Fall asleep within minutes tonight,
As your body relaxes,
Your nervous system settles and the night holds you without condition.
However you've arrived at this moment,
You're most welcome here.
This journey will meet you,
Your thoughts and all your feelings and sensations exactly where you are.
All will be tended to and soothed.
My name is Jason Stevenson and it's an honor to guide you through this meditation.
Thank you for being here.
Before we begin.
Take a moment to make any adjustments to your body.
That may feel supportive of sleep.
Give yourself permission to gently stretch if you need to.
And then go ahead and settle back into stillness.
As you move through this practice.
Know that there's nothing you need to force or make happen.
Sleep is already on its way.
Simply allow my voice to help you receive it.
Begin now by drawing your attention to the soles of your feet.
And really giving your feet full permission to let go.
Feel the way they deeply relax down into the surface beneath them.
Knowing there's nowhere they need to go tonight.
Then sense into your ankles.
Taking a moment to honour the ways that these joints support you.
And invite them too to let go.
There's nothing they need to hold up.
Sense into your lower legs now.
Into the shins at the front.
And the calf muscles in the back.
Feel the way they're supported by what's beneath them.
Perhaps beginning to imagine that they're sinking down into a thick and soft cotton hammock.
For a full mindful breath.
Sense into your knees.
Maybe offering them a word of gratitude or inviting them to relax.
And then sensing into your thighs.
Into the front of these muscles.
And into their backs.
Imagine any tension or tightness that's held in your thighs now dissolving.
Sinking down into the earth below.
Then sense into both of your hips,
Inviting any tension there to gently unravel.
Not with force or pressure,
But with ease and care.
And as you sense into these joints.
You may or may not.
Become aware of certain emotions.
It's often said that our hips store stress and emotional tension,
So unconsciously some of that might rise to the surface when you bring your attention there.
If that's the case for you.
Or if difficult emotions arise at any time during this practice.
See if you can observe these feelings from a gentle distance.
It's not about disconnecting from our feelings.
It's about stepping compassionately and wisely back.
So they don't take us over.
So through the lens of a wise observer.
Gently notice any emotions that might surface now.
Let them know you see them and that you hold them with care.
Then let them flow out of your body with a gentle sigh.
Reconnecting to that quiet place inside of you.
Take a slow,
Steady breath as if breathing from your hips.
All the way down to your toes.
Inviting your legs to relax deeply and completely.
Now let your attention settle in your pelvis and belly.
As you breathe.
See if you can let your breath expand these areas gently.
You don't have to force your breath to be deep.
Just see if you can soften these areas to let them gently rise and fall with ease.
Sense into your waist?
Into the front.
The sides.
And the back.
And imagine these areas letting go completely.
Melting into the gentle embrace of a hammock.
On a warm summer night.
And allow this sense of release to expand up into your ribs.
Into your heart and lungs.
Into the front of your chest.
The sides of your chest expanding.
And your whole back.
Feel the breath reaching out to soothe each of these places.
Surrendering any tension as you exhale.
And as you breathe into your heart and chest.
Imagine your lungs filling with the restorative air of the sea.
A fragrance of salt and sand with floral undertones.
Feel it nourish you as you breathe in.
Cleansing you as you breathe out.
And let your awareness trail across your collarbones.
And settle for a couple of breaths in your shoulders.
With your next exhale.
Really allow your shoulders to let go.
Let them sink into the support of the hammock beneath you.
Then guide a gentle wave of release through your arms.
Relaxing your upper arms?
Softening your elbows.
Dissolving any tension in your lower arms.
Nourishing your wrists and freeing your hands.
Your fingers softening.
Your palms letting go.
As your hands completely release anything they've been holding onto.
Take a slow,
Clearing breath.
As if you could breathe from your shoulders down to your fingertips.
Invite your arms to let go.
Deeply.
Fully.
Completely.
Slowly let your awareness rise up your arms.
Travelling across your collarbones.
Up the sides of your neck.
Guiding these muscles to melt.
And into your jaw.
Feel the way your jaw naturally softens as you draw gentle attention there then allow this relaxed awareness to spread through your whole face.
Your cheeks and temples soften.
Your brow and forehead find ease.
And your whole head,
Front to back.
Side to side.
And also what's within.
Surrender deeply.
As your mind lets go.
A soft golden glow begins to fill your headspace.
It is warm and grounding.
Safe and comforting.
Take a few breaths here to let it expand.
Maybe it fills your whole body.
Imagine that your consciousness is being transported through this shimmering golden light.
That it's guiding you to a place where deeper layers of rest await you.
And with your next breath.
You reach the other side.
Where a tranquil seaside landscape at sunset unfolds all around you.
This is where your hammock rests.
Securely fastened.
Not too thick.
Deeply rooted palm trees.
A light blanket is draped over your body.
And a pillow rests beneath your head for comfort.
