Tonight,
As the golden sun dips below the horizon and stars emerge against an indigo sky,
You will drift off to sleep swiftly and gently,
Cradled by the peaceful embrace of a serene oceanside night.
My name is Jason Stevenson,
And it's a pleasure to guide you on this visual journey,
One that serves as an effortless invitation to rest deeply,
In both body and mind.
Before we begin the meditation,
Take some time to get as comfortable as you can be,
Cocoon your body in sheets or blankets,
And invite your head to surrender into the soft pillow of support.
If it feels inviting,
Just take a moment to stretch your arms and legs,
As if squeezing out any tension from the day behind you,
And with your next exhale,
Allow your whole body to soften,
Melting into the mattress below.
Gently bring your awareness to your breath now,
Without changing the breath in any way just yet,
And notice the natural rise and fall of your body as you breathe,
Ebbing and flowing the way waves lap against a quiet,
Steady shore.
Now let's take a few deeper breaths together,
Inhale slowly through your nose,
Feeling your lungs expand gently and with ease,
And exhale softly through your mouth,
Releasing a subtle but audible sigh.
Another slow,
Expansive deep breath in,
And exhaling to surrender even more.
Take two more breaths this way at your own pace,
Filling with calm,
Ease and spaciousness,
And release any tension or distracting thoughts with the out-breath.
After your second exhale,
Allow your breath to resume its natural flow,
And again moving like gentle waves against a steady shore.
Now guide your awareness to the soles of your feet,
And from here I will slowly guide you on a restorative journey through your physical body.
As you travel through the different parts that I name,
The invitation is to gently surrender any tension you might come across.
It's not about forcing discomfort to leave,
It's really about softening,
About naturally releasing.
So as you begin by sensing into your feet,
Invite them to surrender the day behind you.
There is nowhere they need to take you now,
Nowhere for you to go externally.
Fill your feet with a calm,
Loving in-breath,
And as you exhale,
Deepen the release.
And now invite this intention for relaxation to flow through your ankles,
Nourishing these joints on a deeply cellular level.
Before your attention lands in your calves,
As you sense into your calf muscles,
Invite them to soften,
Tension melting into the bed beneath you.
Your awareness rises into your knees next,
Where your knees are nourished by a slow,
Cleansing breath in,
And naturally this presence of relaxation rises to your upper legs,
Flowing through every cell and muscle in your quadriceps and your hamstrings.
Just give them permission to soften.
Take a long,
Steady breath into both of your resting legs,
And with the exhale,
Deepen the release.
As your legs rest comfortably on the bed beneath you,
Your awareness rises into the base of your spine.
From here,
It gently radiates outwards,
Encompassing your pelvis,
Your hips,
And your bottom.
As you sense into these places,
Breathe a slow,
Loving breath into every cell,
Muscle,
And organ there.
And as you exhale,
Invite any tension to dissipate,
Leaving ease and spaciousness in its place.
Become aware of your entire belly now,
Noticing the way it rises and falls with each breath,
Even if only very subtly.
Notice if there's any tension or contraction that you hold in your belly,
And if so,
Invite it to soften.
You don't need to hold on to it now.
Now,
Sensing into your lower back,
And gradually scan the entire length of your back,
All the way up to the backsides of your shoulders.
And invite ease,
Relaxation,
And softness to permeate every cell and muscle in your back body,
Any tension melting into the earth below.
And then let your attention rest in your chest for a little while.
Into the wide expanse of your heart space.
With each in-breath,
Invite ease and spaciousness to fill your heart,
Your lungs,
And your whole chest.
And with each out-breath,
Give yourself permission to soften in these areas.
Now,
Slowly travel along your collarbones and across the upper stretches of your shoulders.
And invite your shoulders to soften completely,
Laying down any bags they do not need to carry.
And as your shoulders relax,
Welcome this current of relaxation into your arms,
Filling your upper arms completely,
Soothing every cell and muscle that lives here.
Your elbows are nourished deeply and completely,
And so are your forearms,
Any discomfort melting into the surface beneath them.
