Butterfly Guided Meditation
Ideally record your voice speaking this meditation or get a friend to read it whilst you relax.
When you are comfortable and ready, sitting or lying down in loose comfortable clothes ready to relax (make sure that mobile phone is switched to silent!).
Close your eyes and relax. Take a deep breath, in through the nose and out through the mouth. Allow yourself to breath deeply, refreshing your entire system with clean revitalising pure air.
Imagine that you are standing in the middle of a bright sunny field, the grass is swaying softly in the slight breeze, you can hear birds in the far distance as they fly from tree to tree. You are alone in the field but not lonely. Safe and secure. There may be a smell on the air of summer flowers, slowly releasing their pollen for the bees that are flitting from flower to flower at a safe comfortable distance. The sun is beating down comfortably and relaxing all your muscles as you stand there in the peaceful calm.
As you stand there underneath the sun, you feel it slowly relaxing you from head to foot, starting off with your crown, forehead, cheeks and chin...... moving down slowly across the tops of your shoulders and back, just allow any tension to be brought to the surface and blow away in the gentle breeze..... moving now over your arms, chest and stomach..... the sun is gently freeing you of any remaining tension...... calmer and more relaxed, you notice as it moves now to your hips and down your legs to your feet. Just take a minute now to notice how relaxed you feel. How peaceful and calm.
As you look around the field, you can hear a stream bubbling towards the hedge and as you walk over towards it, you come across five worn sandstone steps. Feeling warm and contented you choose to take off your shoes and stand on the first step. The heat of the day has warmed the step and it is smooth and comfortable as you stand there on the edge looking down towards the steady flowing stream. As you descend these steps, you find yourself becoming more and more peaceful. Becoming deeper and deeper relaxed. Taking the first step now.... more and more relaxed..... second step..... feeling any residual tension just evaporate..... third step...... fourth step..... so relaxed and calm.... and finally, fifth step.
The stream is in front of you now. Notice the rich green grass bordering the stream, the clear crisp revitalising water flowing, the texture contrast between the crisp water, the gently swaying grass and the smooth pebbles lying just underneath the surface. Further down the stream, birds are landing to take a drink and you watch them silently, listening to the beat of their wings as the land and take off. Listen to the sound of the stream as it ripples and flows over the pebbles. Perhaps you would like to dip your feet into the clean, crisp water and feel the sensation of it running through your toes, relaxing and revitalising you with truly the water of life.
A movement catches your eye and you see a beautiful butterfly landing on a flower nearby, notice it's colours and patterns, radiant and beautiful. The way it beats it's wings, strong and powerful. Free to fly wherever and whenever it chooses. Your butterfly then rises up into the air and you realise that you want to follow it. You find that you too have risen, your feet have left the ground and you are floating in the breeze, happy, contented and safe.
As the butterfly in front of you flutters off, you follow it without a care. Passing over a beautiful lake with calm, tranquil waters. The very sight fills you with an overwhelming sense of tranquillity, peace and clarity. Flying on now over a forest with tall strong trees, able to bend in a breeze but still retain themselves, strong roots that burrow deep to hold them firm. Listen to the breeze as it blows softly through the leaves, almost making them dance in the gentle wind. Seeing the powerful trees gives you a sense of strength and resilience.
As you follow the butterfly, a question enters your mind. Something that you have been wondering about for a while but not known how to find the answer. You know deep inside that when you land, the answer will come to you. Flying further over hills and valleys, you see wildlife, at one with nature. Sheep and cows grazing in the meadows, waterfalls flowing, perhaps even people strolling through the fields.
Your butterfly floats down towards a shady wooded clearing now and as you follow, you are able to verbalise your question. You feel secure and free and when you land, your butterfly floats back and lands on your hand, wings beating softly. As you look down, you realise that the answer to your question was inside you all along. You feel happy and content in the knowledge that your problem has found a solution.
Like the butterfly, sometimes you need freedom, peace and calm and a sense of distance to be able to take all the possibilities the world has to offer in. Before the butterfly flies away, a message comes into your mind. 'This journey is yours to take, whenever you need to.'
Take a final deep breath and count to five, each number bring your further back to the here and
now. One...... feeling returning to your arms and legs....... Two...... becoming aware of sounds going on around you....... Three........ feeling refreshed and invigorated.... Four....... stretching out....... and Five..... open your eyes when you are ready.
Take your time getting up, my best advice is to take it slowly, sit quietly for a few minutes and allow yourself to process, take a drink of water and just relax into the sensations.