Guided Mindfulness Exercises
A Walk Through the Forest
Read this slowly or listen to someone read it to you.
Take a comfortable seat. Let your shoulders drop. Feel the support beneath you.
Imagine you are standing at the edge of a quiet forest. The air is cool and fresh. As you take your first step onto the path, hear the soft crunch of leaves beneath your feet. Notice the dappled light through the trees.
With each breath, your attention widens. You notice birdsong in the distance… the gentle sway of branches… the scent of pine or earth after rain. Your feet move at a natural pace. There is nothing to figure out here - only being.
You come upon a small clearing with a smooth rock or bench. Sit. Feel your spine lengthen. Place a hand on your heart or belly and track your breath. On the inhale, imagine drawing in steadiness; on the exhale, imagine releasing what you don’t need right now - tension, worry, the day’s noise.
A breeze moves across your skin. As it passes, your jaw softens; your shoulders settle. If a thought arises, acknowledge it kindly, like a leaf drifting by in a stream, then return to your senses: what you see, hear, feel, smell.
When you’re ready, stand and continue along the path, noticing the ground’s solidness - how it meets you with every step. Sense a quiet confidence growing inside: I can move through my life one step at a time.
At the forest’s edge, pause. Offer yourself a simple phrase: “May I feel safe enough. May I feel supported. May I be gentle with myself.”
Carry the forest’s steadiness with you as you open your eyes.
Floating in Space (The Tiny Blue Dot)
Close your eyes and rest your hands where they feel comfortable. Feel the weight of your body supported. Take a slow inhale, and an even slower exhale.
Imagine rising above the clouds, light as air. The sky darkens into a deep, star-filled space. You float easily, surrounded by quiet. Ahead of you: the Earth, a tiny blue dot suspended in black velvet.
From this vast vantage point, notice how everything that has ever happened - wars, revolutions, pandemics, our personal heartbreaks and hopes- has unfolded on that small, shimmering sphere. Let this perspective soften the edges of urgency. Your worries are real, and also smaller from up here.
As you breathe, imagine your concerns as tiny points of light on the blue dot. With each exhale, the lights gently dim. Not gone, just less intense. Your chest loosens. Your breath deepens.
Sense the spaciousness around you and within you. There is room here for all that you feel. Whisper a phrase if it helps: “I am part of something vast. I can take the next right step.”
When you’re ready, begin to drift back - through the stars, through the atmosphere, feeling the warmth of sunlight on your face. The ground welcomes you. Wiggle your fingers and toes. Open your eyes, bringing a little of that spacious perspective back with you.