Relaxation flows into your wrists,
Nourishing these joints on a very deep level.
And before landing gently in your palms,
And then slowly expanding to fill your hands completely.
Your hands release anything you've been holding too tightly,
Melting into the loving embrace of this present moment.
Take a long,
Slow,
Deep breath down both of your arms,
And as you exhale,
Deepen the release.
From your fingertips,
Guide your awareness back up the length of your arms,
And your wrists,
Rippling gently over your shoulders,
And flowing through all the cells and muscles of your neck,
Bestowing this part of your body with ease and care.
Slowly now,
Your awareness completes its journey through your body by mindfully scanning the features of your face,
Tension dissolving from your jaw,
Around your eyes,
And from your forehead.
And then your entire head fills with the same presence of relaxation,
With ease,
Spaciousness,
And deep,
Deep rest.
And as your forehead relaxes,
So does your thinking mind,
There is nothing it needs to hold onto now,
Give it permission to let go.
To deepen this experience of release,
Imagine a slow,
Deep breath,
Filling your entire headspace with ease,
Rest,
And lightness.
And as you exhale,
Release any residue of stress with a sigh,
Head surrendering a little more into the pillow that supports it.
Take a few slow,
Steady breaths here,
Into the fullness of your spacious,
Relaxed body.
And if anything needs an extra nudge to soften,
Quietly whisper to yourself,
It's okay to let go now.
It's okay to let go now.
The quiet,
Open expanse of your mind's eye,
Begin to envision a sandy pathway appearing before you,
Feel its fine crystal beads beneath the soles of your bare feet.
And as I count from one to ten,
You will be guided along that path,
To a place where profound layers of relaxation will be revealed to you.
Allow my guidance to flow through your consciousness without effort,
As the journey unfolds in its own time.
And along the way,
Let yourself fall asleep whenever sleep comes naturally.
So,
We count down,
One,
Begin by deepening your felt sense of the path beneath you,
Noticing the warmth of the shimmering sand.
Two,
Traveling slowly and mindfully along this pathway,
Shoulders softening as your crown reaches for the cosmos,
Three,
The sky is a soft blue,
Fading to rich,
Luminous gold near the horizon.
And four,
You become aware of a warm,
Salty breeze,
Its scent filling your body like a gentle,
Calming wave.
Five,
Notice what you're wearing here,
Envisioning attire that feels relaxed and comfortable.
Six,
Your heart and chest open,
Ready to receive the deep rest that lies just up ahead.
And seven,
Your breath continues to flow slowly and steadily,
Guiding each mindful step.
Eight,
You are getting very close to your destination now,
To a place where you can surrender to the coming night.
Nine,
A serene quietude falls over you now,
The breeze softens,
Your steps slow.
And finally,
Ten,
The pathway opens up gently before you,
Revealing a vast and peaceful sunset ocean.
A radiant golden sun hovers just above the horizon,
And the water's surface shimmers beneath its presence.
It appears as if golden gemstones have been scattered across the ocean.
Take a slow,
Expansive inhale as you fill with the warmth,
Beauty and serenity of this landscape.
And exhale to ground your feet into the beach,
Deepening your connection to its fine,
Crystal sand.
You take a few quiet steps forward,
The sun-kissed sand enveloping your feet with each step.
And as you near the water,
You arrive at a soft,
Round picnic blanket,
An inviting place where you can settle in for the night.
Envision yourself coming to a relaxed,
Seated position here,
Perhaps directly on the blanket or in a reclined,
Comfortable beach chair.
Cushions and a light woven blanket are also present to nurture you.
And you have stumbled upon a safe,
Quiet nest where you can drift off to sleep beneath the setting sun.
Allow this process to unfold gradually,
Knowing that just as the earth transitions seamlessly from day to night,
So too can your body and mind,
Shifting with grace and ease from wakefulness to sleep.
So,
As you settle into your place on the sand,
Take a slow,
Deep breath in,
And release with a sigh on the out-breath.
