Close your eyes … switch on a light in the area around your heart and see the image of a rose bud emerge … at first a luminous tip of colour … the bud stirs … the sepals gradually turn outwards. See the petals unfold in a slow and fluid movement … until the rose has opened and exudes its delicate fragrance.
Imagine the rose expanding in size … to a palatial sphere that invites into its passages. Overcome the weight of your thoughts and wander barefoot with feather-light steps towards the luminous centre. Rest here for a while … absorb the tenderness of the realm’s ambience and the exquisite fragrance of rose into every cell of your body.
Become the rose …
Move your consciousness upwards … lift on spirit wings and witness the rose palace merge with the landscape below. Soar higher and look down on clusters of houses, roads, cities, fields, hills, rivers, woods … see the shape of countries, continents, coastlines and oceans spread and curve the horizon. Move higher still, until the whole earth floats in deep space like a marble.
Feeling light and trusting, imagine you are level with the moon and look back at the shining marble turning in space … ribbons of white cloud, blue oceans, pale sands, green forests, red rock and snow-topped mountains – your home – vast in your memory but also small enough to be held in your palm.
Think of the people who have been and are close to you … in love … or alienated by hurt and dispute … people you shelter in your heart or have expelled from it. Sense the mysterious weaving of souls in the tapestry of the universe … your separate thread belonging and active in the creation of earth, the home of your human family.
Know that every sincere thought travels … know the creative potential alive within you is reflected in all life forms throughout the universe …
We are the mirror as well as the face in it.
We are tasting the taste this minute of eternity. We are pain and what cures pain. We are the sweet, cold water and the jar that pours. – Rumi
Slowly descend – return to earth – into the rose palace.
Step away from the luminous sphere … let it ebb back into the small flower, petals folding … see the bud float into you open hand … sense how its power wishes to stay alive in you … for its beauty to unfold whenever you need loving. Here is how – place the rose and the whole experience of rose-becoming into your heart.
* * *
Over the years I composed many similar imageries with archetypal themes. They are tools of reflection I use with clients and in workshops. When I guide, the process becomes subtly interactive and explorative. Some journeys are safe to walk alone, like the one above, and they are as powerful as your imagination allows.
Should I share more such imageries? Let me know.
Here a more elaborate space visit … http://aeon.co/film/overview/
The poem from ‘Open Secret’ – Rumi transl. by John Moyne and Coleman Barks.
Course of Mirrors 
Loved this piece of inspirational NLP, Ashen. I once wrote a similar thing in Russian, nowadays i do this through my music.
You know I’m a fan of plants, so this blog was particularly poignant to me 🙂
And written with such clarity as well. What is the next flower to follow? 🙂
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Thanks, Grisha. I could try and add some of your music. Not sure how to add sound links. Something to learn.
Another journey might include the alpine ‘Edelweiss’ – related to the sunflower.
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Beautiful! It’s been a tough old day today and reading this will certainly bring a more peaceful and happy sleep tonight. Always love reading your posts honey, on of my definite internet treats!! 😀 xxx
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I’m glad this brings a little peace.
Tough days all round, it seems.
Wishing you good dreams, Sophie xxx
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Thank you sweetie, you too! 😀 xxx
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Beautiful and makes me reflective on this cloudy, humid day. Let me know when you visit my garden and my roses will have their lights lit for you to travel calmly. Your reflections should continue.B
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Now I imagine your rose garden full of light. Brief moments can leave a deep impression. Thank you.
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An open ended meditation full of colour- wonderful, and music added would be a bonus but anyone can do that for themselves and let the imagery expand at their own pace. Beautifully written…to end with sweet cold water.
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The sweet cold water … ☼
Soon more precious than gold.
Could make the patent list for the next Great Modifying Ogre project.
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Really beautiful. You should do these as little vids. and put them on Youtube.
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It’s a thought. Time allowing 🙂
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My thought exactly. Would be lovely to hear your voice again. 🙂
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Reading that was like taking a nice, long, deep breath. More? Yes, please!
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Thanks. It’s a project waking up that’s been lingering for years in a folder.
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Lovely, Ashen. Your writing again enchants me. Do you have my email address? I would love to send you a little piece I have written.
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Thank you, Jed. I’ll sent you an email.
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I agree with Diane. This imagery should be on Youtube. For my own part, I’m bookmarking for times when the dust of negativity is so deep I struggle to dig myself out of it.
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Call me and I’ll bring a shovel 🙂 Then again, there’s also good stuff to be found under dust.
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I entered a lovely state while reading Ashen thank you so much … and I will save the FB link to read again. It’s very special. And YES please, more of these …
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Thank you Susan.
There are to more guided journey’s in the vicinity of this post:
https://courseofmirrors.wordpress.com/2014/03/06/meeting-the-other/
https://courseofmirrors.wordpress.com/2014/02/23/the-child-in-us/
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Pingback: … rose is a rose is a rose … | Course of Mirrors
Please do continue , it just brings this tender joy and sweetness into the heart and spirit….so nourishing …thank you taking all this time to share your
soulhealing images and inspiring thoughts ❤️
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Pleased to bring nourishment. Thanks for visiting, Jenny ☼
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What a beautiful meditation, Ashen. I love the shape of the journey, and the way you link it to our individual circumstances. I’m so glad I followed the links back to this.
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Thank you Cat. It’s gratifying to see a two year old post emerging. It did me good today ☼
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Perhaps you should re-post it.
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