The Tea Emporium

 

A building stands before you, surrounded by a beautiful privet-hedged garden, its azure painted door open and inviting, beckoning you, O weary soul, to enter and take your rest.

Above the door is a sign which simply says TEA.

The little wrought iron gate before you also stands open, offering you a clear path. Following the path as it gently winds towards the door, you have time to see what the garden holds.

Over there, you see lavender. There, lemon balm, and jasmine. The drowsy scent of gardenias greets you as you approach the door, and beside the front door you see valerian.

The azure-framed bay windows at ground level are large, offering a grand view of the garden. You see aloe vera and snake plants in small pots on the window sills. Glancing around behind you, you see sage, rosemary, and roses growing behind the hedge which you had not noticed on your way in. Clematis rises on trellises either side of the building. There is a rosehip bush in the far corner of the garden.

Within the building, you catch the odour of baking bread coming from the kitchen. Two doors stand at the far end of this room. The one on the left is behind a curtain of amethyst beads. The one on the right is the kitchen area, where the baking aroma comes from. Other scents are emerging from the other room - scents of tea, and herbs.

A number of small, round tables dot the room. You cross the room, the floorboards creaking underneath your feet, and pick your table. Looking out through the bay window into the serene garden, you are entranced both by the garden itself, and the beautiful, quiet land through which you have come to be here, O weary traveller, to take your rest before you move on.

You look down, and see a teacup and steaming teapot on the table. The linen tablecloth is cool to the touch as you reach for the cup. It is a light black tea, scented with mint, bergamot, rose, gardenia, and honey. Beside the teapot is a honeypot and a small beechwood honey dipper.

Your heavy eyelids want to close, because you want to savour the taste. The tea soothes as you sip it, each herbal flavour caressing your tongue, the light notes flooding your sinuses as the refreshing tea cleanses your palate, washing away the dryness within your mouth. Once cleared, you can taste again, savouring the fullness of the tea as you swish it around against your tongue, caressing the back of your throat, easing your tensions.

Because those tensions are easing, now, aided by the gardenias and the aromas of lemon balm and valerian, a gentle caress from within which unlocks muscles you didn't even realise had been tense, and washing away the last vestiges of anxiety and stress, replacing them with comfort, relaxation, and a desire to deepen these feelings. The Tea Emporium feels like home, its gentle aura greeting you like a long-lost prodigal member of the family, welcoming you as an old friend rather than a stranger.

Bringing you home, to where your focus can be allowed to change, and your thoughts to slow because there is no more need to hurry, which means you are at home here, and any time you come here again your soul will let go of your tensions and worries, let your thoughts drift, like the aromas from the tea, like your exhaled breath, letting your focus and thoughts drift away untethered, letting them stop, fade like steam into the air, until every thought and all the tension are gone, empty now, still and peaceful, empty, and when you are ready, still, empty, you can click on this link and visit The Teamaker's Temple.

The Mountain Lake

 It beckons you.

It's been such a long day. You're stressed. You're frustrated, and so tired. Not everything has been going your way today, and you want to go somewhere away from it all.

You can find a place for you, right where you are. You can let your mind take a walk.

It is late in the day. The sun is setting, and the woods are cool, with soft birdsong in the distance and a cool odour of pine hanging in the still air. Pine needles crunch underfoot as you traverse the slight desire path between the trees. The passage of many feet over the years has cleared this path of undergrowth, but it is thick to either side, bringing a mixture of other scents in the air - valerian, lemon balm, jasmine, lavender.

A light rain is beginning to fall. You are wearing suitable raingear, and you feel protected and warm as you follow the trail, and the rainfall is a reassuring sound on the forest canopy.

You reach a turning point, and as the upward slope reaches its peak, you see the glint of water below, at the end of the path. Your destination, the mountain lake, awaits.

You find your path down becoming easier with each step, and your destination getting closer. The harmony of floral scents also tantalises: the waters of the lake must be a blessing for the wildlife and wildflowers on its shores, a blessing which awaits you.

The light of the sun overhead is turning a glorious gold, visible through the thinning canopy. The light rain has stopped, and you will be at the lakeshore before it falls again.

And because you are descending towards the lake shore, your body is relaxing in anticipation, and you can focus on how your body feels as some of your muscles loosen, and the tension emerge from you like a golden cloud as you transform the darkness of tension into a warm golden light which leaves behind a feeling of deep contentment and peace as it exits your body.

Which means that you can enjoy drawing in a long, deep breath now through your nose, and exhaling more golden light through your mouth, making you 40% more rested and ready.

And as the focus of your mind changes, you draw in another long, luxurious breath, letting in the deeply relaxing aromas of valerian, lavender, and lemon balm, and let out another long, deep breath which increases your relaxation by another 40%, and you're almost there.

