Speaker 1: 0:10

Have you ever wanted to visit a faraway island where giant stone faces stand quietly watching the land like guardians from another time? Well, you can with your imagination. I'm Danny Clark and this is Minute to Meditate, a podcast where we take a deep breath, explore amazing UNESCO World Heritage Sites and find a little peace along the way. Today we're traveling to Easter Island, also called Rapa Nui. This small island in the Pacific Ocean is known for its giant stone statues called Moai. Long ago, the island's people carved these statues to honor their ancestors and today they still stand tall watching over the land. These quiet giants have stood for centuries and if you listen closely, they just might share a secret or two. And be sure to stay after our guided journey to learn a little more about Easter Island.

Speaker 2: 1:13

Welcome back, little explorers. Are you ready to travel to a place where the ocean sings, the wind tells stories and giant stone faces watch over the land? So let's find a cozy spot to sit or lie down, wiggle your toes like gentle waves tickling the shore, reach your arms up like the tall hills rising from the sea, and slowly close your eyes. And slowly close your eyes. Let's begin with one deep breath in and slowly let it out. Let your shoulders relax, let your hands rest in your lap, close your eyes and imagine the warm sun on your cheeks like a soft golden blanket. We're headed to a place far away, a small island in the middle of the ocean, full of wonder, stories and stone giants. This is Easter Island, or, as its people call it, rapa Nui. Imagine yourself standing near the edge of the sea. The sky stretches slowly by, behind you, tall grasses sway in the breeze and ahead of you the land rises into gentle green hills. The ground is warm under your bare feet. The ground is warm under your bare feet and the air smells like salt, flowers and earth. As you begin to walk, your feet press softly into the earth beneath you. You feel the warm ground and imagine the people who once walked on these same grounds. A light breeze brushes across your cheeks, playful and cool. High above, birds glide in slow, easy circles. A golden butterfly dances quietly in front of you, then drifts away like a little piece of sunlight. And then you notice them, tall still, watching the giant stone faces rise from the land like calm, quiet guardians. Their expressions are peaceful, their eyes deep and steady. Some wear round stone hats balanced high on their heads. Others appear to be peeking out from the ground as if they're resting and dreaming. Take a moment to sit and imagine the horizon full of these magnificent statues lined across the land. Take a moment to be still with them. Let their calm become your calm. As you begin to step closer to these magnificent statues, you imagine reaching out and touching the surface. The stone feels cool and bumpy, like it's been standing in the wind for hundreds of years. You listen closely and you can almost imagine hearing the island, the clink, clink, clink of stone tools tapping against the rock as carvers shape the moai, one careful strike at a time. The wind carries the sounds, ropes creaking, men calling to each other in the deep, scratchy rumble of stone sliding across the earth, footsteps thud in the dirt as dozens of people work together, pulling and rocking the giant statues toward their resting places giant statues toward their resting places. It sounds like the island itself is singing a song of stone, wind and the strength of many hands.

Speaker 2: 6:52

You notice a soft patch of grass nearby, just the right place to sit and pause. A tall moai stands beside you, peaceful and still gazing upwards to the sky. You slowly lower yourself onto the grass. It's cool and gentle beneath you, like the earth offering a quiet hug. The breeze moves softly around you, humming through the hills like a lullaby. Only the island knows.

Speaker 2: 7:32

Take a moment here. Take a moment to feel your breath, follow the winds and imagine the world around you. You Breathe in and slowly breathe out. Feel the stillness all around you, feel the strength in the stone beside you and feel the deep, gentle quiet of this ancient island holding you in peace. Now take one more deep breath in and gently let it out, slowly. Let the images of Easter Island drift away like clouds floating across the sky. Wiggle your fingers like the waves of the ocean dancing in the tide and, when you're ready, gently open your eyes. You did it. You just explored Easter Island with nothing but your breath and your imagination and the best part, this island and its giants will be waiting for you anytime you need a moment of wonder and peace.

Speaker 1: 9:19

Well, that concludes our mindful journey for today, but before we go, here are some other interesting facts about Easter Island. Easter Island is a tiny faraway island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, more than 2,000 miles from Chile and South America. Hundreds of giant stone statues called moai stand all over the island. Some are as tall as three-story buildings and can weigh as much as ten elephants. Even though we mostly see their heads and shoulders, many moai have full bodies buried underground.

Speaker 1: 9:54

The Rapa Nui people carved the Moai long ago to honor their important ancestors. Most of the statues face towards the center of the island, almost like they're guarding it, and some even seem to be looking up at the stars. Some people wonder if the Moai are connected to the sky somehow, while others believe ancient giants may have helped build them long before anyone else lived there. No one really knows for sure, and that's part of what makes Easter Island such an exciting and magical mystery. Thank you for taking this journey with us today. I'm so glad you came along to explore the mystery of Easter Island. And remember there are always new adventures waiting. All you need is a little imagination. Until next time, keep dreaming, keep wondering and take good care of yourself. Thank you.