And continue to breathe naturally,
Sensing the deep nourishment of the salt-infused ocean air.
Imagine its nutrient-rich particles dancing up to soothe your thinking mind,
And traveling deep into your physical body,
Nourishing your entire cellular matrix.
Your gaze settles upon the ocean now,
As you marvel again at the way the water itself appears infused with light.
Golden reflections glisten upon the rippling surface,
Like a blanket of gorgeous,
Light-yellow diamonds.
The waves move in a slow,
Rhythmic pattern,
Mirroring the steady flow of your very own breath.
Sink deeper into the breath now,
Surrendering to its effortless,
Natural rhythm.
With each inhale,
Notice that the water draws near to you,
Brushing up against the shore.
And with each exhale,
It retreats away,
Pulled back into the vastness of the whole ocean.
Inhaling each wave swells gently towards the shore,
And exhaling,
The waves pull back,
Returning to the oneness that it came from.
You are deeply enchanted by the water,
And how the waves are perfectly aligned with your own steady breath.
Each full cycle,
And each ebb and flow of the ocean,
Nourishes you deeply.
Your inhales fill your body and mind with love and nourishment,
And your exhales reveal a peaceful,
Inner spaciousness.
Take a few more breaths this way,
Staying synced with the flow of the ocean.
Now you can soften your awareness of your breath's alignment with the waves,
Shifting your attention to the furthest edge of the ocean,
To the glowing horizon.
Now,
The sun sinks slowly behind the water,
And as it does,
The blanket of light shifts from pale yellow to a deeper gold.
Feel the presence of this deep gold light permeate your body,
And imagine it pouring into the crown of your head,
Dissolving any recurring distracted thoughts,
And then envision it flowing all the way through you,
Traveling like warm golden syrup,
To soften and soothe any residual tension in your muscles.
As the light pervades you,
Imagine yourself sinking deeper into the sand,
Or into the beach chair beneath you,
And allow yourself to sink into sleep whenever it effortlessly arrives.
With each breath,
You are connected to the peaceful energy field of this tranquil landscape.
You are synced with the serenity of the ocean,
And with the light and warmth of the setting sun.
Now,
Consider each breath as an invitation to continually soften,
To surrender to the natural flow of things,
And to let go into an ever-deepening embodiment of rest.
Notice now that as the sun sinks further away,
Its light continues to transmute.
Now an amber-orange glow stretches across the horizon,
Rose-pink paint strokes appear as well,
And as the sky transitions,
Your personal vibration does as well,
With the same grace and ease.
Because here,
In this moment,
You're not rushing to get anywhere,
You're firmly anchored in the present,
Allowing the journey to unfold.
You're deeply aware that there's no one you need to be,
Nothing you need to do or prove.
Rather,
You can taste the sweetness of gentle surrender.
Savor that sweetness for a few breaths now,
Savor this opportunity to just rest here,
Exactly as you are.
The sky's light continues to transform,
The pink begins to cool into a delicate lavender,
And higher up,
A blue-gray tone stretches across the upper cosmos.
Focus on the calming quality of lavender light,
And see it wrapping itself around you,
And consider what it might feel like.
Perhaps the lavender light feels like a silk shawl wrapped around your shoulders,
Or a fresh evening breeze that moves through the inner workings of your mind.
So welcome its calming vibration into any part of your body that specifically needs it.
Perhaps a place where it's been a little more challenging to let go.
See this soft,
Violet light restoring those parts of you that are in need of deep rest and universal love,
And feel the light radiating through these places on your next few in-breaths,
Relaxing even deeper with your next few out-breaths.
Now,
You gaze back out across the water and towards the horizon,
The sun dips further and further,
Until less than a quarter of it remains above the ocean line.
Take a few quiet moments to watch the sun disappear completely,
And as it does,
See if there's anything you'd like to express thanks for,
Perhaps a blessing,
Large or small,
Of the day now behind you.
It could be the blessing of a home-cooked meal,
Or even a stranger's kindness.
It doesn't have to be big or dramatic.
