Begin by lying down in a comfortable position.
Let your body be supported by your mattress,
The pillows,
The warmth of your blanket.
Let gravity do all the work now.
You don't need to hold yourself up anymore.
Let the day go.
And gently close your eyes.
Begin to notice your breath,
Not changing it,
Just noticing.
The inhale and the exhale.
Rising and falling like soft waves on a quiet shore.
You have arrived at the edge of sleep.
There is nowhere to be,
Nothing to do and no one to impress.
This is your time,
Time to rest,
Time to surrender.
Now I invite you to imagine a path,
A narrow path,
Winding gently through tall grass at dusk.
The air is cool and still.
Soft golden light lingers in the sky,
That quiet moment when the sun has just set and the world holds its breath before night fully arrives.
You begin walking slowly,
There is no rush.
Each footstep brings a sense of calm,
Of groundedness.
You notice the scent of lavender on the breeze.
Your shoulders drop just a little more,
Your jaw loosens.
The path is guiding you towards stillness.
As you continue walking,
You come upon a small arched wooden gate,
Weathered,
Moss covered,
Gently creaking in the breeze.
It swings open easily as you touch it.
So you step through and you find yourself in a night garden.
This is not a garden of daylight and colour,
It is a garden made for rest.
Here the moon hangs large and luminous above you,
Bathing everything in a silvery glow.
Deep indigo flowers bloom quietly in the moonlight,
Soft white petals glow like stars scattered across the earth.
Vines twirl gently along stone paths,
Leaving shimmering silk in the night air.
Everything here is hushed,
Peaceful and perfectly still,
As though the entire garden is asleep dreaming with you.
You walk deeper into this place of rest.
To your left there's a small pond,
Perfectly still,
Reflecting the moon like a mirror.
You pause to sit beside it,
The stone beneath you warm from the day's sun,
Still holding that heat.
You feel supported and grounded.
You watch a single lily pad rock gently,
Almost in rhythm with your breath.
And with your breath we go deeper.
Bring your attention to your body,
Beginning at the crown of your head.
Imagine a soft wash of moonlight gently brushing your scalp,
Releasing any tension.
Let this light move down over your forehead,
Feeling it smoothing the space between your brows.
Letting go of thinking,
Of planning,
Of remembering.
The light moves down over your eyes.
You let your eyes grow heavy,
Like flower petals folding inward for the night.
Your cheeks soften,
Your jaw loosens,
Your tongue relaxes in your mouth.
And with every exhale,
You're melting a little more into the earth.
The moonlight now pours over your neck and shoulders.
Feel the weight of your shoulders release,
Like water pouring from a jug,
All the tension just drains away.
Down your arms,
Elbows,
Wrists.
Feel your hands growing heavy,
Just completely relaxed.
Each finger loosens,
Drifting into stillness.
The moonlight moves now across your chest.
Let your ribs expand as you breathe in,
And fall gently as you breathe out.
With each breath,
Imagine you're inhaling peace,
And exhaling anything you don't need.
Let the light move across your belly,
Soft,
Quiet,
Completely at ease.
There is nothing to hold here,
No bracing,
No guarding,
Just openness and rest.
Now feel the glow of this soft light travelling down into your hips,
Into your pelvis,
Your thighs.
These strong legs have carried you through the day.
Let them rest now,
Let them grow heavy,
Sinking into your bed.
The moonlight flows like water over your knees,
Your calves,
Your ankles.
Let it release all that remains,
Every trace of tension,
Every restless thought.
And now into your feet,
Feel your feet softening,
Loosening,
Becoming still.
From the crown of your head,
To the tips of your toes,
You are held in a cocoon of rest.
Breathe here,
Breathe gently,
There is no right way,
Just allow what is.
Now,
In the distance,
You hear the soft sound of wind chimes.
Delicate and dreamlike,
As though they're calling you deeper into the garden.
You follow the sound along a winding path.
Fireflies flicker gently around you,
Like living stars floating in the air.
You feel completely safe here,
Completely free.
As you round a corner,
You find a small bed of moss beneath an ancient tree.
Its roots stretch wide and deep,
Its branches cradle the sky.
You sit,
Then lie down on the moss,
And it feels like a soft blanket.
Overhead,
The moon continues to shine.
A gentle breeze brushes your face like a lullaby.
You are completely at peace.
Now imagine each thought that arises is a petal.
One by one,
As thoughts appear,
Let them drift away on the breeze.
No need to hold them,
No need to analyze,
Just let them go.
Because you are not your thoughts,
You are the space beneath them.
And in that recognition,
You return to your breath.
Inhale slowly,
Exhale gently.
There is nothing you need to do.
Let the rhythm of the garden,
The breath of the earth,
Carry you.
You are returning,
Returning to the deep knowing of your body.
The quiet wisdom that lives beneath all tension,
All effort.
Let your dreams rise like mist from the ground,
Soft and subtle.
Let your body become weightless,
Let your mind become vast.
You are drifting now,
Drifting like a leaf on a quiet stream.
No direction,
No resistance,
Just trust.
Let this moment stretch,
Let it blur,
Let it dissolve.
You are entering the realm of dreams.
You are welcome here,
You belong here.
And so now you rest.
You rest in the quiet of the night garden.
You rest under the watchful glow of the moon.
You are safe,
You are whole,
You are home.
Sleep is already here,
Let go and drift.
