KaleidoKaleidoSoul Oasis Soul Oasis Soul Oasis Audio ...€¦ · --- from The Subject Tonight Is...

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1 Kaleido Kaleido Kaleido KaleidoSoul Oasis Soul Oasis Soul Oasis Soul Oasis Audio Breaks Audio Breaks Audio Breaks Audio Breaks Scripts Scripts Scripts Scripts Written & offered by Anne Marie Bennett Written & offered by Anne Marie Bennett Written & offered by Anne Marie Bennett Written & offered by Anne Marie Bennett www.KaleidoSoul.com www.KaleidoSoul.com www.KaleidoSoul.com www.KaleidoSoul.com

Transcript of KaleidoKaleidoSoul Oasis Soul Oasis Soul Oasis Audio ...€¦ · --- from The Subject Tonight Is...

Page 1: KaleidoKaleidoSoul Oasis Soul Oasis Soul Oasis Audio ...€¦ · --- from The Subject Tonight Is Love: 60 Wild and Sweet Poems of Hafiz, translated by Daniel Ladinsky. Welcome to

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KaleidoKaleidoKaleidoKaleidoSoul Oasis Soul Oasis Soul Oasis Soul Oasis

Audio BreaksAudio BreaksAudio BreaksAudio Breaks

ScriptsScriptsScriptsScripts

Written & offered by Anne Marie BennettWritten & offered by Anne Marie BennettWritten & offered by Anne Marie BennettWritten & offered by Anne Marie Bennett

www.KaleidoSoul.comwww.KaleidoSoul.comwww.KaleidoSoul.comwww.KaleidoSoul.com

Page 2: KaleidoKaleidoSoul Oasis Soul Oasis Soul Oasis Audio ...€¦ · --- from The Subject Tonight Is Love: 60 Wild and Sweet Poems of Hafiz, translated by Daniel Ladinsky. Welcome to

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KaleidoSoul Oasis Audio Breaks- Scripts, copyright 2011

by Anne Marie Bennett. All rights reserved. Please do not copy, forward, give away or reproduce this material

in any manner without written permission from the author.

Many hours (and much creative energy) were devoted to the creation of this e-book.

Your purchase supports the continuing efforts of KaleidoSoul.com in its mission to make SoulCollage available to people around the world.

To give feedback or to contact the author, please email [email protected].

SoulCollage® is a trademarked process, created by Seena Frost.

For more information about Seena, SoulCollage®, and Facilitator Trainings,

please visit www.SoulCollage.com.

This e-book is brought to you by …..........

www.KaleidoSoul.com

Spinning the fragments of your world into wholeness and beauty through SoulCollage®

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Table of ContentTable of ContentTable of ContentTable of Contentssss

Circled on a MapCircled on a MapCircled on a MapCircled on a Map …………………………………………………………………………………..4…………………………………………………………………………………..4…………………………………………………………………………………..4…………………………………………………………………………………..4

Velvet Blanket ……………………………………………………………………………………… 6Velvet Blanket ……………………………………………………………………………………… 6Velvet Blanket ……………………………………………………………………………………… 6Velvet Blanket ……………………………………………………………………………………… 6

Lucky Leprechaun ……………………………………………………………Lucky Leprechaun ……………………………………………………………Lucky Leprechaun ……………………………………………………………Lucky Leprechaun ………………………………………………………………………………… 8…………………… 8…………………… 8…………………… 8

Opening to Blossom ……………………………………………………………………………10Opening to Blossom ……………………………………………………………………………10Opening to Blossom ……………………………………………………………………………10Opening to Blossom ……………………………………………………………………………10

Journey with a SoulCollage® Card ………………………………………………… 12Journey with a SoulCollage® Card ………………………………………………… 12Journey with a SoulCollage® Card ………………………………………………… 12Journey with a SoulCollage® Card ………………………………………………… 12

Touching Peace ……………………………………………………………………………………. 14Touching Peace ……………………………………………………………………………………. 14Touching Peace ……………………………………………………………………………………. 14Touching Peace ……………………………………………………………………………………. 14

Lotus Flower of SelfLotus Flower of SelfLotus Flower of SelfLotus Flower of Self----Blessing ………………………………………………………….. 16Blessing ………………………………………………………….. 16Blessing ………………………………………………………….. 16Blessing ………………………………………………………….. 16

Breaking Into Flower …………………Breaking Into Flower …………………Breaking Into Flower …………………Breaking Into Flower ……………………………………………………………………………. 19…………………………………………………………. 19…………………………………………………………. 19…………………………………………………………. 19

Beating Yourself Up with a Feather ………………………………………………… 21Beating Yourself Up with a Feather ………………………………………………… 21Beating Yourself Up with a Feather ………………………………………………… 21Beating Yourself Up with a Feather ………………………………………………… 21

LovingLovingLovingLoving----Kindness ……………………………………………………………………………………. 23Kindness ……………………………………………………………………………………. 23Kindness ……………………………………………………………………………………. 23Kindness ……………………………………………………………………………………. 23

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CIRCLED ON A MAP Time: 12 minutes

This place where you are right now God circled on a map for you. wherever your eyes and arms and heart can move Against the earth and the sky, the beloved has bowed there- The beloved has bowed there knowing You were coming…

--- from The Subject Tonight Is Love: 60 Wild and Sweet Poems of Hafiz, translated by Daniel Ladinsky.

