Hello and welcome.
I'm Ashley.
Thank you so much for setting time aside to focus on yourself today.
Before we begin,
Please make sure you are settled in a safe,
Comfortable space where you can fully relax and let go.
Because this recording is designed to guide you into a state of deep relaxation,
Please do not listen while driving,
Operating machinery,
Or doing anything that requires your full attention.
Now take a deep breath in,
And let's begin.
Welcome.
Find a position where your body can be still and supported,
Sitting or lying down.
Whichever lets you stop holding yourself up.
If comfortable,
Let your eyes close or rest your gaze on a point nearby.
Take an easy breath in.
And let it out gently,
Perhaps with a soft sigh.
There's no need to force or deepen your breathing.
Once more in.
And out.
Today we're going on a journey.
Not an escape from your life,
But more like a training ground for living.
A place where you'll practice something simple and important.
That courage is not an absent of fear.
It's what you do while fear is in the room.
For now.
You don't need to be brave.
You only need to arrive.
Feel the weight of your body being held.
Relaxing your feet.
Your hips,
Your shoulders.
Letting go of their daily armor.
Notice your breath without changing it.
To rise and fall.
This is the oldest rhythm you have.
And it has carried you through every hard thing you've ever done.
Now bring your attention to the top of your head.
Perhaps imagine.
A warm light resting there.
Let your forehead soften if it wants to.
Let the small muscles around your eyes rest.
There may be a little more space in your jaw.
And a little less effort in your shoulders.
Let that ease travel down your arms all the way to your fingertips.
If nothing changes,
Simply notice what's here.
Your chest rises and falls easily.
Your belly softens.
Your hips,
Your legs,
Your feet,
All sinking into deep,
Comfortable relaxation.
Let your eyes rest just as they are,
Opened or closed.
You can remain aware of your room while allowing yourself a little more ease with each breath.
With the next breath.
Imagine the room around you softening at the edges.
The sounds of your day growing distant.
And in their place,
You hear a low,
Soft hum.
Like a crowd far away.
And a faint chime of something bright and promising.
You feel the ground beneath you change.
Smooth cold stone polished until it shines.
You're standing on a wide sidewalk at dusk.
And before you stands a tall pair of glass doors.
Beyond them.
A glow of golden and neon lights shimmer.
This is a magnificent hotel.
The glass doors slide open before you reach them.
And a breath of cool perfumed air greets you.
You step inside.
The lobby is massive.
With a gold ceiling and elaborate mirrors.
A floor that glows beneath your feet in slow ripples of color.
Fountains murmur.
Somewhere a piano plays something warm and unhurried.
Everywhere,
Soft lights blink like fireflies.
A greeter in a perfectly pressed uniform smiles as though they have been expecting you for years.
Welcome.
You must be tired.
Whatever you need.
It's already yours.
Feeling your shoulders drop.
It's been a long road.
And this place is so relaxing and easy.
The air is the exact temperature of your skin.
The light is kind.
No one is asking anything of you.
You breathe in the scent of something sweet and familiar.
Maybe it reminds you of your favorite food.
Or maybe a favorite memory of being cared for is coming to the surface.
Breathe in.
And breathe out.
And you let the lobbies just hold you.
Notice how good this feels.
There is nothing wrong with that.
Rest is real.
And you deserve it.
Let yourself enjoy it for a moment.
And as you move across the glowing floor.
Notice something small and curious.
There isn't a clock in sight.
Beyond the windows,
The evening seemed suspended.
As though this place has nowhere else to be.
You don't need to do anything.
With that noticing.
Just let it sit quietly at the edge of your mind.
Kind of like a pebble in your pocket.
You enter the elevator lined in velvet.
The doors close softly and for a moment everything is still.
The elevator begins to rise smoothly towards the floor where your suite awaits.
As it carries you upward,
I'm going to count slowly from 10 to one.
These numbers aren't the floors passing by.
Just a rhythm to rest.
With As You Rise.
10.
Moment to settle.
Nine.
A little less effort.
Paint.
Seven.
Nothing to rush.
5.
.
.
4.
