Relaxation Meditation

Walking down a sandy track through sparse bushland you hear the dull roar of the surf become louder as you approach the sand dunes.

The bush thins out and the eucalyptus smell is replaced by the smell of ozone.

The path becomes sandier and as you climb a small rise you see the beach spread out in front of you. 

The sand dunes are vast and the sun beats down, but as you get closer to the damp shore the dunes open up to a sheltered spot with a grassy slope.

You sit down here with your back to the dune, your face in the shade and the rest of your body in the warmth of the sun.

Here in this protected spot you are safe: the roar of the surf is comforting, the smell of the ozone is invigorating, the sun warms your skin gently and the warmth moves into your bones.

Sit here in this warm, comforting spot listening to the crash of the waves, smelling the sharp, salty smell of the ocean and feeling the warming comfort of the sun.

Feel the softness of the sand under your feet and your buttocks, and the harsh roughness of the kikuyu grass on your hands.

What else can you hear?  The seagulls swooping for fish in the nearby lagoon? The squelch of the sand as a walker passes by in the dry sand?  A far off helicopter on shark patrol?

What else can you feel? The gentle breeze ruffling your hair? The warmth of the sun as it begins to burn your arms?  The damp of your clothes from the sand?

What else can you smell? The faint eucalyptus tang from the nearby bush?  The seaweed smell from the drying weed on the shore?

What can you taste? The salt carried from the nearby surf?

With your eyes closed you cannot see anything concrete, but what do you see in your imagination? A crowd of walkers at the water’s edge, all trying to escape the waves? A busy pair of dogs out on an adventure, chasing each other, sniffing the sand, following teasing seagulls, ignoring their owners’ commands?

Now it is time to return from this restful retreat, but remember that this is your own sanctuary, you are safe here and no one can enter this place without your permission.

5/10/12