Anxiety Relief: Everything Will Be OK

You are safe, you are worthy, and you are loved. Thank you for joining us. In an artist’s sanctuary surrounded by the stars, you will paint all the anxiety and worries away until only peace remains in tonight’s guided sleep meditation.

Transcript

Are you ready to release all of your anxiety and every emotion that's connected to it?

Tonight in an artist's sanctuary surrounded by stars,

You will paint away all of your worries and anxious tension,

Coming back home to the peace that lives beneath the noise.

My name is Jason Stevenson,

And it's a gift to guide you through tonight's practice.

Wherever in the world you're joining me from,

Welcome.

Before we begin,

Take a moment to prepare your sleep space,

As you're welcome to drift into slumber whenever it comes naturally.

Set your morning alarm if you need one,

Gently tuck yourself in,

Head melting into the pillow beneath it.

And as your physical body settles,

Take a long slow breath in,

Exhaling with a subtle sigh to sink a little bit deeper.

Before we journey to a creative space of release and renewal,

It's helpful to first prepare the body,

To lay a foundation of physical surrender,

Which calms the mind at the very same time.

So begin by calling your attention to your feet,

Simply sensing into your soles and your toes,

And as you hold these parts of your body in your gentle,

Curious awareness,

Send a couple of slow deep breaths.

As you exhale,

Give your feet permission to surrender,

Let them know that there's nowhere you need to be but right here.

And as your feet begin to relax,

Let your attention slowly drift into your ankles,

Sensing into the bones and ligaments there,

And sense into your ankles with warmth,

Kindness and tenderness.

And on your next out breath,

Invite them to relax as well,

Each breath out is a whisper to let go.

Slowly now,

Your attention scans your lower legs,

Moving gently across your calves,

And across your shins as well.

You're not looking for anything in particular as we move through the body in this way,

You're simply noticing what it's like to be present with your body,

Sensing into each part with care and curiosity.

And if you encounter any sensations that are too uncomfortable to be present with,

Let your attention rest instead on a nearby body part that feels safe and anchoring for you.

If it feels okay to rest your awareness on your lower legs for a little while longer,

Grant them your full undivided attention,

Send them a slow deep breath,

And as you exhale,

Give them permission to surrender into the mattress beneath them.

And now guide your awareness into your knees,

Just noticing what it feels like to be present here.

Send your knees a deep breath with your next inhale,

Melting into the mattress with the following exhale.

Now allow your attention to travel into your upper legs next,

Into your hamstrings and quadriceps,

Notice what it's like to bear witness to these muscles and the bones behind them,

And invite them to relax on your next out breath.

Now sense into the fullness of both legs,

Offering your legs a full breath of care and compassion.

And as you exhale,

Deepen their embodiment of surrender,

Any residual tension sinking into the bed beneath you.

Now guide your attention into the base of your spine,

And then expand that awareness to encompass your entire pelvic area up to your hip bones.

And invite these areas to soften ever so gently,

Filling with love,

Care and tenderness on the in-breath.

As your pelvic area begins to surrender,

Your attention expands to fill your belly,

And give your stomach permission to expand as you breathe in,

To whatever degree feels comfortable for you,

Softening again with the out-breath,

Expanding gently on the in-breath,

Softening on the out-breath.

And as your belly continues to rise and fall with ease,

To whatever depth and degree feels comfortable for you,

Let your awareness move up your spine,

And soon it arrives in your heart area,

And in the fullness of your lungs.

As you breathe into these areas,

Feel your chest expanding,

Slowly and gently as you breathe in,

And tension unravelling as you breathe out.

Take a few quiet breaths into your entire chest,

Filling your heart and your lungs with universal love,

Care and warmth,

And continue to soften with each out-breath,

Physical tension melting into the earth below.

Now imagine that this presence of relaxation expands to fill your collarbones and shoulders,

Releasing any knots of tension that may be stored there.

Now give your shoulders full permission to release any weight they do not need to carry,

Surrendering with a soft sigh on your next exhale.

