The Gift

Sit quietly in a spot where you will not be disturbed. Close your eyes, and take a few long slow deep breaths – in through your nose, and out through your nose, in through your nose and out. With each out breath, release the burdens of your day. Allow your body this small amount of time to give your mind a rest. Continue breathing in and out; continue to relax and release. If a thought comes into your mind, gently push it aside, and bring your attention back to your breath.

When you feel relaxed and ready, imagine in your mind's eye that you are sitting in the most beautiful place in nature. It could be some place you have already been, some place you love. It could be some place you wish to visit, or a place that spontaneously appears all around you. Take a moment to scan the area around where you are sitting. Note the natural beauty of the place; note the type of weather that today brings to this place. This is your place, your special space. You are entirely safe here; you are at home in these surroundings.

When you feel comfortable in your imaginal surroundings, stand up and begin to stroll through your world. Pay attention to any images that wish to make themselves known to you. After you have been walking for a while, notice that a path begins to open up right underneath your feet. As you walk along this path, you begin to notice that all along the surface of the pathway are objects for your delight. As you walk along, you intermittently come across these objects. Some may be small enough to pick up and carry with you; some may be large and bulky, inviting you to stray from your path a bit to explore around them. Whatever the case, let the images come to you in whatever form seems most natural.

As you continue along the path, you spy in the distance a tree directly in your line of vision. You walk along until you are stopped in front of the tree. Notice the kind of tree it is. This is your tree -- it is here to offer you comfort and insight. Walk around the tree admiring all its aspects – its trunk, it roots, its branches. As you walk around the tree, you begin to get a sense that the tree has a gift for you, and you notice that directly in front of you, right in the trunk of the tree, there is a small door. You open the door and find the tree's gift waiting for you. This gift is especially for you today. You can do with it what you wish. You may leave it in the tree, you may take it with you and place it somewhere along the path, or you may bring it back with you to that special place where you started your journey.

Once you have decided how you wish to handle your gift, step back from the tree and thank it for the gift. Remember that it will always be here for you whenever you need solace and a new gift. Turn your back on the tree and walk back down the path that led you there, noticing the same images you saw when you passed by the first time, or allowing for new images to light the way back to your special place. After spending some time walking along, observing what the path has to offer you today, step off the path back into the special space where you started your journey. When you feel comfortable, find a place to sit down, and quietly begin to bring your attention to your breath, breathing slowly in through your nose and out through your nose, in and out. When you are ready, open your eyes and return your attention to your present waking reality.

Michelle Glaubiger

Visionary Consulting