And looking down on your current location… Noticing what archetypal energies or themes are present for you right now in your life… with whatever’s going on for you now… And also noticing which of them have traveled with you from the beginning of your journey… and which of them are brand new… emerging only now…
Now looking towards the right… where the path of your journey continues…
hovering in your flying machine right where you are… just looking ahead on your
journey… What guides can you see that might be already there ahead of you… waiting to guide you on your journey?...
And just noticing… how does it feel… looking ahead like this… to know that you will not be traveling alone… that these archetypal guides and energies “have your back” so to speak… all along the way?... Noticing how you feel in your body… and in your heart… as you remember that you are guided and watched over and loved… from near as well as from afar…
Now steering your magical vehicle down… slowly down and down… until you
land right back in the middle of your current landscape… whatever that is for you… Stepping out of your vehicle… or shedding your wings… and bowing with gratitude… to the vehicle… to the wings… to the Beings of Light… to the archetypes… for taking you on this magical journey today…
And then turning all the way around slowly… as you watch your current landscape magically and slowly disappear… until you are standing in the wide open, clear meadow or field… exactly as it was at the beginning of this journey… and all around you is spacious and clear…
Now leaving this open landscape… Finding your way slowly back… to this room that we are in… Following the sound of my voice… back here to where we have all gathered…
Focusing on the sound of your breath… Feeling your feet grounding you to Mother Earth… Sensing your legs… your back resting against the chair you are in… You may want to stretch your neck… or your arms… or shake out your hands and feet… moving your body in some way that feels deliciously good to you in this moment…
And when you are ready… opening your eyes… taking your time… I will wait for you… Remembering that all is well…
Council Circle
Take a few conscious breaths… and allow your eyes to close… or keep a soft downward gaze if that feels right… Giving your body permission to relax… and to be comfortable...
Allowing your body to experience the contact that it makes with the chair and with the floor… and adjusting any parts of you… shifting however you need to… in order to be just a bit more comfortable… resting here now…
As you tune in to the rhythm of your breathing, imagine that when you inhale… you’re inhaling a little bit of the sky… and it’s very clear and very refreshing… And
as you exhale, imagine that you’re letting go of whatever you don’t need right now… Inhaling the light, clear sky… Exhaling that which does not serve you right now…
Letting the rhythm of your breath be just what it is… a simple and beautiful process of taking in what’s fresh and clear… and letting go of what’s no longer needed… Each breath you take relaxes and refreshes you… Your breathing and your mind are
becoming clearer and clearer… Your body is relaxing a little bit more with each inhale and exhale…
Allowing your imagination to be as open and receptive as you like… Breathing in… and breathing out… I’m inviting you now to take a short inner journey... a magical journey to your inner safe landscape where all kinds of special things are always happening…
Continuing to breath in… and out… in… and out… I invite you to use your imagination now to bring yourself to a very safe place… where you will meet with three chosen Council members… But first… if you like… go ahead and take some time to explore this beautiful place before we invite them in… The four of you will be sitting in a circle soon… so find a comfortable place outside in nature… or inside
somewhere special… or wherever it is that you feel comfortable having this meeting…
So now you are exploring this space… and making it ready for these archetypal Council energies who will be joining you today to offer wisdom... taking in your environment… noticing what you see… hear… smell… feel… And also… paying attention to what you need to do to make this space ready for your circle meeting... Taking your time… Enjoying this sacred place you are creating…
And now… when you are ready… if you choose to… go ahead and invite your three chosen Council members into this sacred circle that you have created and prepared… Calling each one by name… watching as they arrive… greeting them… allowing yourself to be greeted by them... Perhaps noticing how each one is different…
yet noticing also how each one holds the same intention of love and guidance…
specifically for you…
After the four of you are seated, take a look around… sensing the love and wisdom that is flowing from your Council guides to you… and back again… Listening also to what is happening inside of you… Is there something going on in your life right now that you would like some help with?... Is there an issue… or a person… or a
situation in your life… that you are struggling with…that you need some help with?... If so… go ahead and tell these kind, loving Council members exactly what you are dealing with… Ask any questions that you like… and then just listen… simply listen to each one in turn… What are they saying to you?... Or maybe they are showing you something… What is their response?... Just allowing whatever comes forth from them… to come forth…
Taking another minute now in conversation with your Council guides…
And now… finding a way to thank each of them for joining you today… feeling their
love and wisdom blessing you…
It’s time to start thinking about coming back from this inner journey now… but first… say good-bye to your Council members… knowing as you say good-bye… that you can come back to this sacred circle with them any time you wish… just by closing your eyes and imagining yourself here…
Then… when you are ready… slowly and mindfully leave the circle… finding your way back the same way you came in… walking slowly… stepping easily… becoming mindful of your breath…
Now coming back to the room that we are in… feeling your feet grounding you to the earth… sensing all the many parts of your body… feeling your chest rising and falling with each breath… maybe stretching in some way that makes your body feel good…
Choosing to open your eyes when you are ready… Please take your time… I will wait for you… All is well.