Welcome to KaleidoSoul Oasis Audio Break #1… Circled on a Map, written and recorded by Anne Marie Bennett… that’s me! Before we begin, why don’t you take a moment to find a comfortable place to sit or lie down. Turn off your cell phone and eliminate any other distractions. And As this meditation is designed to bring you into a deep meditative state, please do not listen while driving or operating any kind of machinery.

When you are ready, allow yourself to come to stillness … Give yourself permission to come home to yourself for these next 10 minutes… give yourself permission to come home to Spirit, to the One that holds the many parts of your world…. Give yourself permission…. Paying attention to your breath… not trying to change it… just noticing as you breathe in… and noticing as you breathe out….. breathing in the stillness that is always inside of you… breathing out any inner chaos…. Breathing in peace…. Breathing out any inner wars that have been going on… giving yourself permission to just breathe in… to just breathe out… and to simply relax… And as you come into this beautiful sense of centering, of coming home to yourself… imagine that you are sitting in an ancient room full of maps and charts ….. take a moment now to walk around the room….and as you do… notice that everything in this room is related to your own personal journey through life… Acquaint yourself with the many atlases and diagrams, navigational tools, drawings of sacred places… all of them representing your life..… lands that are known and unknown to you are represented on all of these maps and charts and books and tools….. take a moment now to explore this place… this navigational homage to your own journey…

In a moment, you see a Wise One entering the room. And you have the choice to invite this wise one in or say not now and to continue to explore…… If you choose to let the Wise One ins, see that He or she is gesturing for you to sit down at a big table in the center of the room… if you want to do this… go ahead and sit down… And Watch as

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your Wise One goes to one of the shelves, takes out an ancient tome, brings it to you at the table, and opens it to a specific page…. There is a beautiful map on this page…. It is exquisitely etched on silk-like paper… take a moment to run your hands over the map… feel how beautiful it is to touch….

Now your Wise One points to a specific place on this map…. It is circled in a glowing golden light…. “This is where you are right now on your life’s journey,” says the Wise One to you gently. “God circled this place on this map for you.”

Allow a moment to absorb these words…. This place where you are right now… God circled on this map for you…. Notice how you feel when you hear these words…. Pay attention to the “place” that is circled on the map before you. Where is it? Is it somewhere you planned to go? Have you been in this place a long time or a short time? Or maybe it is somewhere you’d rather not be?

Whatever the answer, take a moment now to absorb the sacred knowledge that you are exactly where you are supposed to be…. You are exactly where you need to be…. ….. and remember that this place where you are right now is either a destination….. or another stepping stone on your journey…. And that you can choose which it is…..

Take a moment now to thank your Wise One for showing you the map and the circle on the map….. if you choose, ask for a gift to take back with you to remind you of this inner journey today…..

And when you are ready, take another moment to come back to your breath… notice the air as it comes into your body and fills your lungs…. Then notice how it feels to release the breath through your nose or mouth…. Follow the sound of my voice back to this present moment wherever you are right now…. If it feels good to do so, stretch your fingers and toes, move your head slowly from side to side…. And in whatever way feels good to you, offer a prayer of thanksgiving for wherever you are on your journey at this time… remembering the Hafiz quotation This place where you are right now God circled on a map for you….. remember your Wise One…. Remember that all is well.

Thank you for joining me for this KaleidoSoul Audio Break today. I wish you a peaceful, balanced journey.

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VELVET BLANKET Time: 11 minutes

Welcome to KaleidoSoul Oasis Audio Break #2… Velvet Blanket, written and recorded by Anne Marie Bennett… that’s me! Before we begin, please take a moment to find a comfortable place to sit or lie down. Turn off your cell phone and eliminate any other distractions. And… as this meditation is designed to bring you into a deep meditative state, please do not listen while driving or operating any kind of machinery.

