To listen to this meditation (to release fear and guilt), scroll down the page for the video.
You are walking through a bright, moon-lit path in the woods near a river, carrying a warm, red blanket, a wooden flute, and a picnic basket. Your feet are crunching on golden leaves and there are rabbits and squirrels scampering across your path.
As you walk, you notice that the leaves are damper as you get closer to the water. Bend down and collect 12 of the moist leaves and place them inside your basket.
You will use these later when you are ready for releasement.
Soon you are out of the woods and directly facing the rolling river, its dark water rushing over the smooth, large rocks. The Full Moon shines like a lunar spotlight on the gentle waves and you are grateful for its comforting brilliance on this dark and cold night.
Find a good spot and spread the blanket on the hard ground. Place the basket and flute on one end of the blanket and be seated on the other.
* * *
Open your basket and remove one golden leaf.
Gold is the color of abundance, of wisdom. It is the horn of plenty.
Think of a fear that you would like to release at this time. It may be a fear of failure, a fear of heights, a fear of change, a fear of death. No matter what the fear, you are releasing it today.
As you think of your fear, lift the golden leaf above your head and announce:
“I release this fear to the river and to the Universe. It is no longer mine to bear.”
“I release this fear to the river and to the Universe. It is no longer mine to bear.”
Then toss the leaf into the water and watch it and your fear float away. Do this with five more golden leaves until these fears, too, have floated away.
* * *
When this is done, think of all the things you may feel guilty about.
Perhaps you feel guilty over something you said, something you did or something that you did not do. You want to release these guilty feelings, too.
Remove a golden leaf from the basket and lift it high above your head. And then say aloud:
“I release this guilt to the river and to the Universe. It is no longer mine to bear.”
“I release this guilt to the river and to the Universe. It is no longer mine to bear.”
Toss this leaf into the water and watch it until it disappears from view. Remove the remaining five golden leaves from your basket and repeat this ritual until all of the leaves have disappeared down the river.
* * *
Now, open the basket and remove your drinking cup and a loaf of hearty, whole grain bread.
Before you eat this meal of thanksgiving, think of all the reasons you have to be grateful. Be grateful for Mother Earth, for her trees and rivers and oceans and mountains. Be grateful for the moon and the stars, the night and the air.
Be grateful for the fish in the waters, the birds in the skies, the plants, the minerals, the animals.
Be grateful for your family, your friends, your employer, your employees, your co-workers, your teachers. All that exists have lessons to teach you and you are grateful for their guidance.
Now, dip your cup into the river, which flows with the goodness of clear, clean, drinkable water.
Return to the blanket and bless your meal. With each mouthful of bread and each sip of water, you feel more grateful, more satisfied with your life.
Overhead, the Full Moon appears to grow larger and larger as it pours its healing white light upon you. In gratitude, you pick up your flute and play a song of thanks to the heavens.
You are grateful for your life. You are grateful for this day. All your fears, all your guilt have been removed from your being.
Now, visualize that the river water is cleansed of all negativity, including yours.
All is well.