Because the mind… your mind… is a wonderful thing… and it can learn… and unlearn… and relearn… in ways that are very… very interesting.

You see… years ago… there was a young child who once thought shadows were monsters… until one day… they reached out and touched the shadow… and realized it was just… a shadow. Nothing more. And the monster… disappeared.

And you may wonder… what happens to an old fear… when it’s simply no longer needed?

It’s a curious thing… the way the mind lets go… of something it once held onto… like an old toy left behind… when something new… something better… comes along.

And maybe… just maybe… there’s a part of you that already knows… that spiders… those little creatures with so many legs… are far more afraid of you… than you ever were of them.

Some people say… that to a spider… a human being is like a mountain that moves… unpredictable… enormous… and powerful.

And the spider… it doesn’t want to fight a mountain… it doesn’t want to disturb you… it just wants to hide… stay out of the way… spin its quiet little web and… vanish.

Isn’t it interesting… how something so tiny… can seem so large… when viewed through the lens of the imagination?

But the imagination… well… it can change lenses… just like that. And you… already know how to do that… don’t you?

And I wonder… if you can remember a time… when something that once frightened you… no longer did. Maybe learning to swim… or to ride a bike… or even… meeting a new person… who at first seemed intimidating… and then became a friend.

Because sometimes… all it takes… is curiosity.

And curiosity is a wonderful thing. It opens doors in the mind… doors that used to be locked… and behind those doors are new ways of seeing… new ways of feeling.

So the next time… you happen to notice a spider… you might just notice something else too.

You might notice a gentle sense of calm… of curiosity… maybe even fascination… for the way it moves… the artistry of its web… the way it helps to keep your home clear of pests.

You might find yourself… admiring its precision… its patience… its perfect balance.

And it’s so easy now… to just… observe… and gently… let it be.

Because in your world… and in its world… you each have your place. Side by side… separate… peaceful.

And if ever the need arises… to move a spider outside… your hands can move with calm… and kindness… using a glass… a bit of card… and a sense of quiet achievement… knowing you’ve done something gentle… something good.

And in that moment… you feel calm… and confident… and proud.

Because the old fantasy… the old fear… has faded… like a dream that doesn’t matter anymore.

And now… you live your life. And they live theirs. Separate. Safe. At peace.

And all the while… that deep part of your mind… the part that knows how to heal… how to grow… how to release the old and welcome the new… is doing exactly what it needs to do.

Now in a moment… I’ll count from one to five… and with each number… you’ll come back just a little more… feeling refreshed… and settled… and deeply relaxed… carrying with you… this newfound sense of calm… this gentle awareness… and freedom.

… centered… and free.