Practice: Sun-Kissed Stillness: A Nature Embodiment Meditation

Have you ever felt that your connection to yourself and the world around you has become dulled by the constant noise of modern life? This episode offers a sanctuary—a guided meditation practice that gently leads you back to your senses, your body, and the natural world that holds us all.

Lizzy guides you through a sensory meditation designed specifically to be experienced outdoors. Rather than complicated techniques or esoteric concepts, this practice returns to the fundamentals: feeling sunlight on your skin, noticing the sounds around you, experiencing the support of the earth beneath you. The meditation moves through each sense methodically, creating space for you to rediscover the subtle sensations that often go unnoticed in our busy lives.

What makes this practice unique is its emphasis on our intrinsic connection to nature. As Lizzy reminds us, "Your body belongs in nature. It is nature." This simple truth has profound implications for how we understand ourselves and our place in the world. The meditation invites you to experience this connection directly, not just intellectually—to feel the steadiness of the earth and the warmth of the sun as tangible reminders of your belonging.

Whether you're new to meditation or have an established practice, this episode offers a refreshing approach that doesn't demand perfection. Instead, it creates space for genuine presence, encouraging you to carry "even just a thread of this presence" forward into your day. Sometimes the most powerful reset doesn't come from doing more, but from simply being—outside, breathing, and noticing the world with fresh eyes. We invite you to step outside, press play, and remember what it feels like to truly be here, now.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:08):
Hi, I'm Lizzie and I'm Nikki.
Have you ever felt that yourlife was missing purpose, joy or
deep connection?
Welcome to the Modern ZenCollective Podcast, where we
embrace holistic living for ajoyful, purpose-driven life.
In today's episode, we will besharing one of the practices we

(00:29):
use to help us release, receive,come back into alignment and
connect with the divinity withinand all around us.
We hope you enjoy it andcontinue to join us weekly on
the Modern Zen CollectivePodcast, elevating your mind,
body and spirit.
And now today's practice.
Hi, friend, it's Lizzie.

(01:12):
Before we begin, I want toinvite you to take this
meditation outside, into realsunlight, into the presence of
nature, wherever you can find ittoday.
Maybe it's your backyard, quietpark or a little patch of sun
on your porch.
There's something so sacredabout letting the natural world

(01:34):
hold you while you return toyour breath, to your body, to
yourself.
This meditation is all aboutreconnecting with your senses,
softening into stillness andremembering that your body
belongs in nature.
It is nature.
So, when you're ready, findyour spot, press play and let's

(02:01):
meet in the sun.
And let's meet in the sun.
Welcome, beautiful soul.
As you listen to this, you arealready outside, somewhere.
You feel safe, connected andheld by the natural world.

(02:21):
Take a moment to look around,take in your surroundings, feel
the air on your skin.
Now let your body begin tosettle.
You may be standing, seated orlying down.
There's no right or wrong, onlywhat feels most supportive for

(02:50):
you in this moment.
Let your arms rest, let yourshoulders drop and take a deep,
grounding breath in and sigh itout the mouth.
Now gently draw your awarenessto your senses.

(03:12):
What do you see, withoutlabeling or analyzing?
Just notice Colors, lightshapes, maybe some shadows
dancing, the way sunlightfilters through the leaves or

(03:40):
reflects off the water or somestone.
Now shift to hearing.
What do you hear around you?
Are there birds singing, thewind blowing, maybe some distant

(04:01):
voices or rustling branches?
Let the soundscape become asoft background to your breath.
Now tune into smell.
Maybe the scent of the earth,wildflowers, salt air, grass or

(04:25):
just the fresh neutrality of thebreeze.
There's no need to force focus,you're simply returning to
presence again and again.
Now, gently bring yourattention to the sunlight

(04:56):
touching your body.
Feel it on your skin, perhapsyour face, arms, chest or legs.
Notice the temperature, thetexture.

(05:17):
Does it feel soft, strong, likea blanket, or maybe a kiss?
Let your body respond to thesunlight.
Maybe your muscles start tosoften, maybe your breath

(05:43):
deepens.
Naturally, begin to scan yourbody slowly, from the crown of
your head down to your toes, asyou do, notice where the

(06:03):
sunlight lands and notice whatyou feel in those places Warmth,
tingling, openness.
If you find any place thatfeels tight or tender, simply

(06:24):
send your breath there.
Offer it space and sunlight nowshift your awareness to the

(06:51):
earth beneath you, or maybe it'saround you.
What is it like?
Grass, sand, stone, maybe soil?
Feel it under your feet, yourseat, maybe your hands if

(07:20):
they're resting down.
Imagine your body becoming alittle heavier with each exhale,
sinking into the support of theground.
Feel yourself held by the earth, unmoving, steady, ancient,

(07:45):
steady, ancient.
Let yourself belong here, righthere.

(08:06):
Now.
Become still, but notice howmuch is still happening inside.
Feel the breeze against yourskin.
Feel the gentle rhythm of yourbreath.
Feel your heart beating in yourchest.

(08:30):
Maybe there's a little sway inyour body, a response to balance
, wind or energy.
Let it be Just notice your bodyis part of nature.

(08:54):
It knows how to be here.
Trust it.
Begin to gently return yourawareness to the bigger picture
around you.

(09:14):
Open your eyes if they wereclosed.
Notice the sunlight again andhow it feels now.
Notice how your body feels now,the subtle shift.
Notice any quietness or claritythat has emerged.

(09:40):
Take one final deep inhale andthis time breathe in sunlight,
breath and life, and exhale anyresidue of tension or
distraction.
Pause here for just a momentlonger and offer a simple thank

(10:03):
you to the sun, to the earth, toyour body.
You were here, you are here.
Let that truth anchor youthrough the rest of your day.

(10:26):
Thank you for being here withme, out in the sunshine, in your
body and in this moment.
Sometimes the most powerfulreset doesn't come from doing
more, but from simply beingOutside, breathing and noticing
as you move through the rest ofyour day.
See if you can carry even justa thread of this presence with

(10:49):
you the warmth on your skin, thesteadiness in your breath and
knowing that you are so deeplyconnected to the earth, to
yourself, to this life.
If this practice spoke to you,we'd love to hear about it.
And until next time, time, keeplistening inward, stay grounded

(11:14):
and let the light guide you.
See you next time.
Thank you for watching.