.
.
3.
.
.
2.
.
.
1.
.
.
Resting in this breath.
4,
3.
.
.
Too.
A soft chime sounds as the elevator doors come to rest.
The doors open into a quiet corridor,
And just ahead,
The door to your spacious suite stands open.
You step inside.
Take the scene at your own pace.
You can picture it,
Sense it.
Or simply listen.
A table is set for you.
The food is exactly what you were craving.
A deep couch waits beside a wall of windows,
And beyond the glass the city glitters like a spilled Jules.
A bed with impossibly soft linen.
Music that matches your mood before you've even named it.
A voice,
Gentle and unhurried,
Drifts from somewhere you can't see.
Stay as long as you'd like.
There is no rush.
Nothing out there is as good as this.
You sit down.
You eat.
You rest.
You sink into it all.
Everything here is designed for you.
For you and for you to say yes.
And notice what happens inside you.
A warm,
Heavy drowsiness.
A quiet voice that says,
Later,
Not now.
You've done enough.
It sounds like kindness.
It feels like peace.
But something in your chest is also a little restless.
A small,
Steady knot.
Like someone patiently tapping.
On a door deep inside you.
If you'd like,
Place a hand on your chest.
Or simply bring your attention there.
Imagine that quiet knock as a reminder of something that matters to you.
Something that you want to care for,
Express,
Or begin.
The suite didn't create that part of you.
And it can't take it away.
It can only make things quieter.
Breathe in.
And listen for the knock.
And breathe out.
And let it be a little louder.
There is no shame in feeling comfortable.
Rest can help you return to what matters.
The question isn't whether comfort is wrong.
It's weather in this movie.
You are choosing to rest.
Or are you postponing something?
You are ready to start.
You don't need to feel completely calm or certain before you move forward.
Perhaps you can remember a moment when you took a small step despite uncertainty.
Let that memory sit beside you now.
You stand and walk to the window.
On the wall beside it hangs a handsome clock.
But when you look closely,
It has no hands.
It's just smooth with a gold face.
There's another one on the far wall.
And yet another one by the door.
All of them blank.
Without their hands.
It's easy to stop noticing how long you've stayed.
Or what you're meant to do next.
Here is the quiet secret of courage.
It often begins with a simple question.
It's not,
Am I brave enough?
What did I come here for?
Ask yourself now,
Slowly,
What did I come here for?
Give the answer room to arrive.
It may be a person,
A promise,
Something you've been putting off,
A truth you want to speak,
A life you want to build.
It may be small or it may feel vast.
And if no answers come,
That's all right.
For now,
Simply stay with the question.
Notice how it feels in your body when you name it.
Perhaps your chest lifts.
Perhaps your stomach flutters.
Perhaps a warm,
Steady brightness gathers behind your ribs.
If you notice a little brightness.
Let it represent what matters to you.
Confidence need not be loud.
Or certain.
It can be the willingness to take one small step.
While questions remain.
Breathe into it.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Let it wash over you until your whole body feels awake.
If comfortable.
Bring your thumb and first finger together gently on either hand.
Or choose another small,
Easy gesture.
Notice the light contact.
You can use this gesture as a reminder to pause,
Breathe,
And remember what matters.
Hold that gentle contact for a breath.
Notice any steadiness available to you,
However small.
Release.
And try the gesture once more if you'd like.
Nothing has to happen.
This is simply a cue you can return to.
Not a test on how confident you feel.
Say quietly to yourself.
I remember why I came.
And again.
I remember why I came.
The voice in the room speaks again,
A little softer.
Are you sure?
It's so nice here.
And it is.
You can appreciate the comfort and still choose to leave.
You don't need perfect certainty to begin.
You stand up and step out of the suite and into the corridor.
It stretches ahead,
Wide and carpeted,
Lined with doors that glow in every color.
Behind them,
You hear laughter,
Music.
The clink of glasses.
Each one is an invitation.
Perhaps your first step feels slow and uncertain.
And that's all right.
In your imagination.
Take one step.
Than another.
The corridor opens into the grand staircase,
And below it,
The glittering lobby.