Butterfly Woman 1
Taking a deep breath now… allowing your eyes to close when you are ready…
or keeping a soft downward gaze… Giving your body whatever permission it needs to more fully relax… shifting any part of you that needs to make itself a bit more comfortable… and maybe even a bit more comfortable than that… Ahhh…
Very good…
And as you tune in to the rhythm of your breath, imagine that when you inhale… you’re inhaling a little bit of the sky… and it’s very clear and refreshing…
As you exhale… imagine that you’re letting go of everything that’s no longer needed…
Inhaling the refreshing, clear sky… Exhaling anything that you no longer need… Inhaling… Exhaling… Inhaling… Exhaling…
Allowing your imagination to be as open and receptive as it wants to be for now… Breathing in… and breathing out… I’m going to invite you now… to take a magical journey to your inner world where all kinds of special things are happening…
You can choose to take this inner journey… or you can choose to stay right where you are in this quiet space of breathing in… and out…
If you are choosing to come on this inner journey… I invite you to imagine that
you are walking in a beautiful space outdoors… somewhere in nature that you really love… a special pla
ce where you feel safe… where you feel more like yourself... This might be a place you have visited in the past… or it might be a place that exists only in your imagination… Taking yourself there now… walking slowly around… exploring this space… Do you hear any sounds?... Are there certain scents that belong to this place?... What do you see?... What can you touch?...
As you are walking… exploring… you notice up ahead that there is a woman wearing a long gown or dress… She is standing very still… and her back is to you… You are feeling curious… so you continue walking towards her… What color is the garment she is wearing?... What color is her hair?... Is she wearing anything else that you can see from here?... As you move closer… you notice that she is standing with her arms lifted up… and there are beautiful butterflies fluttering all around her… A few of them are in her hair and several are on her gown… In fact… the air surrounding her is sprinkled with a rainbow of butterflies...
Now she is greeting you by name… but she is still facing away from you… and you are listening to her say your name… and you are feeling her call of welcome in every cell of your body…
When you ask why she doesn’t turn around… she tells you that she is facing forward because she wants to remind you that it’s time to stop looking back at how things were… and it’s time to stand tall in the light and look ahead… to how things are going to be… She tells you that she is called Butterfly Woman… that she is an agent of change for you… if you want her to be…
Now she is inviting you to walk closer… to stand right beside her… amidst the quiet
hush of butterfly wings…
You can choose to do this if you want… or you can stay right where you are… It’s up to you… It’s your choice to make… So… now… standing beside her…
or staying where you are... go ahead and continue this conversation with Butterfly Woman on your own for a few minutes… Ask her anything you want to ask her… about what you might be leaving behind… or about what you might be moving towards… Or you might be asking her about how she can be an agent of change for you…
Simply listen… or watch her response…
Perhaps the butterflies are responding to your question as well…
It’s almost time to come back from this inner journey for now… but first… I invite you to find a way to say farewell for now to Butterfly Woman… knowing in your heart that she is always here within you… ready to guide you through any transition that you need to make… any change that you might choose to make… Knowing also that she is always ready to hold your hand through the changes and transformations that you are beginning to make in your life…
And now bringing yourself back to this room that we are in… taking a few moments to focus on your breath once again… feeling your feet on the floor grounding you… sensing your legs and your back as they touch the surface of your chair… feeling your chest rising and falling with each breath… moving your body gently in any way that feels just right for you in this moment…
Then in your own time… gently open your eyes… There is no rush… Take your time… I will wait for you… All is well…
Butterfly Woman 2
Taking a deep breath now… allowing your eyes to close when you are ready…
or keeping a soft downward gaze… Giving your body whatever permission it needs to more fully relax… shifting any part of you that needs to make itself a bit more comfortable… and maybe even a bit more comfortable than that… Ahhh…
Very good…
And as you tune in to the rhythm of your breath, imagine that when you inhale… you’re inhaling a little bit of the sky… and it’s very clear and refreshing… As you exhale… imagine that you’re letting go of everything that’s no longer needed…
Inhaling the refreshing, clear sky… Exhaling anything that you no longer need… Inhaling… Exhaling… Inhaling… Exhaling…
Allowing your imagination to be as open and receptive as it wants to be for now… breathing in… and breathing out… I invite you now to imagine that you are back in your special place outdoors... Imagine yourself walking around… exploring… if you like… grounding yourself in the beauty of nature that is present all around you… the sights… the sounds… the smells…
And as you are exploring… make your way back to Butterfly Woman… If you choose to… walk right up to her and stand beside her… standing there with her in the midst of the many beautiful butterflies that seem to be everywhere…
Spend a few moments now… talking with Butterfly Woman about the particular
transition you are going through in your life…
And watch as Butterfly Woman claps her hands lightly three times… The butterflies who have been flying around in front of her rise up… and up... Now you are seeing that there is a door several feet in front of you… Notice what kind of a door it is… Is it open… or closed… or somewhere in between?... What is this door made of?... What color is it?... How big is it?...
