraculous details. Notice how one pattern completes the other, how every line completes one another, how everything is orchestrated to work together. Observe.

How miraculous is this life? How many blessings do we overlook everyday in our lives? Take a moment now to notice them, appreciate them… take them in.

One step at a time, one breath at a time… Allow yourself to breathe…

Just imagine a tree planted in a different position, a meter, or two away from its current spot. Imagine if you were born a year or two from your birth day. How distinct would this place be? How different would your walk, your journey be?

Even if we believe we know how a moment, an incident, a decision, could have changed our lives for the better or the worst, we truly don’t. Everything is designed in such a way that every second and every bit of our time comes to play when we look back at where we are today.

Forgive yourself for not knowing better. Let go of the blame, the shame and guilt you hold in your heart.

If you have known better, you would have done better. We are always doing the best we can, always.

One step at a time, one breath at a time… Allow yourself to breathe…

Looking at the past is not fair on your present self. You are now aware of the outcomes, of how a situation unfolded, of how a person reacted, you couldn’t have predicted that, you couldn’t have changed that.

The only way you could learn, you could grow was by making that ‘mistake’, which I personally just like to call a lesson.

Take this moment now to let go of whatever fear, anxiety, thought that no longer serves you and allow light to enter your heart.

One step at a time, one breath at a time… Allow yourself to breathe…

You deserve to feel happy.

You deserve to feel at peace.

You deserve everything you’ve ever imagined and much more than that.

Make these final steps count, walk with purpose.

One step at a time, one breath at a time… Allow yourself to breathe…

Think about one thing that makes you happy. Think of something that you are grateful for. Could have been from your today’s walk, could be something that’s currently in your life. It could be as simple as having a pen to write - it’s up to you, just picture it in your mind.

What does that feel like? Can you feel your heart expanding? Can you feel a smile on your face?

Allow this emotion to spread...

When you are ready think about another thing, and then another. Give permission to yourself to smile. Allow the blessings to overcome the worries that are currently present in your life.

One step at a time, one breath at a time… Allow yourself to breathe…

Slowly slowly I’d like to invite you to stop walking and take a pause. You can even close your eyes if you’d like. I want you to connect with this moment, your breath, maybe even place a hand or two over your heart - I will leave it up to you.

Take a deep breath in and a deep breath out.

Take this moment to thank yourself for this incredible walk you’ve just taken. Thank yourself for showing up, for taking some time out of your busy life to connect with your heart, to connect with this present moment.

Allow the feeling of gratitude to spread along your body, feel it flowing through your arms, your legs, feel it buzzing at your fingerprints, your toes. Imagine tiny bubbles of light starting to glow as this feeling of gratitude is growing with them.

I am so happy that you didn’t give up. I am so happy that you finished this walk and I hope that you feel lighter than when you started.

I am going to finish this with one of my favorite sayings of all time.

As The Dalai Lama once said:

“If a problem is fixable, if a situation is such that you can do something about it, then there is no need to worry. If it's not fixable, then there is no help in worrying. There is no benefit in worrying whatsoever”.

Remember this. Remember this feeling, remember peace. Remember to walk with purpose and to be present.

One step at a time, one breath at a time… Allow yourself to breathe…

Enjoy the rest of your day. Namaste.