Welcome to this sleep story,
The Lantern Path.
This is your time to rest,
To soften into stillness,
And to allow sleep to gently arrive.
Find a comfortable position,
Close your eyes if you'd like,
And begin with a slow,
Steady breath in,
And a long,
Easy breath out.
Let your body feel supported.
With every exhale,
Release a little more of the day.
There is nowhere you need to be,
Nothing you need to do.
Just this moment,
Just this gentle unfolding.
Imagine yourself standing at the edge of a quiet forest path.
It is twilight,
That magical time when the sky holds both the fading warmth of day and the cool hush of night.
The path before you is lined with lanterns,
Each glowing with a soft golden light.
They invite you forward,
Guiding you deeper into calm.
With each step,
You notice the crunch of leaves beneath your feet,
The coolness of evening air,
The gentle rhythm of your breathing.
You feel lighter with every step,
As if the weight of the day is dissolving into the earth.
The forest around you feels alive,
Yet peaceful.
The trees sway gently,
Their leaves whispering a lullaby.
The breeze brushes against your skin,
Cool,
Refreshing,
And kind.
You hear the distant sound of flowing water,
Perhaps a stream winding through the woods.
The sound blends with your footsteps,
Becoming a steady rhythm that carries you forward.
Every lantern you pass glows brighter for just a moment,
As though acknowledging your presence,
As though guiding you toward deep rest.
Soon,
The path opens into a wide meadow.
The lanterns fade away,
And above you stretches a vast sky,
Painted with countless stars.
The grass beneath you is soft,
A perfect place to sit,
Or perhaps to lie down.
As you rest here,
You feel the gentle pulse of the earth beneath you,
Steady and grounding.
The stars seem to breathe with you,
Expanding and softening with every inhale and exhale.
A shooting star glides across the sky,
Its trail lingering like a soft brushstroke of light.
You close your eyes,
Carrying that image inward.
Now,
Your body grows heavier,
Your breath slower,
Every muscle softens.
From your forehead,
To your shoulders,
To your chest,
All the way down to your toes.
The sounds of night surround you,
A gentle chorus of crickets.
The occasional rustle of wind through grass,
They cradle you in calm.
The meadow,
The stars,
The night,
They will hold you as you drift.
There is nothing more you need to hold on to,
Nothing more to think through.
Just the soft glow of peace,
And the embrace of deep,
Nourishing rest.
Allow yourself to slip into sleep,
Slowly,
Gently,
Naturally.
The night is here for you,
The stars are watching over you.
Rest well,
Goodnight.