When you are ready, allow yourself to come to stillness … Give yourself permission to come home to yourself for these next few minutes… give yourself permission to come home to Spirit, to the One that holds the many parts of your world…. Give yourself permission to relax… Taking time out of your busy day to pause… and pay attention to your breath… don’t try to change it… notice that you are in a human body… just notice as you breathe in… and notice as you breathe out….. breathe in the stillness that is always inside of you… breathe out any inner chaos…. Breathe in peace…. And Breathe out any inner wars that have been going on lately for you… give yourself permission to just breathe in… to just breathe out… and to simply relax…

Now imagine that lying before you is a verrrrrry large blanket made of soft plush velvet. This blanket is always, always here for you, in your imagination. So… looking at the blanket right now… What color is it today? Go ahead and run your hands over this soft, luxurious blanket…. Feel its texture…. Lift it to your nose if you want to and inhale its scent… what does it smell like to you? Breathe it in…. and exhale any stress that’s left…

And then… if you choose to….pick the blanket up gently in your hands and wrap it around your whole body. Know that it is large enough to cover you, and then some. Once this velvet blanket is around you, go ahead and lie or sit down with it still wrapped around you. Or you can continue to stand if you prefer.

And just spend these next few minutes with your velvet blanket… allowing its warmth and silky comfort to envelop your whole body… envelop your whole mind…. Your whole spirit…. Noticing any parts of your body that are tight…. Allowing them to relax….completely relax under the beauty of this comfortable soft velvet blanket that is relaxing your body….. your mind…. And Your spirit.

…….

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…. Taking this time just for you enveloped in your beautiful velvet blanket… allowing its softness to help you soften on the inside, just a little bit somewhere…

And the velvet blanket is softening your heart a little bit… in just the right places that need to be softened today… The softness of this blanket is softening and relaxing your mind… It’s calming your thoughts….

It’s gentling your body…. Your blanket gives you permission to relax… it gives you permission to envelop yourself in comfort and beauty, which you so deserve…

…..

It’s almost time to start thinking about ending your oasis break now, so take a moment to thank your blanket for being there for you, and if you like, go ahead and name the gift that you received from your blanket today…. Peace…. Or maybe comfort…. Relaxation…. Whatever word comes to mind that names the gift you have just received, go ahead and name that to your blanket

(Note: I improvised here, so should go back and type it all in) As we get ready to return, you can either choose to keep the blanket wrapped around you or you can take the blanket off

It will always be exactly the right color that you need…

So taking a moment… come back to your breath… notice the air as it comes into your body and fills your lungs…. Then notice how it feels to release the breath through your nose or mouth…. Remember that you are in a body… remembering where you are… notice the feel of your feet… legs… hip… back… neck… head… Follow the sound of my voice back to this present moment wherever you are right now…. If it feels good to do so, stretch your fingers and toes, move your head slowly from side to side…. And in whatever way feels good to you, bringing yourself back into your body. Offer a prayer of thanksgiving to spriti for giving you this time for yourself, for the gift of the imagination

Thank you for joining me for this KaleidoSoul Audio Break today. I wish you a peaceful journey of rest and comfort. Remember to take time for yourself every day.

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LUCKY LEPRECHAUN Time: 10 minutes

Welcome to KaleidoSoul Oasis Audio Break #3… Lucky Leprechaun, written and recorded by Anne Marie Bennett… that’s me! Before we begin, please take a moment to find a comfortable place to sit or lie down. Turn off your cell phone and eliminate any other distractions. And… as this meditation is designed to bring you into a deep meditative state, please do not listen while driving or operating any kind of machinery.

When you are ready, allow yourself to come to stillness … Give yourself permission to come home to yourself for these next few minutes… give yourself permission to come home to Spirit, to the One that holds the many parts of your world…. Give yourself permission to relax… Taking time out of your busy day to pause… and pay attention to your breath… don’t try to change it… notice that you are in a human body… just notice as you breathe in… and notice as you breathe out….. breathe in the stillness that is always inside of you… breathe out any inner chaos…. Breathe in peace…. And Breathe out any inner wars that have been going on lately for you… give yourself permission to just breathe in… to just breathe out… and to simply relax…

Now in your imagination, bring yourself to a beautiful outdoor space… it’s a bright and sunny day… there is green grass everywhere…. And notice up ahead there is a wide and colorful RAINBOW! ….. You feel delighted and excited like a little kid, to see this rainbow so close to you…. Go ahead and walk closer to it…. and closer and closer…. You are now at the edge of this bright, amazing rainbow…. And you find…just like the legends say… a big pot of gold…. Just for you! And sitting on the ground next to this luscious pot of gold is a little leprechaun all dressed in green … with a 4 leaf clover waving from his sparkly gold hat…

Introduce yourself to this leprechaun and hear him say that he is delighted to meet you… he says that his name is Lucky Leprechaun and he is here to help you remember all the ways that YOU are lucky…. All the ways that you are blessed…. He tells you that sometimes we get so busy in our lives and our to-do lists that we forget what’s in our own personal pot of gold…. And he is here to remind you…

So go ahead and let him pull out each bright shiny coin from your own personal pot of gold…and let Lucky Leprechaun name your lucky blessings to you one by one… You’re lucky because…. And you’re lucky because…. You’ve been blessed with….. and you’ve been blessed with….

