Thank you for joining this relaxing sleep meditation.
Find a cozy spot free from noise or other distractions,
Where you can sink into a comfortable position and relax completely.
This can be your comfy,
Restful bed,
Or a chair or sofa with billowy pillows,
Or somewhere else of your choosing.
Wherever you are,
Feel the weight of your body against the bed,
Chair,
Or other support.
When you are settled,
Gently close your eyes,
And get ready to,
Together,
Take a few deep calming breaths in the method that Dr.
Andrew Weil developed.
It comes from the yogic practice of pranayama,
And Dr.
Weil calls it the natural tranquilizer for the nervous system.
This is what to expect.
There will be three steps to this breath.
We will inhale through the nose for a count of four,
So it will be a rather quick,
Full inhalation.
Then we will hold that breath for a count of seven,
And then we will exhale through the mouth for a count of eight,
Four,
Seven,
Eight.
And if possible,
Gently keep the tip of your tongue pressed against the front roof of your mouth throughout the exercise.
And as you exhale,
Again,
If you are comfortable,
Make a quiet whoosh sound as the breath is expelled.
If for any reason you are not comfortable with this technique,
You can easily replace it with a series of four deep breaths.
Either way,
With every exhalation,
Release any tension from your body and feel it melt away.
So remember,
In through the nose for four,
Hold for seven,
And then out through the mouth for a count of eight.
And we will do this together four times.
Let's begin.
Inhale through the nose,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
Let's do that again.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
And again.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
And one last time.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
Now return to breathing naturally and comfortably,
Feeling relaxed and peaceful from the calming breath.
As you do,
Imagine yourself standing barefoot on rich,
Warm soil.
Feel the Earth's energy from the ages flowing up through your feet,
Grounding you,
Connecting you to its nurturing vibrations.
Allow that energy to rise through the legs and the hips,
The pelvis and the abdomen and the chest,
Out through the arms and fingertips,
Filling your body with that earthly energy.
And as you continue to breathe deeply and naturally,
Now visualize a soft,
Violet light,
Beginning to form at the top of your head at your crown chakra,
Which is one of your spiritual energy centers.
Allow this beautiful,
Pure,
Violet light to rotate and as it gently expands,
It opens your mind to the world of the universe.
Allow this beautiful,
Pure,
Violet light to rotate and as it gently expands,
It opens your mind to a higher consciousness and connects you to universal wisdom.
Continue to breathe and concentrate on the violet light as it continues to spin and starts to spiral upward,
Higher and higher,
Past the clouds,
Past the sky.
Into space and ultimately into the heavens where it blends with the purest white light of divine consciousness and energy.
Use this light as a channel and feel yourself as a channel of divine energy.
Becoming one with the vastness of the universe,
Fully open and receptive.
And now that you are grounded in Earth's energy and connected to a higher consciousness,
Picture yourself on a beautiful mountain trail.
The rocky path winding through a lush,
Evergreen forest.
Breathe deeply as the air is crisp and fresh,
Filled with the scent of pine and damp Earth.
Listen as the birds sing their melodious tunes and hear the gentle rustling of leaves as it accompanies your every step.
As you walk safely and intentionally,
You look around and begin to notice everything around you.
The vibrant,
Beautiful flora,
Wildflowers in every color,
Varying sizes,
Towering ancient trees that serve as the elders of this forest,
And delicate fan-like ferns carpeting the forest floor.
As you continue on your way,
Small creatures like chipmunks and squirrels scurry about,
Darting to and fro as they call this area home.
As you emerge from this sun-dappled forest and walk along its edge on a narrow mountain trail,
You see elk grazing quietly in the distance.
Overhead,
In the perfectly blue sky,
You spot a red-tailed hawk circling gracefully,
Surveying its territory,
A testament to nature's harmony.
Along the horizon,
The slowly setting sun casts long shadows of color and contrast along the snow-covered peaks of the majestic mountains.
The colors look surreal,
Both in the sky and against the mountainside.
Hues of pinks and blues and purples,
Almost too beautiful to believe,
But an anchoring reminder of nature's masterful artistry.
You continue to make your way along the trail,
And after a while,
You reach a serene,
Mountain lake.
Having just enough time for a dip before finding shelter for the evening,
You step off the shore into the lake,
And the water is cool and inviting.
You move deeper into the water and feel the refreshing sensation enveloping your body,
Washing away any remaining stress,
Strife,
Or anxiety.
You take a few moments to float peacefully in the clear waters,
Embraced by the beauty of nature around you,
And mesmerized as the colors of the slowly approaching sunset reflect off the lake,
Like a mirror from the divine.
After you feel cleansed and rejuvenated,
You slowly emerge from the lake,
Change your hiking gear,
And continue your trek along the trail,
Until you see what looks like a secluded cave in the distance.
You carefully approach,
And somehow know that it is empty and safe,
And you step inside.
It feels immediately welcoming and warm in contrast to the cool breeze that was blowing along the mountainside path.
You set down your gear and head out to gather wood and bark from surrounding white birch trees,
As kindling to build a small,
Comforting fire.
As the fire ignites and grows,
The flames dance gently,
Casting a soothing glow with an occasional pop of wood and flash of orange embers.
You find comfort in the smell of the burning wood,
And you gently unfold your bedroll and create a makeshift mattress from dried leaves and soft pine.
Beneath it,
Lie down now and feel the natural materials cradling you,
The earthy scents calming your senses.
You are utterly relaxed and at peace.
You look around you and notice otherworldly petroglyphs adorning the cave walls,
Communication from an ancient civilization.
As you marvel at this artwork from antiquity,
You think about the rich wisdom their artisans must have collected.
Your eyes move slowly to the opening of the cave,
Which now looks like a picture window through which you can watch as the sun sets.
The sky transforms into a canvas of rich hues,
Somehow even more vibrant than before.
Gold,
Orange,
Pink,
Purple.
And as the sun sinks below the mountains in the horizon,
Darkness settles and the night sky reveals its breathtaking beauty.
Without the light pollution of the cities,
You see countless stars glittering and twinkling like diamonds,
The Milky Way stretching across the sky in a shimmering arc.
A nebula adds splashes of blue and violet,
With an occasional and fleeting shooting star streaking by,
Adding a touch of awe to this celestial masterpiece.
As you marvel and give thanks for this remarkable experience,
You can notice your eyelids becoming heavy as you struggle to keep them open.
So gently roll your shoulders to release any residual tension and let them fall comfortably to your sides.
As you breathe deeply and naturally,
You can feel your heart rate slowing,
Your breaths becoming more shallow.
All of these signs that your body is relaxing further,
As it readies for a peaceful slumber.
Now calm your mind,
Clear it of any thoughts that pass by,
And let the tranquility of this beautiful moment,
In this safe space that is uniquely yours,
Wash over you.
Let it guide you into a peaceful,
Restful sleep.
Restful sleep.
You are utterly relaxed.
You are completely safe.
And find comfort in knowing that you are grounded in the Earth's energy and connected to a higher consciousness.
Both of these combine to protect you and keep you comfortable as you sail gently off into the embrace of the night.
The warm,
Reassuring arms of a deep,
Restful slumber.
You are ready now,
Breathe easily,
And relax,
And sleep pleasant dreams.
