Journey with me...

I'm in a meadow on top of a hill.  It's sunny and warm and the grass is soft.  The sky is vibrant blue and there is a slight breeze that whispers through the surrounding trees.  From over the ledge of the hill I can see the tops of other hills and mountains in the distance, and as I take in the view I notice a set of stairs leading down the hill. The stairs are made of stone and they look worn and inviting. Without a seed of doubt I approach the top step.  From below I can hear the sound of the ocean and smell the salty air.  I feel the warmth swell up and take off some layers I feel are no longer necessary.  More comfortable, I step down another step.  Here I empty some parcels out of my bag to lighten my load.  With each step down I continue to peel off layers and unload my burdens until at the very bottom I am holding on to nothing and completely exposed.  The beach is bathed in an orange light as the sun hangs low over the horizon.  The sand is soft and as I walk to a place to sit down I leave small footprints.  The dramatic cliff behind me wraps around this beach creating a safe cove.  I am filled with a sense of being completely exposed while feeling deeply at peace. In this vast place of safety and trust I begin to pull from within me the thoughts, things, experiences, people, and places that cause me to feel tense. Nervous. Scared. Unworthy. Incapable. I take these pieces from within me and I spread them out on the sand around me.  With each piece the feelings accompanied with them surface as well. At first I feel myself contract and want to go racing back up the stairs where I never had to look at these things.  But I come back to my breath. The warmth of the sunshine. The sound of the waves. I feel myself open and relax.  Warm tears slide down my face and the feeling of relief rushes through me as I allow myself to just be.  Be with the pain. Be with the discomfort. Be with the fear. Be. There is nothing I need to do, nothing I need to work on.  As I sit there in the sand, I am aware of everything I need to know. I'm aware that I have everything I need and I am able of letting go of everything I do not need.  In this moment I cultivate the power within myself to accomplish my deepest desires.  I cultivate the power within myself to find peace with who I am, where I am, and what I am doing.  Right now.  I notice a rising sense of gratitude.  It engulfs me with warm radiance.  Gratitude for this moment. Gratitude for myself. Gratitude for my journey. Gratitude for all the teachers in my life. Gratitude for all the wisdom that Life delivers to me. Deep, deep gratitude.  I know when to get up from my seat, slowly and with intention.  Not because a certain amount of time has gone by, for there has been no sense of time at all here in this sacred space.  I get up when I feel nourished and complete.  I bow to Mama Ocean in her vast, deep, mysterious beauty. I walk back up to the bottom steps and peer back over my shoulder.  The waves reach up and wash away what I've left behind on the sand.  My footsteps are the only remnants of my presence there. I begin to climb the stairs back up the hill, choosing to pass by what I took off on my way down.  Not feeling the need to pick up my parcels,  as I am equipped with newly cultivated treasures of power and gratitude, knowing this is all I need.  

We all have a sacred place to visit.  A space where we can lay out our Truth and expose our whole selves.  A space where we can let go. 

The power within you is waiting to be cultivated.