A figure steps into your path,
Smiling warmly.
Leaving so soon?
You'll miss everything.
Notice the pull.
It's strong and it's kind.
And it knows exactly what you like.
This is the moment where confidence matters most.
Confidence isn't a loud voice or a clenched jaw.
It's the ability to say calmly and without apology,
Thank you.
This has been lovely.
And I'm going.
You can say it in your own words,
In your mind,
Or aloud if you wish.
Let your voice be steady and warm.
You don't owe anyone a long explanation.
You what happens in your body as you say it.
Your spine lengthens.
Your feet press into the floor.
Your breath settles low and wide.
This is what it feels like to stand in your own authority.
Breathe in.
And let your shoulders open.
Breathe out.
And let your steps be sure.
Now as you stand in this steady,
Confident space.
Place your mind on a real moment coming up in your life where you want to feel more sure of yourself.
In a meeting,
In a conversation.
With making a decision.
Or maybe a performance.
Picture yourself in the moment or simply consider it.
How might you stand or sit?
How might you give yourself time to breathe?
Imagine speaking clearly without hurry.
Keep your attention on your choices.
And you don't need to predict anyone else's response.
Now imagine the moment from inside,
If it feels comfortable to do so.
Make that chosen gesture.
And give yourself one unhurried breath.
What is one small action you could take?
Let that be enough for this rehearsal.
The real moment might feel different.
And you can meet it one step at a time.
You don't have to be fearless to make clear choices.
You're returning to the hotel lobby.
You see the figure step aside.
The way to the doors.
Are clear.
You cross the lobby now,
Past the fountains,
Past the piano,
Past every glittering thing.
Notice that some part of you still loves it here,
And that's allowed.
You can leave a place and still be grateful for it.
Ahead the tall glass doors and beyond them the night air,
Real and cool.
Scented with dust and rain.
And the open road.
Say to yourself quietly I am ready.
I am steady.
I choose my own way.
Once more.
I am ready.
I am steady.
I choose my own way.
Now step towards the door.
And feel them part.
You step through the doors and the hum of the hotel falls away behind you like the tide going out.
The air outside is cool but real.
You can feel it on your face,
On your arms.
Above you.
The sky is wide and the stars you haven't noticed for a really long time shine bright.
The road stretches ahead of you.
A little rough,
A little uncertain,
But entirely yours.
Take a deep breath of that fresh open air.
Feel how different it is now.
It's not as soft as the lobby,
Not as sweet.
But it makes you feel alive.
Your legs feel strong beneath you.
Your chest is steady.
And at the center of you,
That quiet brightness you found in the suite is still there,
Warm and sure.
You don't have to know every step ahead of you on this road.
You only have to know why you're on it and keep walking.
Courage is made of small,
Clear choices like this one.
And it's repeated over time.
When hesitation returns,
You can try an easy breath.
Your chosen gesture.
And the question.
What did I come here for?
You may feel steadier.
Or you may still feel unsure.
Either way,
You can pause and choose your next small step.
Now,
Slowly begin to feel the edges of the real world returning.
The surface beneath you.
Hair on your skin,
The sounds of your room gently drawing close.
As you go on with your day,
Carry one question with you.
What did I come here for?
If you notice yourself postponing something that matters,
Ask gently,
Listen for that quiet knock.
And leave room for rest when rest is what you need.
Take a deeper breath in.
And let it out slowly.
In a moment,
I'll count from one to five.
Let each number invite your attention back into this room.
Take your time.
There's no particular way you need to feel right now.
One.
Feeling the surface beneath you.
Too.
Notice the air on your skin.
Step three.
Listening to the sounds around you.
4.
Letting your gaze return or opening your eyes when you're ready.
Five welcome back Move your fingers and your toes.
Roll your shoulders.
Stretch if your body wants to.
Take a moment before moving on.
Move at your own pace.
Thank you for spending this time with me.
If you've enjoyed this recording,
Please come back and join me again whenever you'd like another quiet moment for yourself.
Until next time,
Remember to be kind to yourself and to others and leave the rush behind.
