Intro 0:09 This recording is an offering of Networks for Training and Development's Online University. Jessica Stover 0:18 Hi, everyone. Welcome to this month's Networks’ Healing Circle Call. My name is Jessica Stover with Networks and I am so delighted to be with you all for our time together today. It is, right now, August the 2nd, 2021. So welcome. And we do these on the first Monday of every month. And I know that you're listening in. But if you'd like to hear previous Healing Circles, we also have them archived on our website. You can access them directly through the website, or if you go to https://Networks-Healing-Circle.Pinecast.co. That'll take you to our archives. We have three, four years of these available for you. For you to utilize and enjoy and take in as you need. So these are also anonymous. So just sit back and enjoy the time we have together. These go about, roughly about 20 minutes, sometimes less, sometimes more. And let's just go ahead and get started. Jessica Stover 1:39 So again, it's August 2, 2021. Here on the East Coast, in the United States, I'm located in Pennsylvania. It's still very much summertime; very much summer time. And today, I thought I'd do a guided meditation regarding summer. It's coming to a close. But it's still here, very much with us. We've had some cooler weather as of late, which is a welcome, welcome change to the searing temperatures we were having just a few weeks ago. But it's going to get warmer again. But again, it is summertime and also it's summertime in Pennsylvania. And as those of you who live in Pennsylvania, you may know exactly what I mean. Some days it's searingly hot. Other days, we could feel like that we're in the middle of a blizzard it gets so cold. And we can have all, all four seasons in one day in Pennsylvania. I think probably other parts of the country too. You're probably familiar with that as well. Jessica Stover 2:40 So, before we get into the meditation, I’d like us all just to be together for just a few moments, and reflect on your day so far. Whether it's your day that you just woke up, and you're joining us, and you're listening to this, maybe to the recording of this. Or if you're listening to this midday, and joining us during real time or listening to the recording. Or maybe if you're ending your day with this. Think about just one thing. We can do more. But just one thing that gives you gratitude. One thing that you're grateful for. Take a few moments and reflect on that one thing. Jessica Stover 3:35 Wonderful. I'm sure it's amazing. The next - and this could be the same or it could be something totally different. Think and reflect on one thing today, - whether it's you’re just waking up in the morning, you're joining this and listening to this midday or if you're ending your day - think about one thing that either recently or today has brought you joy. That just filled your heart, filled your cup, maybe put a smile on your face. What’s that one thing that just gave you that wonderful feeling of joy? Take a few moments and reflect on that now. Jessica Stover 4:34 Amazing! Amazing things in this world isn't there? Jessica Stover 4:40 So let's go ahead and start with our meditation. So it's a guided meditation to embrace summertime. So wherever you are right now, get yourself comfortable. Whether you're sitting, maybe you want to be standing, maybe you want to be laying down. But get yourself comfortable - could be in a chair. It could be out in the yard, or your front porch or on the beach, in the mountains. Wherever you are, get comfortable. Or even if you're able to be out in nature and you're joining in on this or listening to the recording, find a favorite place in nature to take this in. I want you to settle into your body, meaning really connect with your breath. Slowly inhale through your nose. And then slowly exhale through your mouth. Slowly inhaling through your nose and slowly exhaling through your mouth. And as you're doing this, if you can notice how your body and mind begin to soften and relax. Slowly breathing in and inhaling through your nose. And slowly exhaling through your mouth. Again, slowly inhaling through your nose. And slowly exhaling through your mouth. Jessica Stover 6:20 I'd like you to visualize yourself someplace in nature during the early summer. You might be walking along a riverbank or a creek or a stream. Maybe you're walking along the edge of the ocean. You could be sitting beneath the shade of your favorite tree. You could be standing barefoot in the grass. But somewhere visualize yourself in the early summer, out in nature. As you're doing that, allow the light and warmth of the sun to permeate you. If you find yourself sitting beneath a tree, you're never fully shaded. The sun always comes through, doesn't it? Feel those sunbeams on you. Feel it on your skin. Maybe you might feel a light breeze across your face. And you could be hearing the sound of trickling water or birds chirping from the trees around you or off in the distance. As you're out in nature, you might pick up the scent of jasmine coming in from the garden. It's nearby. Or you might be taking in the wild flowers. Their scents along that river's edge or creek or streams edge. If you're