Type of activity: Visualisation / Creative practical

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Location: Outdoors

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Materials: Gathered natural materials

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Length 45-60 minutes

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Find a place outdoors where you can use natural materials to create a circle on the ground large enough to step into.

 

Begin by following this simple meditation.

 

• Make yourself comfortable, perhaps sitting cross-legged or lying flat on your back.

 

• Close your eyes and start focusing on your breath. Notice the changes in your body as you breath in and out. If your mind wanders bring it gently back to your breath.

 

• Once your breath has settled into a gentle rhythm, bring your attention to your body.

 

• Starting with your feet, explore any sensations you have – heat, cold, a breeze on your skin.

 

• Slowly move your awareness up through your body, from your feet up to your knees, hips, belly, fingertips, arms, shoulders, back, neck, head, continuing to breathe in a gentle rhythm.

 

• Remain in this position for as long as you wish then slowly bring your attention back to your surrounding and open your eyes when you are ready.

 

Now you can begin the circle of excellence activity.

 

• Create your circle on the ground in front of you. It needs to be large enough to step into.

 

• Close your eyes and recall a memory of a time where you excelled and fully relive that experience. Identify all your positive traits, strengths and achievements which helped you excel. These represent everything good about you.

 

• Choose some natural materials to represent everything good about you.

 

• Place the materials inside the circle one by one, connecting with each trait as you place it. Imagining them vibrantly, feeling, seeing, and hearing them.

 

• Now physically step inside your circle and take a deep breath. Feel all the positivity emanating from everything good about you.

 

• Step outside your circle leaving all the feelings inside it.

 

• Think to the future and imagine situations where you may face struggles, step back into the circle and project everything good about yourself into these situations.

 

• Visualise how you will respond differently when you are equipped with all your positive traits, strengths, and achievements.

 

• Step back out of the circle and metaphorically pick up your circle and place it in a pocket. You can now take out this circle whenever you need it and step back into it, giving you access to the positivity it contains.

 

Once you have completed the activity you may choose to leave your circle where it is, or you may choose to return the materials to where you found them.