Butterfly Woman is offering you her hand now… She is inviting you to walk towards the door with her… You can choose to do this… or you can choose to stay where you are for now… It’s up to you… The door will stay there for you as long as you need… until you are sure that you are ready…
If you are ready now… go ahead and walk with Butterfly Woman to this door. .. Notice if you are walking on your own… or if she is carrying you… or if you are walking side by side holding hands with her…
When you come to the door… if you choose to… only if you choose to… take a step through… just one step… and take a look around you… What is on the other side of the door?... Allow the butterflies to come with you if you would like them with you…
You can stay close to the door if you want to… or you can walk a little farther away from the door and explore for a few minutes… Becoming more aware of your feelings as you walk through the door… and honoring these feelings as precious compass points on your beautiful journey… Allowing your feelings and your inner knowing to guide you forward on this next part of your life journey…
As you’re exploring this new place in your life… you notice a treasure chest of some sort… and you are moving towards it… What does this chest look like?... How does it feel when you touch it?… Now you can decide to open the treasure chest… or not… It’s up to you… If you want to open it… go ahead and open it now… and inside you find a special gift waiting for you… It is a gift from the other side of the door… What gift is waiting for you here?...
It’s almost time to leave now… so pick up your gift and carry it with you…
Moving back through the door now… finding a way to say good-bye to Butterfly Woman… knowing that she is always here for you… waiting… smiling… among the butterflies… your own personal agent of change… guiding you through transition…
And now bringing yourself back to this room that we are in… Taking a few moments to focus on your breath once again… Feeling your feet on the floor grounding you… Sensing your legs and your back as they touch the surface of your chair… Feeling your chest rising and falling with each breath… Moving your body gently in any way that feels just right for you in this moment…
Then in your own time… gently open your eyes… There is no rush… Take your time… I will wait for you… All is well…
Part 6
Animal Companions
It is… through the world of the imagination which takes us beyond the restrictions of provable fact,
that we touch the hem of truth.
~ Madeleine L’Engle
Meeting an Animal Guide
Visualize at your feet a soft blanket or sheet… You can make it any color that you choose… Whatever color it is… it is giving you a sense of well-being… of feeling loved… And just imagine now that you are pulling this blanket or sheet slowly up and over your body… Feel it moving over your feet… relaxing them… Feel it moving over your legs… relaxing them… Imagine the b
lanket moving over your stomach… removing all tension... and over your back… removing all stress…
With each breath… you are becoming a little bit more relaxed… more and more peaceful… breathing in… breathing out… Now continue to pull the blanket over your chest and arms… relaxing them… relaxing them… And as you move this soft blanket or sheet over your neck… the muscles of your neck relax… and the blanket shapes itself into a hood that covers the back of your head lightly… And you can sense your face muscles relaxing too… Now you are completely enveloped in this soft sheet or blanket… and you feel its color soaking into your body and soul… as you continue to relax a bit more… and a bit more with each breath…
I invite you now to see yourself walking down a path that is outside somewhere in nature… Choose your favorite place in nature… and walk there slowly now… Looking around you… noticing everything… shapes… colors… growing things… things
of nature… And noticing also any sounds in your environment… any smells… any feelings…
And in your imagination… you are coming to a clearing… a spacious clearing is in front of you on your path now… I invite you to walk to the very center of this clearing and twirl around for a moment… Fling your arms out wide… and spin lightly in the center if you like… Moving in some way that delights you… whatever that means for you in this moment…
Coming to stillness now… slowly… slowly… You are standing very still… in the center of this clearing… You are standing completely still now…
And if it feels right to you… imagine that every animal known to humankind is slowly entering this safe wide space that you are standing in… They are forming a big circle all around you… Imagine the animals coming in one by one… listening to the sounds they make… This is a very safe place for you and for them… Just watching and listening… as they form a large circle all around you…
Magical Inner Journeys Page 11