After a while, go ahead and pick some of those shimmering coins out of the pot and name them as well…. I’m lucky because…. I’ve been blessed with…..

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Each coin names a lucky blessing….

It’s almost time to start thinking about ending your oasis break now, so take a moment to thank your Lucky Leprechaun for being here for you and for showing you how lucky you really are. Know that you can come back to this rainbow and this pot of gold at any time to immerse yourself in gratitude and to remind yourself how lucky you really are.

And now taking a moment… come back to your breath… Remember that you are in a body… feel all the parts of your body against your chair or your bed… Follow the sound of my voice back to this present moment wherever you are right now…. If it feels good to do so, stretch your fingers and toes, move your head slowly from side to side…. And in whatever way feels good to you, bringing yourself back into your body. Offer a prayer of thanksgiving to Spirit for giving you this time for yourself, for the gift of the imagination and for all the blessings you were reminded of on this journey

Thank you for joining me for this KaleidoSoul Audio Break today. I wish you a peaceful journey of rest and comfort. Remember to take time for yourself every day.

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OPENING TO BLOSSOM

Time: 9 minutes

Welcome to KaleidoSoul Oasis Audio Break #4… Opening to Blossom, written and recorded by Anne Marie Bennett… that’s me! Before we begin, please take a moment to find a comfortable place to sit or lie down. Turn off your cell phone and eliminate any other distractions. And… as this meditation is designed to bring you into a deep meditative state, please do not listen while driving or operating any kind of machinery.

When you are ready, allow your eyes to softly close and then bring your body, your mind, your spirit, to stillness … Give yourself permission to come home to yourself for these next few minutes… give yourself permission to come home to Spirit, to the One that holds the many parts of your world…. Give yourself permission to relax… Taking time out of your busy day to pause… and pay attention to your breath… don’t try to change it… notice that you are in a human body… just notice as you breathe in… and notice as you breathe out….. breathe in the stillness that is always inside of you… breathe out any inner chaos …. Breathe in a radical acceptance….acceptance that embraces and encompasses ALL parts of you… And Breathe out any thoughts that get in the way of that acceptance… give yourself permission to just breathe in… to just breathe out… and to simply relax…

Now imagine yourself in a beautiful spring garden….the trees and bushes are just in new leaf, that shiny bright green color that is so luscious to look at. There are flowers in new bloom everywhere…. Smell the fragrance of new spring….. walk around the garden…. Look…. Listen…..

and then come to a stop in front of dark green bush…. And notice that the flowers on this bush have not popped out yet… crouch down in front of this bush… There are swollen buds all over this bush… so just hold one of these buds in the palm of your hand… gently… don’t take the bud off of the bush, just let it rest in your palm and observe its fullness…. It looks like it is ready to explode open….

And as you hold this bud in your hand…. Notice a place INSIDE of you… a place that is similar to this bud…. A place that is just about ready to blossom… to burst open with fullness and joy…. What is this place? ….. and what needs to happen in order for this inside part of you to fully bloom?.... spend some time holding this INNER part of you in the palm of your soul…. Tenderly… sweetly…. Observing it as it is closed… and imagining what it will be like when it is open…..

Now, place your attention back on the physical bud that is in the palm of your hand. Thank it for its presence and for its gift to you today. Slowly stand and if you like, bow

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to the bush that has not yet bloomed. And bow also, to the inner piece of you that is also getting ready to blossom.

And now taking a moment…slowly leave the beautiful spring garden… come back to your breath… Remember that you are in a body… feel all the parts of your body against your chair or your bed… Follow the sound of my voice back to this present moment wherever you are right now…. If it feels good to do so, stretch your fingers and toes, move your head slowly from side to side…. And in whatever way feels good to you, bringing yourself back into your body, opening your eyes when you are ready. If you like, Offer a prayer of thanksgiving to Spirit for giving you this time for yourself, for the gift of the imagination and for whatever part of you is budding into new blossom.

Thank you for joining me for this KaleidoSoul Audio Break today. I wish you a peaceful journey of rest and comfort. Remember to take time for yourself every day.

