Sit quietly in your chair and breathe deeply and effortlessly.

Follow the air right to the bottom of your lungs and notice how the letting go of it encourages a letting go in the rest of your body.

Notice the little noises around you. The ebb and flow of life as the world carries on without you for these few moments.

Picture yourself walking through a wide expanse of meadow on a warm balmy day.
Feel the sun warming your skin and listen to the birds and insects chirruping in the afternoon breeze.

Far in the distance you can see a tiny round object shimmering in the sun.

As you walk towards it, you realize that it is a voluminous hot air balloon.

As you move closer you can see its magnificent silks, shuddering and trembling with anticipation.

The basket at the base is open and you are able to step inside and make yourself comfortable amongst the soft, pretty furnishings.

The balloon is filled with heat and upward movement and at its centre is a white flame.
It is filled with your creative fire.

The balloon is tugging at the ropes that hold it fast. It wants to go. To rise.

Now you are able to look around and peer outside, over the edge of the little basket.
You curiously notice that the ropes that hold the balloon fast to the ground are attached to bags and cases of various different sizes and shapes.

Some are small and easily rocked by the motion of the balloon and others are large and heavy.

As you examine these bags, you notice that each one has a label.

One reads guilt. One; resentment. Another; regret. As you continue to read the labels, you see many that you recognise. Poor body-image, low self-worth and so on.

On reading the labels you begin to see that theses are the things that you must let go of in order to rise. Old arguments. Outmoded beliefs and ideas which no longer serve you. Old expectations of yourself and others.

Take out whatever tools you have brought with you and begin to work at the ropes. Some of them will loosen more easily than others.

When the first rope is unwound and separated from the basket, you feel a lurching upwards as the balloon frees itself from that one piece of baggage.

It catches again, though, as the other ropes that still hold it become taut once more. But each time you loosen one of the ropes, the balloon pushes upwards towards the sky.

You work methodically around the edge of the basket, untying, disentangling and even cutting the ropes that remain, each time feeling the lurch towards freedom until, finally the last knot is undone!

You barely notice the upwards motion, just the earth beneath you becoming smaller and smaller and the ropes and bags falling away.

And now you are free. You rise!

With pure intention as your compass you rise towards your purpose in the currents of air powered by your own creative fire.

Gently drift back to the earth when you are ready and enjoy the rest of your day with a lighter outlook.

When you detach from what has been holding you down; YOU RISE!