Just notice what you might like to say thank you for.
Thank this day for offering this gift for you,
As you watch the orange sun fade completely from view.
With each unfolding breath,
The sky darkens,
The orange-pink light dissipates completely,
And the soft hues of lavender deepen to indigo.
Watch as this process unfolds,
And notice that as it does,
Infinite stars begin to appear.
Allow yourself to settle comfortably into this transition,
Remembering that it's an invitation to rest.
Your eyes trace the beaming constellations that shine down from the deep indigo dome above.
They are radiant,
Ancient,
And perfectly still.
They're not rushing to get anywhere,
To prove anything or to fix anything.
They're not grasping or holding or rushing.
The stars and constellations simply glow.
They rest with peace and contentment in the stillness and serenity of night.
And here,
Beneath their loving light,
You are invited to do the same.
Give yourself full and unconditional permission to soften now,
To surrender,
To simply be.
As you rest beneath the stars,
You notice that a crescent moon is beginning to rise,
Adding to the soft silver light of the night.
It takes the shape of a cradle,
Reminding you that you were held and cocooned without condition at this very moment.
So take a long,
Slow breath in,
Filling with the serenity of this soft silver light.
And as you exhale,
Sink into deeper layers of rest and relaxation.
At some point soon,
You'll sink naturally and effortlessly into sleep,
Without even knowing it,
And the night will continue to cradle you there.
Breathe naturally as you look out over the ocean.
Notice that the night's silver light is reflected upon its surface,
And now the once yellow diamonds have turned white.
Still,
It shimmers like a gemstone blanket upon the water.
Allow this silver light to be the last glowing presence that moves through your body for tonight.
Invite it to enter the crown of your head,
Where it quiets,
Soothes,
And restores your mind completely.
And then envision it flowing further down your body,
Softening your jaw,
Relaxing your shoulders,
And dissolving any last tension that may be held in your arms or hands.
Feel its soft,
Soothing presence expand throughout your heart.
Allow it to soften your back,
Guide it down into your belly,
Where it soothes and relaxes your entire lower abdomen.
And now,
Welcome this silver light to complete its gentle journey through your body,
Flowing all the way down to the tips of your toes.
Inch by inch,
Your legs relax,
Surrendering to the loving embrace of this tranquil night.
Take a long,
Slow breath in,
And release with a soft sigh.
Another slow,
Steady inhale,
And releasing completely.
Breathe naturally now,
And as you do,
Exhale any remaining wakefulness from your body or mind.
There is nothing left for you to do today,
All that remains is the approaching slumber.
So as you rest beneath the tranquility of this starlit night,
Deepen your sense of being fully cradled,
Deeply and unconditionally held.
Just as you are,
The moon is holding you.
Just as you are,
The breath is supporting you.
Just as you are,
The night is nurturing you.
Taking a few more moments to revel at the visual elements in this oceanside setting.
Gaze out across the gemstone water.
Marvel at the shimmering constellations and the deep indigo of night.
Sense into the sand and the blanket of the chair beneath you.
And rest for just a few more breaths upon any of the features of this landscape that feels most calming for you.
Let them settle,
Nurture and ground you.
Sleep is on its way,
In fact,
It is very,
Very close now.
And it's arriving naturally,
Without force.
The same way that day and night cycle through time.
And the same way that your breath and the ocean flow.
Now,
Whisper goodnight to this oceanside sanctuary.
You can return here at any time.
For now,
However,
It's time to let the mind rest completely to release all visuals so that you can drift off to sleep.
Slowly allow the imagery to fade as you feel into the bed beneath you.
Now,
Notice the way your whole body is deeply supported from head to toes.
And notice how the night continues to cradle you.
It continues to hold you as you drift off to sleep.
And as you transition to slumber,
Stay close to the rhythm of your breath.
Let it remind you of those ocean waves soothing your mind and body with each and every cycle.
I will leave you to drift off now.
May the coming sleep bring you sweet and peaceful dreams.
Until next time,
Goodnight my friend,
Goodnight.
