Imagination Meditation: In the Garden

Listen to a soothing audio meditation, with deep breathing and a guided visualization through a lush garden. This is part of my Imagination Meditation series, in which I guide you through a 10-minute meditation designed to help you relax and find peace.

An Intro to Meditation

Meditation can be a very calming and soothing experience. It is basically the art of actively practicing mindfulness, or the ability to focus on being fully present in the current moment. Meditation can reduce feelings of stress in as short as a few minutes, and it’s quite a versatile therapy. You can meditate pretty much anywhere, for as short or as long as you’d like. Meditation can follow an array of structures: it may consist of breathing exercises, body scans, concentrated attention, or anything else to help you focus.

How Do You Start Meditating?

If you’re new to meditation and you don’t know where to start, you’re certainly not alone. It may be a bit daunting to just sit and try to concentrate on the present: you’re likely used to random thoughts flitting in and out of your head. Instead of just trying to sit there with an empty mind, start by focusing on one specific thing: your breathing. Take a few deep breaths, and focus on the cool air as it flows in and out of your body. Breathe in through the nose, and out through the mouth. You’ll find that even after a few repetitions of such a simple action, you’ll start to relax.

Imagination Meditation Series – Free Monthly Online Meditations

In this series, I’ll introduce you to basic meditation, through use of breathing exercises and guided imagery. In each audio session, we’ll travel on a journey through our imagination to a special setting of our choosing: I’ll help guide you along and will set the scene, and you’ll fill in the details. New meditations will be posted monthly, starting April 2021. Click on the Sound Cloud link below to listen!

Imagination Meditation: In The Garden…

(I recommend closing your eyes while meditating; this allows for better concentration. For best experience, please listen to the meditation through the Sound Cloud link below. If needed, you may also find the text of the meditation below the Sound Cloud link.)

Music Credit: “Faerie Garden” by Chris Collins, www.indiemusicbox.com, cover photo image credit: IStockPhoto.com/AlinaMD

Meditation Text

Intro – Let’s Begin!

Hello, and welcome to Imagination Meditation. My name is Diana. Come join me in a world outside of the here and now, as we travel to a place of tranquility.

Let’s begin. First, let’s make ourselves comfy. You might sit up, tall and straight, with your back supported against a chair or couch, and a cushion underneath you. Or you can sit back in a cozy recliner, with a soft blanket over your body. You can even lay on your bed, surrounded by pillows. Just find a comfortable spot.

Deep Breathing

Now that you’re physically settled, let’s bring the mind to a more relaxed state. You may close your eyes if you wish. Start off with a few deep breaths. Just breathe in, and out, and in, and out. Keep breathing. Now try breathing in through your nose, and out through your mouth. Try it with me. In through the nose, out through the mouth. One more time. In through the nose, out through the mouth. You may notice a desire to yawn. That’s perfectly natural with this type of breathing. Feel free to yawn, embrace it. It’s your body’s way of obtaining more oxygen. Back to the breath. On the inhale, let’s count to 4, hold the breath for 2 counts, and then release it for 4 counts. Let’s try it now. In, 2, 3, 4, hold, hold, out, 2, 3, 4. In, 2, 3, 4, hold, hold, out, 2, 3, 4. One last time. In, 2, 3, 4, hold, hold, out, 2, 3, 4. You may continue deep breathing as we meditate.

Let’s Journey to the Garden!

Now that we’re getting more relaxed, let’s let our mind journey to a special place. If your eyes are not already closed, you might close them now, to help immerse yourself in this new place. Let’s transport ourselves. (sound effect, light music)

What colors do you see?

We wake up, and we look around to see we’re in a beautiful garden. This garden may have all sorts of glorious flowers. They might be bold, bright colors, scarlet reds, fuschia pinks, sapphire blues, deep violets, that just pop out of the earth. Or perhaps some of them are a more subdued and pure pastel color, like lavenders, baby pinks, or periwinkle blues. Whatever colors you enjoy most, imagine those colors are sprinkled throughout this garden. It’s a wash of pure color.

Now imagine the size of the flowers. Maybe some of them are tall, like giant sunflowers, or perhaps they’re small and delicate, like baby’s breath. That’s the beauty about this garden; it’s your garden. You can choose everything in it; it’s completely up to you. Just take a moment to look around at the blossoms, picture them clearly in your mind’s eye.

Mmm, smell that?

Now, after drinking in the sight, you notice the fragrance, the beautiful aroma. Maybe you smell the scent of roses, or the sweet perfume of honeysuckle, or a woodsy scent. Perhaps you sniff and catch a subtle hint of fruits on the breeze, maybe a light citrus, or fresh strawberry. Whatever scents you enjoy best, let these be the ones surrounding you in this garden. Just take a few moments to enjoy and savor.

Listen! What do you hear?

Now imagine you perk up your ears, and you hear water nearby. (sound effect) It might be a babbling stream, or a flowing fountain, or even a rushing waterfall. Listen for the water; what does it sound like? Is it bubbling and tinkling over the rocks? Or is it a bit louder, so that when you focus on it, it almost becomes a roar in your ears? What sounds best to you? Whichever one you like most, envision this as the aural surrounding to your oasis.

Experience with all your senses…

Now since we’re in our own personal garden, let’s sit back and enjoy it. Feel free to kneel down among the flowers, bathing in the luxurious aroma and relaxing to the sound of the water. In our mind, let’s reach out to touch a leaf’s soft surface, or a delicate flower petal. You might look down and notice soft, springy grass, just beckoning to you. Go ahead, lay yourself down on this bed of grass, feeling the cool earth beneath you. Breathe in the scent. Look up toward the sky and notice the luminous sun. Bask in the warmth of its rays as they shine down upon your head. Take a few deep breaths, and just enjoy. (sound effects)

Whenever you’re feeling like you need a moment to yourself, feel free to come back to this garden. It’s always there for you, any time you need it.

Coming back to today…

And now, it’s time to bid a short adieu to our lovely retreat and let’s come back to the world of today. Let’s take one long deep breath. In….and out…..One more…in….and let it out. Keeping your eyes closed, take a nice long stretch. Stretch out your arms above your head, reach your fingers up to the sky, go ahead and stretch out your legs, get even your toes in on the action. (sigh)

Last deep breaths…

Now that we’re feeling nice and limber, let’s take a few last deep breaths together. Just like in the beginning, we’ll breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 2 counts, and breathe out for 4 counts. Ready, In, 2, 3, 4, hold, hold, out, 2, 3, 4.  In, 2, 3, 4, hold, hold, out, 2, 3, 4. And one last time, in, 2, 3, 4, hold, hold, out, 2, 3, 4. And now, you may open your eyes. I hope you’re feeling well rested and ready to take on whatever’s next for you today.

Did you like this meditation?

Please don’t forget to subscribe to The Joyful Dabbler blog for more meditations like this one, coming up in the future. Until we meet again! (music)

If you liked this one, check out some more!

Feel free to check out my other meditations:

• Imagination Meditation: In the Forest
• Imagination Meditation: River Tubing