Just feeling the vibration subtle and profound as your body settles in.
Letting yourself become aware.
Aware of tirednesses that are already there lurking in the shadows.
Becoming aware that if we put aside our baggage and our resentment and our dread,
We could just fall asleep because there's a lot of weariness already in the bones,
Already in the system.
Maybe a yawn will kick-start the process.
You can yawn or exhale with a selah.
Selah being the ancient breath word,
Some sort of mantra from millennia ago.
And it's okay to be sleepy.
It's good.
Good to have used up our energy from the week,
The day,
The hour.
Good to feel heavy.
Good that our spirit can start to feel light as the body sinks down.
And when you get distracted,
Because we always get distracted,
Distraction is nine-tenths of the game,
Maybe.
Just come back.
Just keep returning.
You could use my voice as a signal.
You could use your breath as a cue.
You could stretch and fidget.
Just notice your body.
Feeling heavy in your bed or wherever you're resting.
You start slowing down.
You start getting heavy,
Getting more still.
More profound,
Going in a little deeper.
And meditation isn't tricky or complicated or surprising.
It's really just quitting on the day that was,
On the life that is.
And ignoring everything else,
Setting aside and coming into this moment.
And then the next moment.
And the next.
And enjoying everything for what it offers right now.
Sinking into it.
Being embraced by this experience.
So you fall in.
Being gentle with yourself.
Setting down baggage,
Letting go of dread or resentment.
Noticing where you're even physically uncomfortable and making yourself a little bit more cozy.
And when you get distracted,
You just keep coming back to your breath.
Breathing in a little deeper,
Out a little slower.
You can use that word cella as a cue,
Again.
Or just yawn or stretch.
And maybe we start by inviting freedom.
And maybe we start by forgiving.
You might not be ready to forgive.
That's okay.
You could test it out.
Give it a trial run.
People annoy you.
People hurt you.
People poke at you.
People say rude things.
Hurt your feelings.
Might be on purpose.
Maybe by accident.
We can't say for sure.
We can forgive.
We can let go.
We cannot hold on to that grievance,
That baggage.
Letting go.
And since there's so much that hurts us,
We can be sure we've hurt other people.
So we could ask forgiveness again.
Maybe just a tentative idea of forgiveness.
Not the whole thing.
Not all the way there.
Not just yet.
That's okay.
It's always a continuing process.
Never complete.
May that be acceptable.
When your eyes get heavy,
They feel salty or itchy.
Your body feels stiff or soft and just starts to sink.
And the world gets a little bit darker each moment.
A little bit more foggy.
A little bit farther away.
Pupils dilate.
Filled with good thoughts and kindness.
Letting go of disappointments.
And the light of the world fades around us.
And so we take a moment to gather it all in.
All of it.
The entire universe.
Part of a thread of destiny.
Single garment.
A unity.
Unity of purpose and eternity.
Acknowledge that oneness.
Just breathing.
Taking it in.
Taking it on.
And expanding outward in love.
Love for each moment.
Waking.
Sleeping.
Walking.
Speaking.
May it be so.
And you're sheltered.
You are given safety.
You are protected.
With wings and shields.
Lifted up and carried.
Not afraid.
No need to be concerned.
The world is taking care of you.
Guarding you with great and good forces.
All around.
Looking out for your best interests.
The universe knows your name.
And lifts you up.
And strengthens you.
And frees you.
Going to sleep peacefully.
So that when the time comes you get up peacefully.
Just as peacefully.
Shielded.
And you go out from consciousness.
So that when the time comes you come into consciousness with peace and wholeness.
Blessed at every moment.
And great and good forces look over you.
Just like they looked over those who came before us.
They care for you.
And they'll look over those who come after us.
Supporting us all through a loving universe.
And the universe blesses you.
And it protects you.
Watches over you with blessing.
The universe shines upon you with grace.
Take that in.
Breathing in deeply,
Out slowly.
As the universe turns towards you to offer you peace,
Wholeness,
And equanimity.
And you are surrounded by great and good forces.
You have doubts and questions and concerns and worries and dreads and fears and resentments all day,
Every day.
But when you sleep you can put them down to the right of you.
With a great and good force responsible for questions.
And during the day you struggle and battle and join valiantly with the enemies of the universe.
The efforts of the world march in protest.
And at night you can put down all your strength,
All your courage to the left of you.
With the great and good force responsible for vigor.
And then a great and good force bears a light ahead of you.
Night light through the darkness.
As behind you,
Another force whispers and massages healing into your temples and body.
And all above you,
Glory and presence.
Take a few moments to just stretch and curl and tingle and itch.
And adjust any last needs.
Breathing in deeply and exhaling on the word Sela.
And the world goes on.
And all of it goes on.
It was,
It is,
It will be.
No beginning,
No end.
And you float amid it.
In a sea of goodness.
An eternal sea.
You can commit yourself into the hand of a loving universe.
Sleep with nothing to fear.
So I'm not going to say much more.
I'm going to let everyone rest.
Hoping that some of you are already asleep.
That's the end of our official meditation.
But I'll leave the comment line open if you guys want to share.
For those of you who are not yet asleep.
Maybe you have concerns or questions.
