A Visualisation

Take a deep breath. As you exhale let your eye lids softly close. Take your mind out of Out There and put it In Here, in your body. Follow the gentle rise and fall of your chest and abdomen as your breath moves in and out of your lungs. Now, with the attention more on your outbreath, imagine that when you breathe out you are sending a wave of relaxation down your body right down to your toes. Allow your shoulders to drop a little further with each out breath. Then, with a similar wave, start sending an outbreath over your face, softening the muscles around your eyes and unfurling your brow. Continue over your scalp, round to your ears, and along your jaw. In turn, your body feels heavy, and you can follow the gentle ebb and flow of your breath.

Now, in your minds eye, you see a big tree in front of you and your younger self is sitting there. Are you little? Or teen? A twenty-something? You decide. Go and sit down next to them. Are they smiling? Bored? Upset? Just listen to them tell you their exciting news, indecision or painful experience. Listen intently, don’t interrupt. When they are done, you know what you need to do and say, it’s just what they have been waiting for! You can give them exactly what they need because you know. Go on, give them a hug. Just before you go.

Bring your mind back to In Here, in your body. Follow the gentle rise and fall of your chest and abdomen. When you are ready, use an inbreath to slowly open your eyes…

It’s so nice to do a visualisation like this to recall a lovely and fun memory. Letting your young self tell you all about it in the carefree and free-spirited way of youth can bring the memory alive with vivid colour and emotion. It may inspire you to contact an old friend to say, “Remember when…”. Maybe it’s enough to just sit there and smile.