Photo by Brooklyn Bridge Baby

I have been teaching this bhavana (visualisation) a lot lately at the end of class, and people seem to love it as much as I do, so here, for your delectation, is a cherry blossom relaxation.

You could do it at your desk, but it would be so much nicer if you were lying down somewhere.

Imagine that you are lying on your back under a cherry tree. It’s springtime, it’s warm, and you are on a cushion of fallen cherry blossoms.

As you gaze up, you see blue sky through branches of soft, pink, fragrant flowers. It’s very quiet, very peaceful.

There is a soft breeze, and from time to time, petals drift down off the tree and brush your skin. When they do, feel yourself relax. Perhaps the petals are landing on those parts of you that are most tense, and they relax.

Rest here, and as more blossoms drift down to earth, feel yourself becoming more and more relaxed. Stay as long as you want to, and come back to your orchard whenever you need to.

And, an audio file, which you can get by clicking here. You get to hear my accent now! Poor sound quality because I recorded it on my phone, but hey, it’s a start, non? I welcome all feedback…