Put aside anything you can put aside.
Literally or figuratively.
Settle in.
Become dull and spacey.
A little bit dopey.
And uninformed.
Let your body get loose.
Sink into your bed,
Pillows,
Couch,
Chair,
Wherever you are.
Just fall in.
Like a net.
Like an embrace.
Like a soft knoll of grass.
You might want to yawn.
You might want to use the biblical breathing word of Sela.
Sela.
Stretch out.
Settle down.
Become one with your sheets and pillows and blankets.
Nestling.
You can't force being cozy or relaxed.
But you can set yourself up to be as cozy and as relaxed as you can be right now.
Letting yourself not do anything else for the day.
Giving yourself permission to call it a day.
Say goodnight to friends and family.
Goodnight moon.
Goodnight noises everywhere.
Sela.
See if you can take your breath in deeper and let it out slower.
Use your breath to soothe yourself.
There are places that are fidgety or tight or anxious or twitchy.
Just put your breath there.
Your wrists,
Your knees,
Your toes,
Your spleen.
Just whatever needs extra attention right now.
Breathe into it.
You've probably done a lot of work today.
Good for you.
And you probably have a lot left to do tomorrow and the next day and in your life.
But you're giving yourself this moment,
This time to meditate,
Relax,
Rest,
And perhaps sleep.
So thank yourself for all that you do.
All that your body does,
All that your spirit carries you through.
Thank yourself.
And maybe say a kind word.
I love the way you cook.
You're so strong.
You're deeply kind and compassionate.
You're good with animals.
Something big or simple,
Superficial or profound,
It doesn't matter.
Just say a kind word to yourself as you close out your day.
You rock.
I love you.
Whatever you need,
Whatever comes up for you that is good and kind and generous.
You can forgive yourself for all the ways you screwed up today and every day,
And the places we all fall short of our goals,
Our limits and frailties,
Our losses,
Even things we might call failures,
Not insurmountable.
And forgive anyone who's hurt you,
Brushed by you on a hiking path,
Insulted you in a coffee shop,
Harmed you physically or spiritually,
Mentally,
Emotionally,
Whatever.
We are all so broken.
We do nasty things.
Sometimes before we can even think about it.
Can you forgive yourself and others?
And since other people hurt you,
Maybe you could start to forgive them more easily.
Show them grace and patience and tolerance.
Maybe you could ask forgiveness.
It's a little hard to admit when we're wrong,
But we are a lot.
We have a very limited view of the truth.
We can always make mistakes,
So maybe you could consider asking forgiveness.
Maybe you're not ready.
Maybe you just imagine a time when you would be.
May that be acceptable.
And the sleep starts to fall,
The dreams start to creep in.
The conscious mind gets delayed,
Syrupy.
You lie down peacefully as your eyes begin to close.
Your pupils dim,
The light fades.
We hope for good,
Sweet dreams,
Joys and excitements while we sleep,
And a safe journey through the world of dreams and sleep.
Pausing to consider that the world is all one thing,
A giant mess of unity and connection,
An incredible mystery with a shared origin and no clear end,
Forever and ever.
Just let that sink in,
That the world is there for you,
Ongoing and unending and uninterrupted.
Maybe that fills you with love,
Faith,
And compassion.
Maybe not.
But maybe it will spark gratitude in particular moments of the day,
When you lie down,
When you get up,
When you go,
When you arrive.
May that be so.
And you're sheltered and protected,
A great refuge,
A stronghold,
Covered with mighty wings,
Protected behind a shield,
Nothing to fear.
All your seeming enemies will fall,
And it will be revealed to you that they were of no menace at all.
You are lifted up above all the turmoil,
Protected from the strife,
Filled up,
Sated,
Full.
And breathe in and then out with the ancient word SELA,
Extending and expanding and relaxing,
Falling deeper into your resting place,
Bed or couch or chair,
Slowing down,
Becoming more quiet,
More still,
Less troubled.
And when you get distracted,
When we all get distracted,
Forgive yourself and just come back.
Listen to my voice as a cue to return,
Or notice your breath.
Lying down in peace,
So that you can wake up in peace and wholeness,
Sheltered in peace,
Shielded,
Shaded,
Protected,
Rescued,
Safeguarded as you go out from this day,
And safeguarded until you come in to the next day,
Blessed by day and night,
Entrusted into a mighty and loving hand.
It is a manifestation of the unity of all things,
Supported,
Protected,
Accompanied by great and good forces,
The same spirits that protected those before you,
The same ones that will look after those who succeed us.
You are blessed and protected.
The universe blesses and protects you.
The universe shines down upon you with grace,
And the universe turns toward you,
Looking to you expectantly to offer you peace,
Wholeness,
Harmony,
All of it,
Everything you need.
And great and good forces circumscribe you,
Protect you,
Surround you.
During the day,
So many questions,
So many doubts,
Wonderments.
At night,
You can pack up all of those questions and put them at your right side with the great and good forces entrusted with questions.
During the day,
We struggle or battle or make valiant effort,
Climb,
Use our muscles and our force.
You can put all that to your left side with a great and good force responsible for your vigor,
Holding it for you while you sleep.
Navigating through the darkness,
A great and good force holds a light before your feet.
Nightlight,
If you will.
And with all the soreness,
The sorrow or pain,
Great and good force rests behind you to issue you healing through the power of rest and sleep.
And above you,
All the mystery,
All the glory,
All the intensity and wonder floating.
You float and drift,
Becoming and unbecoming,
Awake and asleep and asleep and awake,
Conscious and unconscious,
Breathing and going.
Do any last fidgeting.
Shift and say any last words to yourself you need.
The journey through the night.
Yawn.
Exhale on Sela.
And the world is going on.
The world is continuous and amazing and whole.
Life-giving.
Secure.
You are held in this glorious universe.
Protected and supported.
Gathered up in the hand of a loving universe with nothing to fear.
You can let go.