Which means that when you take each step towards the approaching lake shore, the edge of the woods, your focus changes, and it changes again as you reach the threshold of the woods, which means that you can take one more long, beautiful breath, and enjoy that cool air, and as you breathe out now, you reach 100% of where you need to be.

And at 100%, as all your conscious thoughts leave you with your outward breath, and all your conscious worries and woes go out and take your conscious mind, and you drift fully away and you let your mind go fully now, you can follow this link to the Lake, and carry on there, deepening your experience, releasing all that tension there.

La meditazione del tè al salice

Ammettilo. I mal di testa sono terribili. Arrivano quando meno li vuoi e non sono mai i benvenuti. Mal di testa e mal di schiena sono i tipi di dolore più comuni di cui soffrono le persone. È sempre una brutta giornata quando accadono.

Gli antichi avevano effettivamente un rimedio contro il mal di testa, ricavandolo dalla corteccia del salice bianco. La corteccia del salice bianco contiene una sostanza naturale chiamata salicilina, una sostanza chimica dal sapore amaro che è nota da migliaia di anni per essere altamente efficace nel curare il mal di testa.

Il salice bianco è originario dell'Europa e del Nord America. La corteccia viene servita sotto forma di tè. Raschiare la corteccia dai rami che hanno dai due ai tre anni. Non sono necessari più di due o tre cucchiaini di trucioli di corteccia, che possono essere messi in infusione e serviti come un tè.

Questa è corteccia di salice, pronta per preparare il tè al salice.

Se non hai accesso ai salici, non preoccuparti. Ecco una meditazione che puoi fare, che avrà lo stesso effetto di lavare via il tuo mal di testa.

Trova un posto comodo, in un luogo sicuro e tranquillo. Questo posto da solo dovrebbe avere l'effetto di calmare immediatamente il tuo corpo. E' sufficiente portare con sé un sorso d'acqua, preferibilmente naturale piuttosto che frizzante, e quanto più fresca possibile.

Una volta che sei lì, sistema il tuo corpo in una posizione comoda, preferibilmente seduto il più dritto possibile, senza sottoporre il corpo a uno stress eccessivo.

Inizia concentrandoti sull'acqua nel bicchiere. Nota la sua immobilità e le piccole vibrazioni causate dai più piccoli movimenti e aggiustamenti del corpo. Prendi un piccolo sorso d'acqua. Lascia che si stabilizzi un attimo in bocca. Cerca di portare un po' d'acqua nella parte posteriore della bocca, per rinfrescarti la gola.

Dopo averlo ingoiato, schiarisciti la gola e fai un respiro profondo. Lasciati attirare la luce dorata dall'esterno, nel profondo di te. Lascia che quella luce dorata soffonda i tuoi muscoli di luce e relax. Lascia che la luce riempia il tuo corpo e lascia che ti rilassi.

Prendi un secondo sorso d'acqua e, una volta che ti sei schiarito la gola, inspira più luce e rendi il tuo corpo e la tua mente più leggeri. Ogni sorso attira più luce e più inspiri, più leggeri sono il tuo corpo e la tua mente.

E presto scoprirai che la luce riempie tutto il tuo corpo, e quando i tuoi occhi cambiano messa a fuoco e ti allontani, quello è il momento di rilasciare quella luce e far uscire tutta la tensione muscolare che ha causato il mal di testa. Lascialo uscire, un bellissimo flusso di luce, che attira i tuoi pensieri, lo stress, le tensioni, e lascia che i tuoi pensieri vadano alla deriva, scompaiano.

Tutti i tuoi pensieri, che vanno alla deriva, vanno, spariscono, sostituiti da pace, relax e quiete, mentre la tua mente cosciente si lascia andare e fluttua via con la luce e le tensioni, e quando sei pronto, e la tua mente cosciente se ne va, conta da 3 .

3, e le tensioni e il dolore sono troppo deboli per essere percepiti.

2, e il tuo ultimo pensiero cosciente svanisce con la luce.

1, e la tua attenzione si è spostata e ora sei vuoto, vuoto, pronto per passare alla meditazione successiva, che allontanerà il mal di testa e lascerà il tuo corpo e la tua mente con una sensazione meravigliosa.

Quando sei pronto, clicca su questo collegamento.

Per iniziare: riscaldamento della meditazione

 

Iniziamo

Questo è un esercizio di riscaldamento. Così come il tuo corpo ha bisogno di riscaldamento prima di un’attività faticosa, anche la tua mente ha bisogno di un riscaldamento per prepararsi alla meditazione.