And as your shoulders begin to unravel any held tension,

Let your awareness drift into your upper arms,

Sensing the muscles and bones there,

And like a wave moving towards your fingertips,

Give your arms permission to let go,

Softening through your upper arms.

Through your elbows,

Sensing and softening your lower arms,

Travelling through your wrists and into the palms of your hands.

As your palms relax,

Your fingers loosen any grip they've been holding,

Any tension,

Any grasping,

Or any clinging to outcomes dissolves into the mattress beneath your hands.

Take a long slow breath into both of your arms,

All the way down to your fingertips,

Welcoming complete surrender as you exhale.

And as your arms relax,

Let your attention slowly rise back up them,

Moving gently across the tops of your shoulders,

Soon arriving in your neck,

And take a slow deep breath into your neck,

Releasing any tension with a big sigh as you exhale.

And slowly now,

Travel into your face area,

Noticing what's present in your jaw,

In your cheeks,

Around your nose,

Ears and eyes,

And your forehead,

And inviting your entire face to relax on your next out-breath.

Sense into the sides of your head,

Into the back of your head,

And into the crown of your head,

Inviting any and all tension that might be held in your head to dissipate,

To sink into the earth beneath you.

Give it all permission to leave you now.

Now before we embark on tonight's visual journey,

Take just a few moments to hold your whole physical body in your loving awareness,

Imagine that you could breathe fresh loving life into every cell,

Every bone,

And every muscle with your next inhale,

Letting go with a deep sigh as you exhale.

Grant your body full permission to be held by the surface beneath you,

Just as you are,

And as we travel to a visual inner realm for further release,

Know that you can always connect with this loving supportive surface at any time.

Now,

Guide your attention to your mind's eye,

And see that a spiral staircase or winding pathway ascends into the atmosphere before you.

This staircase or pathway is crafted of rich walnut,

Its deep brown hue exuding warmth and support.

Alongside it runs a smooth sturdy handrail,

Inviting you upwards to a realm where gentle emotional release awaits.

So as I count from one to ten,

Make your way along this pathway or staircase,

Allowing the journey to unfold in its own time.

So,

Begin now as one,

You take that first step onto the polished walnut,

Feeling its steady support beneath the soles of your feet.

Two,

Your fingers run along the smooth sturdy handrail,

Letting you know that you're unconditionally held.

And three,

You continue to rise with grace and ease,

Each step,

Each movement feeling lighter than the last.

Four,

Your breath flows steadily and slowly,

Your shoulders dropping away from your ears.

Five,

With each step,

Your heart and chest expand,

Ready to receive the gifts of what lies ahead.

And six,

Distracted thoughts dissolve from your mind as you unfold along with the journey you are on.

Seven,

Above your head,

A velvety starlit expanse unveils itself,

With beaming planets and a sparkling crescent moon.

Your body grows increasingly lighter as you release the day behind you.

Nine,

You are nearing the end of the walnut passageway beneath your feet.

And finally,

Ten,

You arrive in the artist's sanctuary,

An oasis of free emotional expression,

Nestled within the magic and quietude of the cosmos.

The space is crafted from the same rich walnut of the staircase or pathway that brought you here.

An expansive window overlooks the starry universe,

Surrounded by soft,

White fairy lights that cast dreamlike glow across the room.

In the center of this enchanted space is a colorful woven rug,

Rich in hues of gold,

Violet and indigo,

Surrounded by plush cushions and blankets.

And at the furthest edge of the rug is a blank canvas resting on an easel,

Positioned just in front of that expansive,

Dreamy window.

This is your personal sanctuary of expression and release,

The place where,

In just a moment,

You will release all anxieties and tensions,

Unveiling the ease that lives beneath them.

So,

Take a couple of breaths to inhale the serene vibration of this enchanted place,

Noticing that a calming perfume of lavender fills your lungs with each cycle.

And slowly,

You make your way to the center of the rug,

Taking a seat before the blank canvas.

And envision yourself coming to a comfortable position,

Cocooned by the cushions and blankets,

With a full view of the radiant cosmos beyond the window.