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JOURNEY WITH A SOULCOLLAGE® CARD

Time: 11 minutes Music: Ever-Unfolding Expansion by Thaddeus

Welcome to KaleidoSoul Oasis Audio Break #5… Journey with a SoulCollage®, written and recorded by Anne Marie Bennett… that’s me! Before we begin this journey, please place one of your SoulCollage® cards in front of you. If you don’t have any SoulCollage cards yet, you can use an image from a magazine that intrigues you. You can do this same meditation many, many times and use a different card each time. Or use the same card several weeks in a row and see how deep you can go with it. Another suggestion here is to try this with a shadow card and see if it surprises you with any of its wisdom.

Now… please take a moment to find a comfortable place to sit or lie down. Turn off your cell phone and eliminate any other distractions. And… as this meditation is designed to bring you into a deep meditative state, please do not listen while driving or operating any kind of machinery.

Now take a moment to gaze at your SoulCollage card… slowly scan it from top to bottom… and from side to side… taking note of the setting…. Taking note of each being which is on the card…. If you have already done some work with this card… just set that aside for a moment and look at it anew….

And When you are ready, allow your eyes to softly close… and bring your body, your mind, your spirit, to a sweet centered stillness … Give yourself permission to relax… Taking time out of your busy day to pause… and pay attention to your breath… don’t try to change it… notice that you are in a human breathing body… just notice as you breathe in… and notice as you breathe out….. breathe in the stillness that is always inside of you… breathe out any inner chaos …. Breathe in a radical acceptance….acceptance that embraces and encompasses ALL parts of you… And Breathe out any thoughts that get in the way of that acceptance… give yourself permission to just breathe in… to just breathe out… and to simply relax…

Now in your imagination… if you choose… enter the setting of your SoulCollage card… join the being or beings that are on this card…. And notice what happens when you connect with these images…. Just spend a few moments in silence with this energy…. Remember, this is your inner journey… you are safe and protected at all times………. ………… breathing in and out… with the energy of this card…. ….. if you want to, go ahead and ask this being “who are you?” and listen as it responds… what is its story?........ you might want to ask “what do you need from

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me?”…… and “what are you doing in my life?”…… and “what special message do you have for me today?”…. allow this being time to answer you….. listen…. Just listen… remaining open to the possibility of any answers you are given…..

And now taking a moment…find a way to thank this image, this being… knowing that you can come back and spend time with it any time you like… knowing also that you bring its energy back with you into the world in some special way…

and now come back to your breath… Remember that you are in a body… feel all the parts of your body against your chair or your bed… Follow the sound of my voice back to this present moment wherever you are right now…. If it feels good to do so, stretch your fingers and toes, move your head slowly from side to side…. And in whatever way feels good to you, bringing yourself back into your body, allowing your eyes to open when you are ready. If you choose to do so, go ahead and offer a prayer of thanksgiving to Spirit for giving you this time for yourself, for the gift of the imagination and for this particular SoulCollage® card and its message for you today.. You might want to spend a few minutes now with your journal, jotting down anything that you want to remember from today’s journey…. And especially anything important from the words of your SoulCollage card.

Thank you for joining me for this KaleidoSoul Audio Break today. I wish you a peaceful journey of rest and comfort. Remember to take time for yourself every day.

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TOUCHING PEACE

Time: 11 minutes

Welcome to KaleidoSoul Oasis Audio Break #6… Touching Peace, written and recorded by Anne Marie Bennett… that’s me! Before we begin, please take a moment to find a comfortable place to sit or lie down. Turn off your cell phone and eliminate any other distractions. And… as this meditation is designed to bring you into a deep meditative state, please do not listen while driving or operating any kind of machinery.

So…. Take a deep breath and allow your eyes to close….. give your body permission to relax and be comfortable.

Allow your body to adjust itself in any way it needs to in order to be fully comfortable. You can close your eyes when it feels safe and comfortable to do so….

And 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. As you inhale, let sky fill your body with lightness and openness, clearness and refreshment…let it fill your being with light and clarity and ease….

And as you exhale, imagine that you’re letting go of everything that’s old and stale and stressful…. You are letting go of everything that’s ready to be let go of for these next few minutes… responsibilities, to-do lists, chores, telephones….. As you exhale, you let go of all of this …. Easily and naturally…

Inhaling the light, clear sky….exhaling that which is stressful, anything that does not serve you right now… Coming home to the breath… is coming home to your self….

So in your imagination, take yourself to a large beautiful lake… a warm, calm silvery blue lake …. take a moment to pause and notice where you are… .look around you….. and then look at the water that is here…. Go ahead…. Step into the water…. It doesn’t matter what you are wearing… this is an inner journey….so just step into the water and keep walking out to the center of the lake…. If you want to swim to the center of the lake, that’s okay too….. it’s all happening in your own imagination so you can control whatever happens here….the waters are safe… you are safe…

And when you arrive in the middle of the lake…. Go ahead and dive down…. Down…. All the way to the bottom of the warm, calm lake…. As you slip thru the water, you are surrounded by a profound silence…. And you are awed to see that the bottom of the

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lake bed is carpeted with beautiful white pearls…Go ahead and lightly touch one of those pearls now… just touch it…knowing that as you are touching it… you are touching a deep peace that always, always lives inside of you…. Now pick up just one of these shimmering pearls and hold it in your hand… the knowledge comes to you that at any time your world becomes chaotic and messy or out of control…. You can dive down deep right here to this inner lake and touch peace… because peace lives right here, inside of you….