Trovati uno spazio sicuro, dove non sarai disturbato. Inizia quando ti impegni a raggiungere uno stato di pace, mentre ti permetti di immaginare come si sente la pace dentro di te. Occhi aperti.

Quando ti permetti di visualizzare la pace dentro di te, un punto dentro di te che è il più rilassato, e fai un respiro profondo, dentro e poi fuori, mentre rilasci il respiro ti ritrovi a notare quel punto rilassato dentro di te.

Lascia che quel posto rilassato attiri la tua attenzione. Qual è la sua dimensione? Ha un colore, una temperatura, una sensazione come una sensazione? Esplora cos'è quel punto rilassato e confronta il resto del tuo corpo. Ritrovati a concentrare la tua attenzione su una parte del tuo corpo che non era rilassata. E spostati in un'altra parte. E un altro.

Prenditi il ​​tuo tempo concentrandoti sulle diverse aree del tuo corpo che non sono rilassate. Presta davvero attenzione a loro e chiediti perché questa parte non è rilassata come il punto rilassato in altre parti del tuo corpo. Lascia che la parte tesa del tuo corpo che stai osservando entri in contatto con la parte rilassata e scopri con tua sorpresa che la parte rilassata aiuta la parte tesa del tuo corpo a rilassarsi.

E il successivo. E il successivo.

E ora puoi fare un passo indietro, per un momento, e tornare nella stanza, e sentire quel nucleo rilassato, ovunque si trovi nel tuo corpo. E concentrati ancora una volta su come si sente, se è più grande, se ha cambiato posizione, o colore, o temperatura, e se è ancora più rilassato di prima. Mente vuota.

Ciò significa che puoi lasciare che catturi di nuovo la tua attenzione, poiché approfondisce il suo rilassamento e puoi sentire quel rilassamento espandersi fino a contattare quelle parti di te che erano rilassate prima.

E ora fai un respiro profondo, emergi, e senti quanto tutto il tuo corpo si sta rilassando, e lasci che quel rilassamento si diffonda e si approfondisca, e quanto è meraviglioso sprofondare più profondamente in quel rilassamento , e stai persino lasciando che ti attiri giù più in profondità, perché è così bello lasciarsi trasportare e concentrare tutta la tua attenzione sul non fare altro che rilassare il corpo e la mente. Occhi aperti.

Ciò significa che quando questo accade al tuo corpo, scopri che sta accadendo anche alla tua mente, e la tua attenzione è focalizzata su come può sentirsi la tua mente quando si rilassa tanto quanto il tuo corpo.

E prova a tornare nella stanza, ma puoi scoprire che il tuo corpo e la tua mente si stanno godendo queste sensazioni, ed è così facile lasciare andare tutto, non è vero? Il che significa che puoi lasciare che quel senso di disagio fisico, mentale e la pace emotiva si estende e ti attira e ti lascia affondare.

E quando scopri che sai dove stai andando, perché è così bello, allora puoi lasciare andare tutto, fare quel respiro profondo e lasciare andare tutto.

Espira profondamente. Occhi aperti.

Ed è tutto finito.

Ciò significa che andrai più in basso, perché è bello andare alla deriva e cadere.

E lascia andare.

E quando sarai pronto, potrai seguire questo link qui e approfondire ancora di più la pace e il relax. Ricorda solo che quando hai finito di visitare le schede aperte, puoi chiuderle in seguito e tornare qui.

Benvenuti a Intermezzi e Meditazioni

Benvenuti a Intermezzi e Meditazioni!

Questo è un nuovissimo blog di esercizi guidati per aiutarti a trovare la pace interiore. La vita è diventata così turbolenta ultimamente, se dobbiamo credere ai media. Interludi e meditazioni  è qui per aiutarti a trovare serenità, chiarezza e gioia semplice nella vita.

Spegni quel televisore, chiudi la scheda dei social media, esci da TikTok e trova il tuo centro. Vediamo cosa puoi fare per riprendere in mano le redini della tua vita.

The Willow Tea Meditation

Admit it. Headaches suck. They come on when you least want them, and they are never welcome. Headaches, and back pain, are the most common kinds of pain that people suffer from. It is always a bad day when they happen.

People in ancient times actually had a cure for headaches, which they made from the bark of the white willow tree. White willow tree bark contains a natural substance called salicilin, a bitter-tasting chemical which has been known to be highly effective in curing headaches for thousands of years.

White willow is native to Europe and North America. The bark is served in the form of a tea. Scrape the bark from branches which are between two and three years old. No more than two or three teaspoons of the bark shavings are needed, which can be steeped and served like a tea.

This is willow bark, ready for making willow tea.

