Settle yourself into a comfortable position.
As you walk through the visualization portions of this meditation, take as much time as you need. Give yourself this time, here and now, to release all other thoughts that might occupy your mind.
Allow yourself to be fully present in this moment.
Relax into your chair. Relax your facial muscles, your neck and shoulders, your hands, legs, and feet.
Take 3 deep breaths in preparation for meditation.
On your third exhale:
In your mind, see yourself alone in a small wooden rowboat in the middle of a calm, quiet lake. You hear birds singing and feel the gentle breeze. You smell the sweet aroma of fresh water and feel the warm sun on your skin. The boat is gently rocking; your body moves with this soft rhythm as you close your eyes and relax into it.
In your mind, when you open your eyes you see a fishing pole leaning on the bench in front of you. You reach down to pick it up and see that it already has a fishing lure and a bobber attached to the line. You cast your line in a smooth, swift arch and watch the bobber land in the water with a tap that creates ever growing ripples on the water’s surface.
As you sit quietly and watch the red and white bobber float on the water your mind begins to drift. You begin thinking an experience that has created guilt and shame within you. You are playing this event over and over in your mind as you have so many times before.
As you feel these emotions in your body, in the pit of your stomach, you see your bobber begin to twitch in the water. As the bobber sinks into the water you feel the tug on your fishing line and begin to reel it in.
What is on the other end of the line comes into view slowly as you pull then wind the reel over and over again. It looks like a flimsy piece of paper, yet it is heavy and the end of the fishing rod arcs with the weight of it.
When you reach the end of the line you lift the heavy object out of the water and into the boat. The minute it hits the air it becomes light and dry. It is a piece of paper and it reads:
GUILT AND SHAME
If you choose to keep this, hold it to your heart.
If you choose to accept the lesson and release this,
affirm the lesson and toss it into the wind.
It only takes you a moment to know you want to release it. You try to throw it into the wind but it sticks to your hand. You read the message again and realize you haven’t affirmed the lesson. It will take you a few moments to consider what the lesson is in this event. Take your time with this and breathe.
When you know, you affirm the lesson and gently release the paper from your grasp. You watch as it floats away like a feather and disappears into nothing. You feel the lightness this brings to your body, and you are eager to do it again.
So, again you cast your line and sit quietly. This time your mind is consumed with a happy moment with one you love. You begin to smile inside and out, thinking of this moment in time. As you feel the butterflies of laughter in your stomach you see the bobber twitch and feel a slight tug on the line.
Just as before, you begin reeling the line in. This time it is light and easy and as it gets closer, you see the paper skipping across the top of the water as if it is floating. You pull it into the boat and read what is written:
LOVE AND JOY
If you choose to keep this, hold it to your heart.
If you choose to take the lesson and release this,
affirm the lesson and toss it into the wind.
In a split second you know you want to keep this and with both hands you press the paper to your heart. You close your eyes and breathe in as the paper you are holding turns to sparkling stardust that washes over your entire body. You are so filled with gratitude you feel tears sting in your eyes.
With this feeling of love, joy, and gratitude, you begin rowing to shore.
Take three deep breaths. As you exhale your third breath say the words “love, joy, gratitude.”
You affirm:
Today I create space in my heart for love, joy, and gratitude by releasing any negative feelings. I release these feelings through acknowledging their lessons.
Thank you God for this journey of “catch and release.” I am grateful for all that flows to and through me. And so it is…
Amen
