EXERCISE - inner garden

 

First, I want to introduce you to an exercise called "the inner garden" (you can also use another place as a garden, but I know it this way).

Exercise:

Sit comfortably, preferably placing both feet well on the floor. Now close your eyes and take a few deep breaths, breathe in and out, relax. 

Now imagine yourself walking along a path. Trees and bushes grow to the left and right and the sun shines pleasantly warm. In the distance you hear a stream splashing, look for this stream, can you see it? There is a bridge over the stream, so you can cross it. 

After you have crossed the stream, the path leads to a garden gate. You open it and go through. Now you are in your inner garden. How big do you think your garden should be? What kind of border should it have, a wall, a hedge or a fence? 

Now walk through your inner garden. What plants and trees grow there? Maybe you can find your favorite plants there. What scents can you perceive? What do you feel, do you perhaps feel the warmth of the sun on your skin? Go further through your garden. What else is there, perhaps there is water, such as a stream or fountain? In your inner garden there can be everything that is good for you. 

Walk through your garden for a while and notice everything, the sounds, the scents, the warmth of the sun and everything you can perceive.

Here the speaker, if there is one, takes a break and lets you enjoy your inner garden.

After a while he/she begins to speak again. Now slowly say goodbye to your inner garden and go back out to the garden gate and along the path to the stream. Cross the stream and follow the path back to the here and now. Breathe in and out deeply again and when you are ready, you can open your eyes again.

From now on you can always return to your inner garden and center yourself and come to rest. Your inner garden may also change if you want it to or it remains constant as it is, everything that wants to come and does you good may come. 

📌This exercise is very good to create an inner safe place to which you can always return and which offers you security and balance.