near the ocean, you're going to be smelling that beautiful ocean air. You're going to breathe in the balmy warmth of the summer air and you're going to settle more deeply into a relaxed state. Take a moment. Feel that sun. Feel the breeze. Listen to the trickling water or the birds. And smell the jasmine, smell the wildflowers, smell the ocean air. Jessica Stover 8:41 Begin now to open your heart and mind to what is possible in this remaining time of summer. Imagine the light of the sun illuminating the corners in your mind where maybe you haven't ventured in for a while. Invite yourself to dream. What lights you up? What makes you come alive? What ignites your creativity? What environment do you thrive in most and what do you love doing? What would you like to create or transform? Again, you're gonna dream of these things, think of these things. Imagine these things, manifest these things. What lights you up and makes you come alive, ignites your creativity. Environments that you thrive in the most and doing things that you just love, what are those things? And what would you like to create? Jessica Stover 10:01 Imagine next doing something so wildly spontaneous, that it breaks you free from your current routine and catapults you towards something new, exciting, and terrifically fun. If you could create anything in your life, what would that be? What would you dare to do? Might you travel someplace new, even if it's just a day trip or a weekend getaway? Could it be taking up a new hobby like gardening, surfing, painting, horseback riding, crocheting, hiking? What new connections might happen through these activities? You know, finding social groups; what can happen? What about trying new things by saying, "yes", to every invitation you get for the rest of this summer? Jessica Stover 11:14 Bring all these visualizations together in a picture or a movie clip in your mind's eye. And watch yourself embracing these possibilities. See yourself interacting with others having new adventures; allowing your playful childlike nature to come alive. Now, ask yourself what you need to do to make it all a reality. What action do you need to take that is different from how you are living now? Jessica Stover 11:59 As you embrace the rest of this summer, and really feel the excitement of what you can create for yourself or build further upon, make a commitment to doing one new thing a day. Or maybe one new thing a week. These things should be things that light you up and make you wildly happy and joyful. Think about that for a few moments; sit with that. I'll wait for you. Jessica Stover 12:31 When you feel ready, take a few slow, deep breaths and slowly open your eyes. You might want to consider, if you have one nearby, taking out your journal. Or maybe later going and getting it, or a pen and paper. And write down the things you are committed to doing for the rest of this summer. These things are things that will ignite your passion, fuel your creativity, and lead to spontaneity and fun. Because summer is more than a fun thing to do. It's how you go about doing the things you do and the intention behind them. Are you doing things that fulfill you and bring you more joy and connect you more deeply to others? And are you saying, "yes" to adventure? And taking every moment of every experience and savoring life every day. Even if you don't feel like saying, "yes" to an adventure, maybe you can start shifting and savoring each and every moment of your day. Because it's all gifts. And it's all pieces of joy. Jessica Stover 14:00 To finish up, summer is about expansion and getting out there and really going for it. It's about living life with fervor and allowing yourself to be wild and free to do those things that, until now, you filed away on your "someday list". So it's time to embrace the rest of your summer season in a way that supports you. In a way that supports you, in having a harmony between relaxing, downtime, and having meaningful and amazing experiences. I hope this is helpful for you all. And I hope that you'll consider joining in again. Again, we hold these Networks on the first Monday of every month at 8pm Eastern Daylight Time. They are anonymous. So you can join in and no one will ever know you're here. You can keep it a secret. But if you do like them and you find them helpful, feel free to drop us a line. We'd love to hear from you, 'til. Jessica Stover 15:19 Again, you can find them on our website, Networksfortraining.org. Or you can go directly to https://Networks-healing-circle.pinecast.co. Our next Healing Circle call is going to be on Monday, September the 6th, 2021 at 8pm Eastern Daylight Time. I hope you'll join back in. And feel free to check out everything else that Networks has to offer. You can find us on YouTube. We're on Facebook and Instagram. Connect with us on our website. Reach out to learn more. Ask how we may be of assistance to you and how we can support each other. So thank you again and have a phenomenally, joyful and amazing rest of your day. Take care. Outro 16:33 Thank you for listening. We hope the information provided was helpful. Don't forget to stop by our website and take advantage of all we have to offer. Transcribed by https://otter.ai