Bedtime Ritual 32

Get ready for bed: make yourself comfortable in your most cozy space - adjust the temperature and blankets, then join me in the Jewish ritual before bed. I'll interpret it in a way for everyone to use. Sleep soundly! (Recorded December 17, 2023; Photo by Pixabay)

Transcript

I invite you to slow down, I invite you to get settled, To come into quiet and stillness that is all your own, A peace that is uniquely for you, With its own particular perturbations, Small noises, Adjustments, Fidgeting, And settling in, And becoming quiet, And quieter still, And enjoying slowness, The act of not doing very much at all, You are free from the day's strivings and efforts, Nothing left to give, Or keep, Or bestow, Just casting off from the productivity of the day, Into the calm waters of sleep and dream, You can surrender, Give in, Give up, Let go, All that was, All that could be, Is not now, Now is now, As you prepare for rest and perhaps sleep and dream, You can set it all aside, Disappointments and fantasies, Anxieties or regrets, They are not pertinent to this moment, Only the pleasantness of rest in a chair, A couch, Or a bed, Perhaps the floor, Wherever you find yourself, Let yourself go, Let it subside, Feel the room and yourself in it getting quieter, Feel your body getting more still, If the day was eventful, Imagine what it would be like to be wholly uneventful, Daydream about nothing, Slowing down, Slowing down, Did someone hurt you in word, Thought, Or deed, Would you like to let go of that resentment, Even for the evening, You can, It would be good for you to surrender it, Maybe you can't forgive forever, But you could set it aside now, And in as much as someone has hurt, Harmed, Distracted, Or bruised you, You've probably done some of that, Not because you're a bad person, But because every person makes mistakes, Sometimes willful mistakes, We can fix it, Maybe not right now, But maybe tomorrow or the next day, For now, You could just cultivate the idea of repair, The possibility of apology, May it all be acceptable, Feel your eyes dimming, Your heart rate slowing, Your breath becoming even more relaxed, You lie down in goodness and peace, Sweet dreams without troubles, Resting, Secure, And the world is one, United, Whole, Complete, All venturing out from a single unified source, All continuous and connected, Take that as a great blessing, And a great inspiration for love, And faithfulness, And compassion, The world is whole, And you give gratitude at each moment to exist within it, As a part of it, May you find success in all of your works, And you're protected, Safeguarded from heat and cold, Sheltered in beautiful wings, In a safe refuge behind a powerful shield, Always embraced, Sheltered, Great and good forces lift you up and carry you, You are strengthened, Sated, Delivered, Feel your way into that syrupy slowness and delicate heaviness, Drifting, Falling into it all with rest and relaxation, You can lie down in peace and wholeness, Knowing that you will wake to peace and wholeness, Unperturbed, Sheltered and shielded, Protected, Even rescued, Going out from the day and eventually coming back into consciousness when the time is right, You can rest now, You will be surrounded and safeguarded by great and good forces, Special entities that protected your ancestors and will look over your descendants, You are healed, Breathe into all of it, Absorb it, And sink down into your resting place, Your bed, Couch or chair, Drift, The world blesses you, And the world guards you, The world looks upon you with grace and mercy and compassion, And the world turns its face toward you to give you peace, Great and good forces all around you while you rest, You can deposit all of your doubts and questions and worries at your right side with the force responsible for mystery and wonderment, You can deposit all of your vigor and grappling and strength at your left side with the force responsible for energy and strength, And your path forward through the worlds of dreams, Even beyond is illuminated, Just pass your feet with a great and good force holding the lamp, And while you sleep, The healing of mind, Body, And spirit will be attended to by a great and good force just behind you and above you, Swirling, Delicate, Glorious mystery, And wonderful surprise, Take any last time to stretch, Wiggle, Scratch, Fidget, Breathe in and out, And even as you sleep, The world endures as it has for generations before, And will in generations to come, It is eternal, No beginning, No end, Nothing like it, You are held in the palm of a loving universe as you sleep with nothing to fear.