And as you settle in,

Let your attention focus on what's right before you,

On the blank white canvas,

Waiting for you to express and release.

And notice that beside the canvas is a palette of vibrant,

Striking paints,

Deep red,

Bright blue,

Glowing green,

Sunny yellow,

And beaming orange.

In just a moment,

I will guide you to use up each paint,

Expressing your emotions through each brush stroke.

But first,

Take a long,

Slow inhale,

Filling with the support and nurturance of the universe.

And as you exhale,

Give yourself full permission to release through these paints,

To become free of all anxiety-related emotions that do not serve you.

And now,

Picture any anxious frustration that you're currently experiencing as a deep,

Bold red.

And then pick up the paintbrush at the edge of the easel,

And dip it into the red paint on the palette.

And when you're ready,

With a confident stroke,

Begin to layer the canvas.

Allow all frustration that's present in your mind or body to fill the blank white canvas space with each bold stroke.

And spread it all onto the canvas,

Knowing that it can hold every ounce of your frustration.

Notice that with each stroke,

The red brush strokes become fainter and fainter,

The emotion becoming lighter and lighter within you.

And take your own time to allow this emotion to be released.

Continue to watch the paint strokes becoming lighter and lighter,

Until soon,

All frustration leaves your body and mind,

And a seed of calmness appears within you.

Let your arm drop to your side,

Paintbrush still in hand,

As you connect with that little inner seed of peace and relief.

Take a long,

Slow breath in,

And release with a soft sigh.

And when you're ready,

Draw your attention now to any restlessness in your body,

Seeing this second emotion appear as a bright blue tone.

And on your next breath cycle,

Dip the paintbrush into the blue paint on the palette,

As you did before,

Begin to paint with confidence and unbridled expression,

Allowing all anxious restlessness to leave both your body and mind,

Spreading across the cosmic canvas.

And as you do,

Notice the feeling of your arm moving through the open air,

And the sensory experience of the bristles brushing against the canvas.

And notice how the feeling of the brush strokes changes over time,

As the striking blue becomes fainter and fainter,

And as the restlessness within you begins to dissipate.

And continue this process at your own pace,

Until all the blue paint,

And all the restlessness has disappeared from the palette within you.

Take a long,

Slow inhale,

Exhaling with a sigh to release,

And you notice that the seed of calmness is beginning to grow,

Nurtured by your willingness to let go.

And something else is budding as well,

A sense of empowerment,

Of personal agency,

And you are becoming aware that you hold the power to process your emotions in wise and loving ways.

You hold the power to transform your inner state through mindful,

Creative expression.

And as you exhale,

Sink deeper into this budding sense of empowerment.

Notice if there's any sense of overwhelm present within you,

And see it represented as glowing green paint on the palette.

And with your next inhale,

Dip your paintbrush into that bold green color,

And creatively express that overwhelm with complete freedom on the canvas before you.

Give yourself full permission to express and release the overwhelm on the canvas.

And as you paint,

Envision the paint strokes becoming lighter and lighter,

Slower and slower.

As these strong emotions depart your body and mind,

Your energy field slows and steadies,

And soon,

No green paint remains on the palette,

Fully released on the canvas before you,

All overwhelm having left you.

Take a slow and smooth inhale,

Releasing with a sigh as you exhale,

And take a moment now to revel at the painting before you,

Recognizing how good it feels to let these emotions leave your body.

Release a sigh of relief as you notice the way your inner state has and continues to transform.

And now notice if there's any remaining physical tension still held within your body,

And see it coming into form as bright yellow paint on the palette.

And when you're ready,

Let it find freedom from your body as you paint it across the canvas.

Stroke by stroke,

All tension leaves your body,

Leaving you lighter and freer.

And notice that the little seed of calm inside of you is sprouting wildly,

Extending throughout all the layers of your being.

Take a few final strokes of that yellow paint until no more of it remains.

And notice that your body is feeling increasingly free and restful,

And that your mind too is growing more and more spacious.