If you want to hold on to this pearl that you have picked up, you can do so… as you swim back up to the surface of the lake… and swim or walk back to the shore….. coming back to land now….

Spending a few more moments in silence near this beautiful lake….. remembering that all you need to do to touch peace is dive into the center of this clear warm inner lake which lives at the center of your be-ing….

It’s time to start thinking about coming back now… so ….Follow the sound of my voice back to this present moment…. Notice your breath… remembering that you are not just in your imagination but that you are in a body as well….. breathing a little more deeply and consciously…. You might want to shift in your chair…. Stretch your body in any way that feels good to you…. Open your eyes when you are ready to do so…..

And as you return to your life, in whatever way feels good to you, offer a prayer of thanksgiving to Spirit for this time of stillness… for the gift of imagination… and for this gentle reminder of how you can touch deep peace within yourself at any time… it is always there…...

Thank you for joining me for this KaleidoSoul Audio Break today. I wish you a sweet journey today of deep inner peace. Remember to take time for yourself every day.

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LOTUS FLOWER OF SELF-BLESSING

Time: 11 minutes

Welcome to KaleidoSoul Oasis Audio Break #7… Lotus Flower of Self-Blessing, written and recorded by Anne Marie Bennett. Before we begin, please take a moment to find a comfortable place to sit or lie down. Turn off your cell phone and eliminate any other distractions. And… as this meditation is designed to bring you into a deep meditative state, please do not listen while driving or operating any kind of machinery.

So….begin by getting as comfortable as you can…. closing your eyes when you are ready… Giving the weight of your body over to the strength and support of the chair you are in or the sturdiness of the floor… resting… surrendering… giving the weight of your thoughts and feelings over to the presence of the Divine, however you imagine the Divine to be for your life right now…

And now…as you breathe in and out … as your thoughts come to stillness…. As you become more and more relaxed… imagine yourself near a beautiful pond… notice the weather…. Is it daytime or nighttime….. find a place to sit on the edge of this pond…. What do you hear…..Are there birds singing…. Or frogs croaking… maybe some crickets singing in chorus… what do you see… are there any animals or insects present with you as you sit quietly by this lovely little pond…. Now take a closer look at the surface of the water… you notice one beautiful lotus flower (or water lily) close to you… it seems to be beckoning to you……. What color is this lotus….. notice its layering of many many petals opening out from the center….. notice that this lotus has grown up through the mud at the bottom of this pond and has turned into a gorgeous flower…just for you… Now notice that you are becoming smaller in size, and then a bit smaller, until you are just the right size to hop over to this lotus, YOUR lotus, and sit in the center of it….. ahhhh….. notice how at home you feel here… take a moment to observe the petals that now surround you…. Each of these petals represents a part of yourself, a part of your soul… some of the petals may be whole and lush, some of them may be a bit withered

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or damaged by the sun or by bugs or whatever… but each of the petals is YOURS… each of these petals has something precious to give to the life of your soul… each petal contributes to the whole of you… to the whole of your flower… PAUSE

Listen to these words from the poet galway kinnell now:

The bud stands for all things, for everything flowers, from within, of self-blessing; though sometimes it is necessary to reteach a thing its loveliness, to put a hand on the brow of the flower and retell it in words and in touch it is lovely until it flowers again from within, of self-blessing;

…. Where you are sitting right now… is YOUR place of self-blessing… So just sit here for a while… in the center of your lotus blossom… and listen to the whispering petals of your soul… they are blessing you… listen to them… feel their love… invite their wisdom…. LONGER PAUSE This is the place where you can,, if you choose to, return again and again to reteach yourself your loveliness… this is the place where you can rest in the sanctuary and safety of your own soul…. Now it is time to leave… to re-enter your life on the physical plane… so find a way to thank your lotus flower… bowing to the petals one by one… or blowing them kisses… feeling so full of gratitude and grace… feeling so full of self-acceptance and gladness to be exactly who you are… And find yourself getting a little bit bigger, and bigger.. until you are your normal size now… leaving the pond behind… coming back to the present moment… following the sound of my voice… hearing your own steady breathing… noticing how your legs and back feel resting against the chair, the floor… becoming more and more aware of your surroundings… maybe wiggling your fingers and toes… maybe stretching your arms and your legs… rolling your neck from side to side.

