Podcast Captions to Read Along

All you need is confidence in yourself. There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger. The true courage is in facing danger when you are afraid and that kind of courage you have in plenty.

Oh, such courageous and inspirational words from the great Oz. Welcome to curious minds kind hearts. It's Heather, and I'm so glad you are here. Before we get started, please consider sharing this podcast or becoming a patron for special bonuses. I appreciate your being here and your listener support.

This episode is great for kids and teens. Okay, let's go on an adventure. You have probably heard of the wizard of Oz or watched it? Yes. It's a great story. Isn't it? Four friends who go on a magical discovery together. One in search of a smart brain. Another a loving heart. Still another great courage. And finally, our friend, Dorothy, who searches for home only to find that home means many things.

It took a lot of courage for all the characters to find and face Oz. And in the end find themselves. Do you ever feel like you don't have courage? Maybe you feel scared to try new things or meet new friends? Maybe you feel like you will fail at learning a new hobby and it keeps you from even trying.

I know that deep down, you really do want to explore and discover. And I want us to go on a meditation journey to find our courage together. After all feeling afraid is pretty normal for humans. But like Oz tells the not so cowardly lion. The true courage is putting one step in front of the other in the face of dangerous smirk.

Close your eyes. Imagine a bright blue sky with fluffy white clouds slowly moving across the sky, like little sailboats.

Take a deep breath in. And when you breathe out. Watch your breath gently push the clouds a little faster.

Imagine cute little cottages lined against a path. A yellow brick road. Just like the one Dorothy and her friends traveled on. Let's walk together.

Wrap your arm around mine. Together we'll unlock our courage. Keep breathing.

Do you hear the sound of the magnificent. I enrolled trees, swaying in the breeze. Shh. Look how high the tree tops reach. They almost touch the sky. And if you look closely. There are iridescent birds sitting at the top. Most branches.

Let's keep walking towards them. It's such a beautiful day.

I hear the birds chirping. Do you?

It sounds as if they need some help. Will you climb the tree with me to help them find their way back to their home, their nest.

I knew you would help me. Let's climb. First, we'll take a breath and say to ourselves, I climb with my hands and heart. Breathe in.

I climb with my hands and heart. All right. Place your hands on the tree and lift yourself friend. That's it. Breathe.

Breathe hands feet. Breed hands feet. Would you look at that? Here we are. You were so brave. Let's get this baby bird back to its nest.

Before we climb back down, look at the ground. Wow. It wasn't that high after all. It just seemed like it from the ground. Y we are close enough that we can simply hop down onto the yellow brick road below. Sometimes things seem scarier or harder than they actually are. Once we realize we can do the thing.

Our courage helps us to see that we absolutely can do it. And we are capable.

Well, let's keep skipping toward that Emerald castle. Maybe that is where your courage lives.

You are really skipping fast. Do your feet feel light? Or are you skipping because you smell the wonderful perfume. The flowers are sharing with us. I

breathe in.

Wow. That's such a marvelous fragrance. Let's move closer to the flowers.

Uh, oh, There is a maze of flowers blocking the rest of the yellow path. What are we going to do? We don't want to damage the flowers and we definitely want to stay calm. Do you have a solution?

Oh, of course, use logic to problem solve our way through the maze. Your courage is really shining friend. I'll let you lead the way through the maze. Can you describe to me what you see. Smell and feel as we make our way through the thousands of flowers.

We made it out all because of you. I can see the castle. It is so close. Let's run. Take a deep breath and imagine your legs are moving as fast as they have ever moved before. Let's go.

We are here. The doors are twice our size. Friend. I don't think I can knock. I feel so scared. We don't know what is behind those doors.

What's that you say. You want me to take a deep breath? Okay.

And now you want me to say I am brave and my courage empowers me to open the door. Okay, I can do that.

Can we say it together again? I like that. I am brave. And my courage empowers me to open the door.

Amazing. This castle is filled with lights, sparkles, and mirrors. What are the mirrors showing us?

Look into the mirror friend.

What do you see?

I see your mind, wise.

I see your body, strong.

And I also see your heart. Filled with courage and bravery.

What does this tell us? It tells us it was within you all along. Do you feel that. Your heart and your chest. Strong loving and brave. You are courageous lion.

Did I just call you lion? That's because you remind me so much of our courageous lion friend. Ready to take on challenges, even when you feel frightened. You have the courage already within your strong spirit. As Glinda, the good witch says you've always had the power. My dear. You just had to learn it for yourself.

Take a breath and believe you are a courageous magical being who can do anything.

Let's breathe one more time.

And enjoy this courageous and brave feeling welling up within us.

Thank you for taking me along this journey, friend.

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