Drop in and make yourself at home.
Drop in and get comfortable in your bed,
Couch or chair,
Wherever you intend to rest or perhaps sleep.
Sleep is a phenomenon that is still poorly understood.
Why we sleep when there could have been predators around in the ancient days
Seems mysterious,
But it is clear that sleep is necessary for mental and physical health.
So we can take a moment to be grateful that we might sleep.
There's no pressure to sleep or sleep well.
Or sleep in a particular way.
Those kind of thoughts would just make sleep harder.
So just be grateful that sleep exists at all.
And that your body has this wonderful mechanism to repair and refresh itself.
And for now,
You're not trying to do anything.
You're not forcing yourself to sleep.
Can't make yourself calm down.
If anyone's ever told you to stop worrying,
There is nothing worse to make you worry more.
You might not sleep.
You might not really be tired.
So allow any outcome and just settle in and enjoy this time to relax and reflect
And listen and be still.
Whether you sleep or not,
Those are all good things to practice.
Notice where you are.
Hot,
Cold,
Itchy,
Scratchy,
Soft,
Tender,
Hard pillow,
Soft mattress.
Emotionally up in the air,
Sad,
Quiet,
Eager.
We're not placing a value on any of these statuses.
Just taking note.
What's the day been like?
Where are you right now?
And if you can and you want to,
You might try slowing down a little more.
Making your body and even your thoughts a little syrupy.
A little loosey-goosey.
Start by letting go.
Letting go of anything that went wrong today.
Anyone who hurt you,
Anyone who tripped you,
Bumped into you,
Misheard you,
Thwarted your meal,
Whatever.
Let it all be forgiven.
It doesn't do you much good to hold on to it through the night.
So maybe you could forgive.
Maybe you just put it aside.
And then you know you did stuff wrong,
As we all do.
As people bumped into you,
You probably bumped into people,
Physically or emotionally or morally.
We're all so frail.
It's okay.
It's okay.
It's okay.
Maybe without even a particular incident in mind,
You can just ask forgiveness.
I'm sure I did something wrong today.
I hope I could be forgiven.
And letting go of all of those attachments and resentments,
You might notice that the light fades.
Things become a little darker,
A little more quiet and still.
And all of the demands of the day just recede.
And maybe just for a moment,
You experience the oneness of the universe,
That this is all connected.
And at some scale,
In some way,
You are like a cell in a giant organism,
Dialed in,
A part of it all,
And all of it coming from a shared source.
And that might fill you with an amazing kind of gratitude or reverence.
Maybe you will carry that reverence with you throughout the day and through the night.
You're sheltered.
And protected.
And shielded.
No fear or harm needs to visit you tonight.
Nothing will approach you in your sleep and dreams.
But you will be.
Strengthened.
Answered.
Honored.
Supported.
We breathe in and out on the ancient breathing word,
SELA.
And we breathe in and out on the ancient breathing word,
SELA.
We breathe in and out on the ancient breathing word,
SELA.
And we can lie down peacefully in wholeness and tranquility.
Knowing that most likely we will rise up again in wholeness and tranquility.
Sheltered by peace and wise counsel.
Shielded and protected.
Rescued even.
We can be guarded as we go out from this day peacefully.
And guarded when we will come into a new day in peace.
As we rest and throughout our time,
Great and good forces swirl about us.
Great and good forces who knew our existence.
Great and good forces who knew our ancestors.
And protected them.
Now they protect us.
Just as they can protect whatever follows us.
And the universe blesses you.
And the universe guards you.
Holding you in.
Looking out for you.
Breathe that in.
Take it all in.
Just absorb how much love there is for you throughout the universe.
And the universe shines down on you with grace.
Feel it scintillating and sparkling.
And the universe looks toward you expectantly to offer you peace and wholeness.
And as you sleep,
Great and good forces will safeguard your time.
During the day,
You wander about wondering so many questions.
So much curiosity even to anxiety.
And you can deposit all those unanswered or even unanswerable questions on your right side.
With a great and good force who attends to questions.
And on your left side,
You can take all of your strength,
All of your vigor and effort during the day and lay it down.
On your left with the great and good force of vigor and heroism.
And before you,
Great force holds a light.
Like a nightlight for your passage through dreams.
And behind you,
A great and good force for healing.
Supporting all of your aches and pains,
Using the magic of sleep to make you more whole
And more healthy.
And above us all,
Great glory and mystery,
All the way to the most distant star.
Take a moment to stretch or fidget.
Adjust one last time.
Anything that you need to take care of and then breathe in and exhale with SELA.
And become more still,
Settling in,
Feeling the warmth of your body.
SELA.
And become more still,
Settling in,
Feeling the most heavy,
The most secure.
And this universe goes on and on without any effort from you.
You don't need to do anything.
And you can trust that it will all be there in the morning.
Resting your body and spirit into the care of a loving universe.
And you have nothing to fear.