If you do not have access to willow trees, don't worry. Here is a meditation you can do, which will have the same effect of washing away your headaches.

Find a comfortable spot, in a safe and quiet place. This place alone should have the effect of calming your body immediately. You need only take with you a drink of water, preferably still rather than sparkling, and as cold as possible.

Once you are there, settle your body in a comfortable position, preferably sitting as straight as possible, without putting undue stress on the body.

Begin by focusing on the water in the glass. Note its stillness, and the little vibrations caused by the tiniest body movements and adjustments. Take a small sip of the water. Let it settle in your mouth a moment. Try to get some of the water up to the back of your mouth, to let it cool your throat.

Once you swallow it, clear your throat and take a deep breath in. Let yourself draw in golden light from outside, deep into you. Let that golden light suffuse your muscles with light, and relaxation. Let the light fill your body, and let it relax you.

Take a second sip of the water, and once you've cleared your throat, breathe in more of the light and make your body and mind lighter. Each sip draws in more light, and the more you breathe in, the lighter your body and mind are.

And you'll soon find the light filling your entire body, and when your eyes change focus, and you drift, that is the time to release that light and let out all the muscle tension which caused the headache. Let it out, a beautiful stream of light, drawing out your thoughts, the stresses, the tensions, and let your thoughts drift away, gone.

All your thoughts, drifting, going, gone, replaced with peace and relaxation and stillness, as your conscious mind lets go and floats away with the light and the tensions, and when you are ready, and your conscious mind is gone, count from 3.

3, and the tensions and pain are too faint to feel.

2, and your last conscious thought drifts out with the light.

1, and your focus has shifted, and you're now empty, blank, ready to move on to the next meditation, which will push away the headaches and leave your body and mind feeling wonderful.

When you are ready, follow this link.

Getting Started - Meditation Warmup

 Let's get started

This is a warmup exercise. As much as your body needs warmups before strenuous activity, so too does your mind need a warmup to get it ready for meditation.

Find yourself a safe space, where you won't be disturbed. It begins as you commit yourself to achieving a state of peace, as you let yourself imagine what peace feels like inside. Eyes open.

As you let yourself visualise peace within you, a spot within you that is the most relaxed, and you take a deep breath, in, then out, as you release your breath you find yourself noticing that relaxed spot within you.

Let that relaxed spot catch your attention. What is its size? Does it have a colour, a temperature, a feel like a sensation? Explore what that relaxed spot is, and contrast how the rest of your body is by comparison. Find yourself focusing your attention on a part of your body which wasn't relaxed. And move to another part. And another.

Take your time focusing on different areas of your body which aren't relaxed. Really pay attention to them, and ask why this part is not as relaxed as the relaxed spot elsewhere in your body. Let the tense part of your body you are looking at come into contact with the relaxed part, and discover to your surprise that the relaxed part is helping the tense part of your body to relax.

And the next. And the next.

And now, you can take a step back, for a moment, and come back in the room, and feel that relaxed core, wherever in your body it is. And focus once again on how it feels, if it's bigger, if it's changed position, or colour, or temperature, and if it's even more relaxed than before. Mind blank.

Which means you can let it capture your attention again, as it deepens its relaxation, and you can feel that relaxation spreading out to contact those parts of you which have been relaxed before.

And now take a deep breath, and surface, and feel how relaxed your whole body is becoming, and you let that relaxation spread and deepen, and how wonderful it feels to sink deeper into that relaxation, and you are even letting it draw you down deeper with it, because it's so good to drift, and focus your full attention on doing nothing but relaxing your body and mind. Eyes open.

Which means that when this is happening to your body, you find that it is happening to your mind, too, and your attention is focused on how your mind can feel when it relaxes as much as your body.

And try to come back to the room, but you can find that your body and mind are enjoying these feelings, and it's so easy to just let it all go, isn't it, which means you can let that sense of physical, mental, and emotional peace reach out and pull at you, and let you sink.

And when you discover how you're knowing where you're going with this, because it's so good, then you can let it all go, and take that deep breath in, and let it all go.

Deep breath out. Eyes open.

And it's all gone.

Which means you're going further down, because it's good to drift, and drop.

And let go.

And when you are ready, you can follow this link here, and deepen the peace and relaxation even more. Just remember that when you've finished visiting those open tabs, you can close them afterwards and come back here.

Welcome to Interludes and Meditations

Welcome to Interludes and Meditations!

This is a brand new blog of guided exercises to help you to find inner peace. Life has become so turbulent of late, if we are to believe the media. Interludes and Meditations is here to help you to find serenity, clarity, and simple joy in life.

Switch off that television set, close down your social media tab, get off TikTok, and find your centre. Let's see what you can do to get back the reins to your life.