And all around you.
Details of this serene beachside sanctuary.
Become clear.
First,
There is the sky.
Painted in soft hues of amber,
Rose and violet as the sun slowly melts into the horizon.
Gentle waves roll in and out of the shoreline.
In a steady,
Soothing rhythm that mirrors the flow of your breath.
And the water's surface glistens as if golden confetti.
Was scattered upon it.
The warm sea breeze brushes against your skin and rustles the palm leaves overhead.
And the distant call of seabirds floats with grace through the open evening sky.
Take a few breaths to let yourself melt into this sanctuary.
And know that you can surrender to sleep at any time.
As the hammock and your seaside surroundings cocoon you.
Notice where your mind is.
As it drifted off into storytelling.
Is it calm and clear?
Or tense and scattered.
Whatever is happening in your mind.
Remember that you can step back to observe your thoughts from a distance.
You don't have to push your thoughts away.
Nor do you have to cling on to them.
Thoughts are like waves.
They come.
And they go.
And instead of trying to control them,
We can simply step back and let them flow.
And if any thoughts are particularly sticky.
Or if they feel heavy or anxious.
Be sure to offer them compassion.
Let them know you see them.
That you hear them and care for them.
But that they have your support and permission to soften.
To flow back out into the ocean.
Continue to breathe gently and mindfully.
As you drift off to sleep by the sea.
Each inhale soothes and nourishes you.
And each exhale reminds you to surrender.
To soften through your body.
To let go through your mind.
You might let your mind wander out to the sparkling sea.
And to the amber rose sky around you.
The sun appears now as a half moon.
With its other half hidden behind the horizon.
Notice how it invites you to melt.
To soften.
To surrender.
As always,
Not with force.
But with allowance.
It's not about making sleep happen.
It's about softening enough to receive it.
Feel the way the sea breeze flows into and out of your chest.
And allow it to nurture anything in your heart.
That needs some care.
With your next inhale.
You might sense your heart filling with self-compassion.
And the exhale releasing self-judgement.
With another breath.
You might feel your heart fill with compassion for others.
And the exhale releasing resentment.
Whatever your heart might need.
May that be forgiveness.
Courage.
Joy or gratitude.
Welcome it into your body as you breathe in.
Letting go of what needs to be let go as you breathe out.
You might imagine your heart filling with rose-colored light from the setting sun.
And maybe radiating out.
To fill your whole chest.
Feel the warmth of this light.
And the way it embodies the love and care of the universe.
Let your breath flow naturally as your attention returns to the seaside world around you.
The sun has disappeared completely and the sky slowly grows darker.
Allow dusk to cloak you.
Guiding you naturally towards sleep.
As the sea breeze continues to soothe.
And cleanse your inner world.
With each and every breath.
The waves continue to ebb and flow against the shore.
Moving steadily and with total tranquility.
Not in a rush to get anywhere or to accomplish anything.
They're just moving in accordance with nature.
And notice again.
How this slow,
Gentle flow is mirrored in your breath.
As each wave rolls onto the beach.
The breath enters your body.
And as the wave rolls out to sea,
So too the breath flows out of you.
You might also notice that your hammock rocks gently.
To the same slow,
Steady rhythm of your breath and the sea.
Your attention hones in on the smell of the breeze.
Soul.
Minerals and jasmine.
Into your body with each breath.
In fact.
The node of Jasmine only grows stronger.
A flower designed to attract evening pollinators.
Now deepen your awareness of the way this refreshing,
Grounding floral aroma infuses your body.
Welcome it into your headspace.
Soothing and softening your forehead.
Feel it warm and soften your heart.
Than extending across your shoulders.
And flowing gently down your arms.
Guide these natural aromas deep into your belly.
Which expands and softens naturally.
And welcome it to flow all the way down to your toes.
Another invitation for your legs to surrender deeply.
As this restorative fragrance relaxes your physical body.
It softens and soothes your nervous system.
Your body and your mind,
Understand that they are safe here.
That it's safe to unclench.
That it's safe to slow right down.
That it's safe to surrender to sleep.
You might now imagine yourself bringing a hand to your heart.
And as night continues to fall.
Silently repeating.
May I rest now.
May I rest.
Deeply and completely.
Without even realizing it.
The sky has transformed completely.
Amber,
Rose,
And violet light.
Has faded into midnight blue and indigo.
And at the same time.
Countless sparkling stars.
Bright as diamonds.
Have appeared in the cosmos.
A crescent moon has risen too.
Adding beauty and enchantment.
To this calm and quiet night.
Your gaze drifts from star to star.
From one constellation to the next.
May be moving from here into the embrace of sleep.
Or you might spend a little longer with these shimmering celestial bodies.
Tracing invisible lines between them.
As this cosmic dome of infinite space shelters you.
You suddenly gain a deep embodied sense of how unconditionally supported you are.
