Gathering,
Submitting ourselves to the evening,
Or whatever time it is you're preparing to rest.
Falling in,
Letting go,
And becoming still.
Not silent,
Just quiet.
Not without thoughts,
Just slowing down.
Letting them drift without any particular order or orientation.
Becoming exactly who you are at this moment.
Letting gravity do more work as you cease resisting.
Feeling all of the effort and exercise or struggle of the day falling away.
No longer used or useful.
Be grateful for the body and mind which can propel you productively through the day,
And be grateful for rest during which you let all of it and submit to the quiet or the darkness or just gravity pulling you into your bed,
Couch,
Or chair,
However you intend to comfortably rest.
Be kind to yourself and let all the ambition.
Imagine it like suitcases that you carry with you and now you are arrived and can set them down.
Anxiety and desire.
No time for striving,
Wishing,
Or magical thinking.
Just presence and surrender to rest.
Letting go.
Breathe deeply all around your body,
Using the flow of oxygen and breath to allow caught places to release.
You have permission to fall into your resting place.
And whatever has befallen you this day or week,
Irritants,
Triggers,
Things that you felt anger or dismay about,
Maybe you can forgive them maybe you can forgive them in their innocence and foolishness.
Let go of a resentment just for now.
Not for their sake,
But for yours.
If for no other reason than to sleep soundly.
Letting go.
Both of consciousness and also of regret.
Letting go.
If you've been injured,
It's inevitable you've also injured others.
We do all the time.
It's just part of the difficult process of maturing and growing in wisdom.
Mistakes aren't fun,
But they're necessary.
Maybe we could ask forgiveness,
Consider making an amend,
Or just forgive ourselves in these moments before rest and sleep.
You might feel the dark descending and drawing in from the edges,
The light fading,
Pupils dilating,
Eyes getting soft as the body prepares itself to say goodnight,
To let go.
At any point you could exhale the ancient word of breath,
Selah,
And take a moment now to come to terms with the unity of all things,
To acknowledge that we all grew out of a shared point through common processes of creation and creativity,
Diversifying and expanding into existence out of seeming void,
Sharing an origin and a unity of purpose in our creation.
Maybe that thought before bed fills you with awe,
Faithfulness,
Or loving joy,
And pulses outward into every aspect and manifestation of your life.
When you lie down,
When you will get up,
You will feel this love of the unity in creation.
Then you are sheltered,
Protected from traps or illnesses,
Guarded with wings,
A refuge and a shield,
Free from nightmares in the evening and the day,
Safeguarded by forces,
Ancient,
Glorious,
And good that watch over you and all.
You will not even stub your toe.
You are safe,
Sheltered,
And protected.
You lie down peacefully,
In tranquility and wholeness.
And when the time comes,
You will rise up again,
Wholly,
Fully,
Completely.
Completely.
A great sheltering presence rests over you,
And you can go out of conscious time,
Assured that you will come back safely,
Peacefully,
And strong.
And there are great and good forces that preceded this moment,
Looking over us all,
And such great and good forces look over you now,
And they will carry forward to care for those who succeed us in life,
From generation to generation and beyond.
If now,
During this meditation,
Or at any time tonight,
Your mind wanders,
Gets tangled in knots,
Frustrated,
Disturbed,
Take a step back and know it's your brain working,
Right?
It's just the way it's supposed to be.
Your thoughts ought not to stop.
We can guide them,
We can channel them,
But they won't go away until our last breath that's as it should be.
Breathing,
You are blessed and guarded.
Take that in.
The universe is shining graciously on you.
Breathe that grace in.
The universe is looking toward you expectantly to bring you fullness,
Fullness,
Harmony,
And peace.
Take it all in.
Maybe yawn.
Great and good forces are perched around you to watch you as you sleep,
Taking hold of all your questions,
All your doubts.
On your right side is a great and good force responsible for mystery and wonderment,
Taking on all your struggles and exertion.
On your left side is a great and good force responsible for vigor.
Another great and good force holds a nightlight past your toes and behind you a wondrous force of healing massages you into recovery of sleep.
And all over you,
The glorious cover of a universe entire that is watching you,
Caressing you,
And caring for you by name.
Shift,
Adjust,
Scratch,
Yawn.
Another deep breath and out with Sela.
And the world moves on,
Carrying you in eternity in a vast and loving sea of universe.
The mind of the universe thinking your thoughts,
Never ending,
And you have nothing to fear.