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And when you are ready… only when you are ready opening your eyes…

Thank you for joining me for this KaleidoSoul Audio Break today. I wish you a peaceful journey of rest, comfort and self-blessing. Remember to take time for yourself every day.

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BREAKING INTO FLOWER

Time: 9 minutes

Welcome to KaleidoSoul Oasis Audio Break #8… Breaking Into Flower, written and recorded by Anne Marie Bennett. Before we begin, please take a moment to find a comfortable place to sit or lie down. Turn off your cell phone and eliminate any other distractions. And… as this meditation is designed to bring you into a deep meditative state, please do not listen while driving or operating any kind of machinery.

So….begin by getting as comfortable as you can…. close your eyes when you are ready… Give the weight of your body over to the strength and support of the chair you are in or whatever your body is resting on… leaning back… surrendering… giving the weight of your thoughts and feelings over to the presence of the Divine, however you imagine the Divine to be for your life right now…

And as you are relaxing more and more, listen to these words by author Rebecca West: Were it possible for us to wait for ourselves to come into the room, not many of us would find our hearts breaking into flower as we heard the door handle turn. And now…as you breathe in and out … as your thoughts come to stillness…. As you become more and more relaxed… imagine yourself this scene. You are standing in a crowded room at a party. There is music in the background; people are talking in pairs and groups all around you. Glasses are clinking, laughter and a savory aroma is coming from the kitchen. Someone is refilling your glass with a red sparkling liquid.

The door opens and someone new walks into the party. You look up curiously. The door is all the way on the other side of the room so you cannot see the person clearly until they are a few feet away. You move closer to see who it is and guess what…It's YOU!

Imagine that you are watching this on your DVD player and you can press the PAUSE button. Pause this scene now, and then pretend that the person who just walked into this party is your best, most wonderful, authentic, true self. What does this person look like? What is she wearing? How is she holding her body?

Then look at yourself, the one who was already at the party. How are you reacting to your True Self who just showed up? Are you about to turn away, about to go find

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someone more interesting to talk with? Or, as Rebecca West so poignantly writes, is your heart breaking into flower at this very connection with yourself?

Give yourself some time to just BE with this true, authentic YOU …. And see if you can allow your heart to break into flower at this inner connection….

Now it is time to leave… to re-enter your life back in the Here and Now… so find a way to thank your beautiful authentic self… bow to yourself if you like… feeling so full of self-acceptance and gladness to be exactly who you are… and then bring yourself back to the present moment… follow the sound of my voice… become aware of your own steady breathing… notice that you are in a living, breathing physical body… maybe wiggle your fingers and toes… or give a big, good stretch and roll your neck from side to side.

And when you are ready, go ahead and open your eyes…

Thank you for joining me for this KaleidoSoul Audio Break today. I wish you a peaceful journey of rest, comfort and self-blessing. Remember to take time for yourself every day.

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Beating Yourself Up with a Feather

Time: 9 minutes

Welcome to KaleidoSoul Oasis Audio Break #9… Beating Yourself Up with a Feather, written and recorded by Anne Marie Bennett… that’s me! Before we begin, please take a moment to find a comfortable place to sit or lie down. Turn off your cell phone and eliminate any other distractions. And… as this meditation is designed to bring you into a deep meditative state, please do not listen while driving or operating any kind of machinery.

When you are ready, allow your eyes to gently close… bring yourself to stillness … Give yourself permission to slow down, to relax, for these next few minutes… just give yourself permission to come home to Spirit, to the One that holds the many parts of your world…. Paying attention to your breath… not trying to change it… just noticing as you breathe in… and noticing as you breathe out….. you have nowhere to go for the next ten minutes… nothing to do but sit still with yourself and listen inside… relaxing… relaxing…

In your imagination now, bring to your mind a part of yourself that you don’t like… a flaw…. Maybe you tend to be impatient like me… maybe you have an addictive behavior that stifles you…. Just for a moment, choose something about yourself that you’re not happy with… really think about this flaw…. Focus on it for a moment in the safety of this still, quiet space that is held by Spirit and grace… continuing to relax in spite of your usual tendency to want to push this part of yourself away

And now notice that lying at your feet is a gigantic club or bat or thorny wooden stick… go ahead and pick it up and, still thinking the part of yourself that you dislike the most, start beating yourself up with it….hard… how does this feel?.... don’t be surprised that I am asking you to do this… most of the time you do this by yourself without any guidance or direction from anyone else….

Now stop beating yourself up for a moment and notice that someone is coming towards you… a beautiful being of light…. Take a second to notice who this is…. Smile… relax your shoulders…. He or she is carrying a large white feather… it is just as large at the club or stick you were just using to beat yourself up….. the Being gently takes your weapon from you and hands you the shimmering white feather instead. He or she says to you “If you have to beat yourself up, dear one, use this….”