The universe is holding.
Loving.
And watching over you without condition.
Always has.
And always will.
Allow this awareness to permeate.
Every fiber of your being.
As you surrender completely.
Surrendering through your body.
Surrendering in your heart.
And surrendering your mind.
As you inch closer and closer to sleep.
Feel the support of the hammock beneath you.
And sense into the steady support of the beach and earth beneath that.
Allow your body to melt in the direction of gravity's pull.
Letting go.
Letting go.
Letting go.
Despite it being quite enchanting.
To imagine the beauty of this beach and the starlit sky.
It is nearly time to let the imagery dissolve.
So that you can drift off to sleep if you haven't already.
But you might like to take just a few more moments.
To savour the sights around you.
Noticing the darkened silhouette of palm trees.
Gazing down the quiet,
Tranquil shoreline.
Eyes drifting across the open water which now glistens with serene silver light.
And one last time.
Tracing the space between the stars.
Moving quietly.
With gratitude and wonder.
From one to the next.
The movement of your gaze slows down.
Lingering on the space between the stars.
And as it does.
The space in your mind grows.
A spaciousness that effortlessly without you even realizing it.
Transitions into sleep.
If it hasn't already.
You allow the imagery to slowly dissolve.
While still sensing the support of the hammock beneath you.
You might also sense the silver light of the stars.
And crescent moon cloaking your body like a soft blanket.
Take a slow,
Steady breath in.
And a full cleansing release.
Another slow,
Smooth breath in.
And letting go.
With a gentle sigh.
Your body is relaxed.
Your mind is calm.
And your nervous system feels safe and grounded.
If thoughts arise.
Quietly watch as they come.
Then you gently allow them to go.
Not pushing them away.
Simply softening.
Here in this moment.
There's nothing for you to do.
Nothing to fix.
Achieve or accomplish.
Sleep is on its way.
And you're ready to receive it.
Now one last time for tonight.
You remind your body that it's time to surrender.
Beginning by drawing your attention.
To the crown of your head.
And whispering.
It's time to let go.
It is time to restore through sleep.
You might imagine the moon's subtle light.
Passing through your closed eyelids.
Expanding through your headspace.
Dissolving any lingering rumination.
And guiding your consciousness to shift into sleep.
Your temples relax.
Your cheeks softened.
Your mouth and jaw unclench.
Releasing a soft sigh as they do.
Really allow your head to savour the feeling of the pillow supporting it.
To melt in the direction of the Earth.
Your whole head is deeply and completely relaxed.
And your attention shifts into your neck and shoulders.
Give these muscles full permission to release anything.
That lingers upon them.
There is nothing they need to carry into sleep.
Naturally as your shoulders relax.
So do your arms.
Inch by inch.
Your awareness travels through your upper arms.
Through your elbows and forearms.
Through your wrists and into your hands.
Becoming even more deeply,
Deeply relaxed.
And as you land in your hands.
You might even imagine your palms.
Gently opening.
As if to let go and to receive the deep rest awaiting you.
From shoulders to fingertips.
Your arms sink into the cocoon of the surface beneath them.
Take a few breaths now into your heart centre.
Feeling the rhythmic wave of each breath moving into and out of this place.
Your heart widens on the in-breath.
And relaxes on the out-breath.
It is full all the way to its outer reaches with peace.
Ease.
And universal love.
Feel this ease and well-being extend out to your back body.
Out to the sides of your chest.
And into your ribs.
And flowing slowly down your spine.
As your awareness travels down this central corridor of your body.
It anchors you.
Soothing your nervous system.
The peace that lives within you is reaffirmed again and again.
Settle into your breath as it expands and relaxes your stomach.
Feel that natural rise of the inhale.
And the effortless surrender of the exhaled.
Relaxation extends down into your tailbone.
Out your hips.
And fills your entire pelvis area.
Your entire torso is deeply.
Completely relaxed.
Then observe the way your legs surrender one last time.
Thighs sinking deeper.
Knees relaxing gently.
Calves softening with care.
And all the way down through your ankles and into your feet.
You let go.
Further and further.
And further.
From hips to toes.
Your legs surrender fully.
Every layer of your being.
Physical Mentor.
Emotional and spiritual.
Is soft and scented.
Resting and restored.
And even without realizing it.
You will soon drift naturally into a deep sleep.
Solid Slumber.
There's nothing you need to do to get there.
It's already on its way.
And all you're invited to do now is to stay close to whatever feels grounding for you be that the rhythm of your breath.
The feeling of the pillow beneath your head.
The lingering of the salt-infused floral sea breeze.
Or something else entirely.
Your mind may drift.
And that's okay.
Let your thoughts move like calm,
Rhythmic waves.
Simply return again.
And again.
To whatever reminds you of your inner peace.
And very soon.
You'll be drifting through sleep.
Until next time.
Good night,
My friend.
Good night.
