Finding the calm in the center of the storm is something we need to do daily. Daily we are confronted with the unpredictability of life. People, places and events may throw us into a state of imbalance, confusion, anxiety or fear. Nature teaches us that in the center of every storm there is a central point at which complete stillness lies. The eye of the hurricane remains calm while the storm rages around the outer circumference. The cyclone spins furiously at its periphery, while at the center of the vortex there is a void. Whether the storm lies within or without us, we must seek out and find the center where complete stillness and peace reside if we are to weather the storm.

Relaxation: Close your eyes and relax into a comfortable position.  Begin to breathe deeply. Take a deep breath -  and release it.     As you inhale again, notice its soothing and massaging action on your mind and body.  As you exhale release all the tensions, anxieties, cares or concerns of the day.  Repeat this as many times as you need.

Mental Imagery: Imagine you are becoming lighter and lighter, and you begin floating, up higher and higher into space, so high that you now begin to see the earth below you.  From this vantage-point see yourself as you have been, standing at a point upon the earth, surrounded by a whirlwind. Within this whirlwind encircling you, are all your cares and anxieties. Notice the size and velocity of your whirlwind. How big is it?  How much power does it seem to possess?  How do you feel in the presence of its magnitude?  (Are you holding up against the buffets of its winds or are you feeling out of control like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz?)

Now move your attention upward through the center of the whirlwind. Notice that the space in the center of the whirlwind gradually becomes wider and wider toward its top and that in this space there is complete calm.   Begin to move upward, floating higher and higher through the center of the whirlwind.   Notice that as you move up through the center, the storm expands outward further and further away from you.   Still floating higher and higher, feel yourself becoming calmer and calmer as the storm moves further and further away, finally dissolving into mist so that nothing remains but a clear blue sky. 

Remain there as long as you like. Floating freely. Feeling calm, light, centered, totally a peace. Feeling free, comforted, supported and surrounded by this beautiful, serene blue sky.

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