So go ahead… start batting yourself in the head and face and on the arms and legs with this soft white feather… how does this feel…you probably cannot do this without smiling… maybe you’re even laughing because it tickles…

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Take a moment now to thank the Being who gave you the large white feather…. And ask if you can bring the feather back with you…. Know that you can visit this being any time you want to, simply by closing your eyes and issuing the invitation…

Now when you are ready, take another moment to come back to your body and to your breath… notice that you are a spiritual being who is held in a body and pay attention to how your body feels right now… breathing a little more deeply and consciously now… Follow the sound of my voice back to this present moment wherever you are right now…. If it feels good to do so, stretch your fingers and toes, move your head slowly from side to side…. And in whatever way feels good to you, offer a prayer of thanksgiving to Spirit for this time of stillness… for the gift of imagination… and for this gentle reminder of how to be kinder to yourself...

Thank you for joining me for this KaleidoSoul Audio Break today. I wish you a peaceful journey of rest and comfort and gentleness with yourself. Remember to take time for yourself every day.

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Loving-Kindness

Time: 11 minutes

Welcome to KaleidoSoul Oasis Audio Break #10… Lovingkindess Mini- Retreat, written and recorded by Anne Marie Bennett… that’s me. This meditation is based on Metta, which is a is a practice that focuses on loving kindness… to ourselves, to those we love, to those who bring us conflict, and with all sentient beings. Today we’ll be practicing a simple meditation that you can use anytime and anywhere to center yourself and to move yourself towards peace and harmony and away from hurt and resentment. Before we begin, please take a moment to find a comfortable place to sit or lie down. Turn off your cell phone and eliminate any other distractions. And… as this meditation is designed to bring you into a deep meditative state, please do not listen while driving or operating any kind of machinery.

When you are ready, allow your eyes to softly close… and bring your body, your mind, your spirit, to a deliberate centered stillness … Give yourself permission to relax… Taking time out of your busy day to pause… and pay attention to your breath…… breathe in the stillness that is always inside of you… breathe out any inner chaos …. Breathe in peace … And Breathe out any thoughts that get in the way of that peace… give yourself permission to just breathe in… to just breathe out… and to simply relax…and be with yourself right now.. in this moment…

The Metta Meditation is very very simple. In the first part, we direct the energy of loving-kindness first towards ourselves. Just slowly say these words to yourself… and as you say the words, feel the warmth of your heart radiating towards all parts of your own being: May I be safe, May I be happy, May I be healthy, May I be free …. And one more time… In the second part, we direct the energy of loving-kindness towards someone that we love. So just imagine this loved one sitting across from you… I am going to use the pronoun “she” as I lead us through this part, but feel free to substitute your loved one’s first name if you like. May she be safe, May she be happy, May she be healthy, May she be free…. And then again…..

In the third part, we direct the energy of loving-kindness towards someone that we don’t know and that we feel neutral towards. Perhaps it’s someone ahead of us in line at the grocery store, or our mailman, or the cashier at the coffee shop. So picture someone like this in your mind’s eye right now…. And begin… May he be safe, May he be happy, May he be healthy, May he be free. Now again…..

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In the next part, we direct this powerful energy of loving-kindness towards someone that causes us difficulty, or someone with whom we experience conflict. So imagine this person sitting across from you… and don’t worry… you are not going to engage in conversation or argument with them… I am going to use the pronoun “she” as I lead us through this part, but you might find it more powerful to use his or her first name instead. May she be safe… may she be happy… may she be healthy… may she be free…. Remember to breathe… this might be difficult, just remind yourself that it’s all okay…. And so one more time….. May she be safe… may she be happy… may she be healthy… may she be free…. In the last part of Metta practice, we direct the energy of loving-kindness towards all sentient beings….. Breathing in and out… slowly… May all beings be safe, May all beings be happy, May all beings be healthy, May all beings be free…. And again… May all beings be safe, May all beings be happy, May all beings be healthy, May all beings be free…. And before we come back …. Take a moment to bow to yourself, and to your loved one, and to the neutral person…. And to the person you are in conflict with… to all sentient beings… and finally, once again, to yourself….

Now just take a moment to feel your breath in your body..… feel all the parts of your body against your chair or your bed… Follow the sound of my voice back to this present moment wherever you are right now…. And in whatever way feels good to you, bringing yourself back into your body… stretching your neck or shaking out your hands and wiggling your toes….

Thank you for joining me for this KaleidoSoul Audio Break today. I wish you a peaceful journey of rest and comfort and loving-kindness inside and out. Remember to take time for yourself every day.