And at the same time,

Notice if there is any residual discomfort anywhere within you,

Any remaining fear,

Worry,

Tension.

And if so,

Imagine it appearing as a bright orange paint on the painter's palette,

The very last color of paint to manifest here.

This orange paint holds any remaining anxiety within you.

So when you're ready,

Let flow with free expression onto the canvas.

Let every anxious thought and sensation be released,

Confident stroke by confident stroke,

Knowing that you are fully supported in this process of inner transformation.

And continue to paint until the orange strokes of paint become so faint that they dissipate completely.

Paint all worry,

All fear,

And all tension out of your body,

Stroke by stroke by stroke.

Now place the paintbrush down when you feel ready,

Anchoring in the steady rhythm of your breath as you gaze at the canvas before you.

Recognize how much you've released in a minute,

And notice that in place of these emotions and sensations,

The seed of calm has grown into a deep embodiment of comfort,

Trust,

And serenity.

Feel this sense of peace and trust pervading your whole body and every corner of your mind,

Feeling it radiate through your entire cellular matrix with a few quiet breaths.

And as your emotions have found freedom from your mind and body,

Your attention is able to expand back out to embrace the bigger picture,

Taking in the full view of the radiant cosmos beyond the canvas.

The stunning supernovas shimmer in magenta,

Teal,

And champagne hues.

Shooting stars stretch across the velvety night sky,

And you are reminded that you,

Too,

Are made of stardust.

You,

Too,

Are interwoven into the wisdom of the universe.

So on your next inhale,

Feel your mind and your body with a deep knowing that you are a part of everything,

And that you are held,

Supported,

And guided endlessly by the benevolent universe.

Everything will unfold as it's meant to.

And as you breathe out,

Sink deeper into the cosmic dance of all things,

And sink ever deeper into universal trust,

Peace,

And spaciousness.

Now that all anxious tension and emotions have left you,

You feel ready to surrender to sleep.

So,

Envision yourself coming to lay down on the centre of the colourful rug beneath you.

Your head melts into a soft,

Plush pillow,

And you pull a warm blanket over the top of your body.

And as you sink in,

Your gaze dances across the strings of fairy lights that line the wide windows.

The soft glow of these lights twinkle like the distant stars in the night sky,

Reflecting off the wooden walls and filling the room with a quiet,

Comforting energy.

And beyond the window,

The galaxies continue their eternal dance,

Their colours shifting and swirling radiantly and endlessly.

Take a long,

Deep breath into the comfort of this room,

And into the spaciousness of the galaxy beyond it.

And as you exhale,

Let your body melt deeper into the solid walnut floor beneath you,

Giving way to the night of deep rest that awaits.

You are unconditionally held here,

Exactly the way you are.

There is nowhere you need to go,

Nothing you need to do,

And no one you need to be.

This moment is enough,

Just the way it is,

And you are safe to surrender here.

So as sleep approaches,

Take one last journey through your physical body,

Beginning at the crown of your head.

Imagine a wave of relaxation moving through,

Softening your forehead and your jaw,

Your shoulders and your arms,

Your chest,

Your lungs and your belly,

Travelling slowly through your hips and pelvis,

And then down your legs inch by inch,

Soon entering the soles of your feet,

And your whole body surrenders as your mind bathes in the serene quietude of your inner starlit landscape.

You are light and free,

Completely at peace,

And you are ready to drift off to sleep.

Allow the quietude of the artist's sanctuary and the beaming cosmos to guide you to that place of deep sleep,

Staying close to your breath as you drift off.

And if any anxious thoughts return,

Notice what colour they appear as,

And then release them from your cellular matrix with either a deep breath or a brushstroke,

Again and again.

You can let them go,

Reclaiming your personal agency and coming back home to the peace that lives beneath the noise.

So,

May you sink now into a deep and restorative night slumber,

And until next time,

Good night my friend,

Good night.

Reviews

This is so calming & relaxing. Creativity always soothes me & the painting visualization was great. Thank you.