Tonight,
Drift back to sleep in no time.
Warm beneath a tapestry of shimmering constellations,
Cradled by wise and ancient trees.
My name is Jason Stevenson,
And no matter what might be keeping you awake tonight,
This journey will soothe both your body and your mind,
And help you get the deep rest you seek.
Before we begin,
Take a moment to stretch out your body,
Squeezing out any physical tension you might be holding,
And then find a comfortable position,
Allowing your body to resettle into the bed beneath you.
Take a slow,
Deep inhale,
Exhaling with a soft sigh to anchor yourself.
We will soon take a visual journey to a starlit sanctuary,
Where you will connect with the cosmos to gain insight and release worry.
But before we travel there,
Let's take a few moments to tend to the physical body,
To soften any subtle or obvious tension that you might be holding within it.
Begin by drawing your attention to the soles of your feet,
Just taking a moment to sense these parts of your body,
And then imagine that you can send a deep,
Loving breath all the way down to your feet,
Filling them completely,
And with your next out breath,
Invite any tension that's held there,
Whether known or unnoticed,
To melt away.
Allow your feet to surrender any and all tension,
And from your feet,
Call your awareness into the calves,
Sensing into these muscles with care and curiosity.
On your next inhale,
Imagine filling your calves with a tender,
Loving breath,
And as you exhale,
Invite any tension they hold to melt into the surface beneath them,
Encouraging your lower legs to relax completely.
Now guide your awareness up through your knees and into your quads and your hamstrings,
And grant these parts of your body your full,
Devoted attention.
And in the same way as before,
Send a deep,
Loving breath into all the muscles of your upper legs,
And surrendering any tightness or tension as you exhale.
For just a few breath cycles,
Breathe into your whole legs,
Filling them with care,
With kindness and gratitude,
And deepening the release as you exhale.
Now guide your attention to the base of your spine,
And then expand your awareness to encompass your entire pelvis area.
Now invite a slow,
Nurturing breath down into your pelvis,
Filling the space between and around your hips,
And as you exhale,
Just welcome a gentle release.
Now soften further and further with another complete breath,
And become aware of your belly as you breathe,
Feeling it expand as you inhale,
And soften as you exhale.
Now allow your breath to dissolve any tension in or around your belly,
Surrendering that tension to the earth below you,
And become aware of your back,
Slowly scanning the muscles of your lower back,
Your mid back,
And your upper back,
And as you sense into these muscles,
Breathe into them,
Imagine as if your breath were a wave rolling across your whole back,
And as you exhale,
Imagine that wave gently washing away any tension or tightness.
Take one more cleansing breath into your back area,
And now guide your attention to your heart,
Your lungs,
And your entire chest,
And as you hold your attention upon these places,
Breathe into them,
Invite these areas to gently expand as you inhale,
And to soften as you exhale.
Now take a few slow,
Loving breaths into your entire torso,
Filling with fresh,
Restorative energy.
And exhaling to surrender even more.
Now imagine that this embodiment of relaxation flows along your shoulders,
Melting any tension or weight they've been holding.
Give your shoulders permission to let go,
To become free of what they do not need to carry,
And then follow this natural movement of relaxation as it moves into your upper arms.
As you inhale,
Imagine that you are filling the muscles of your upper arms,
With loving,
Soothing energy.
And on your exhale,
Releasing any tension,
Whether known or unnoticed.
And repeat in the same way with your lower arms,
Nurturing as you inhale,
And surrendering as you exhale.
And then become aware of your hands,
Sensing into all parts of them as you breathe in,
Releasing any grip from your fingers as you breathe out.
And take a couple of slow breaths down both of your arms,
Inviting a deeper surrender as you exhale.
Your arms are deeply,
Deeply relaxed.
Now slowly travel back up your arms,
And along the sides of your neck,
And exhale as you imagine a softening through the muscles in your neck.
And complete the journey through your body,
As you move your awareness across all the muscles in your face and head,
Inviting them to relax with each and every exhale.
And your jaw relaxes,
Your tongue drops away from the roof of your mouth,
And all the muscles in your forehead and around your eyes gently surrender,
Releasing any tension they've been storing.
Take a long,
Slow breath in,
Relaxing your entire face and head as you exhale.
Your entire body is deeply,
Deeply relaxed,
Inching closer towards the sleep that you seek.
And while you can drift off at any time,
Follow my voice until sleep comes,
As I guide you to a serene,
Starlit sanctuary where inner clarity and mental freedom will be available to you.
You can begin this journey by drawing your attention to your inner eye,
And upon that blank,
Infinite canvas,
Imagine that a pathway made of rich,
Fertile soil presents itself.
Lining the path are ancient ferns,
Whimsical wildflowers,
And quiet,
Towering trees.
And surrounding the path is a deep blue,
Sapphire sky,
Aglow with beaming constellations.
Take a long,
Slow breath as you paint this pathway in your mind's eye,
And as I count you up from one to ten,
Travel along it.
It will guide you to a place of wisdom and serenity,
Where deep rest and relaxation can be found.
So,
One,
Sensing your feet on the path,
Noticing what it feels like against your feet,
And your soles.
Two,
Moving mindfully along it,
The top of your head reaching for the cosmos,
Shoulders dropping towards the fertile earth below.
Three,
Your heart expands to meet the magic before you.
Four,
Your mind quiets,
Attuning to the serenity of the starlit cosmos.
Five,
You move with grace,
Mindfulness and ease.
Six,
Breathing slowly and steadily,
Relaxing further and further with each exhale.
Seven,
Becoming aware of what this place smells like,
A fresh,
Earthy fragrance,
With a floral note that dances through the gentle breeze.
Eight,
Catching sight of a full moon high in the evening sky.
Nine,
And two tall,
Ancient trees just up ahead.
And finally,
Ten,
You arrive at your inner starlit sanctuary,
Next to a calm and quiet lake,
Where a hammock swings between those two towering trees.
Take a moment to mentally arrive in this enchanted place,
Grounding your feet into the fertile earth below,
As the top of your head stretches towards the constellations above.
And as you anchor yourself here,
Allow all of your senses to come alive,
And marvel at the smells,
The sounds,
The sights and felt scents of this landscape.
This place has appeared in your mind's eye to help you uncover guidance and clarity around anything that might be unsettling your mind,
And to help you release any worries as you connect with the stars above.
Before these possibilities are made known to you,
Take a moment to deepen your connection to this lakeside haven.
Mindful step,
By mindful step,
You journey towards the two majestic trees,
And the hammock that sways gently between them.
Expansive branches stretch across the sapphire night sky.
And as you arrive there,
Your hands instinctively reach out,
Meeting the trunk of one of these ancient trees.
Your palms press softly against its rugged,
Ancient bark,
And a deep sense of grounding begins to permeate your whole being.
It's as if the tree's wisdom and rootedness were flowing through your hands,
Quietening your mind,
And calming your body.
Take a couple of slow,
Steady breaths.
And as you inhale,
Imagine that you absorb the tree's strength.
Centredness and wisdom.
And as you exhale,
Your heart and mind become more receptive to the insights and inner freedom that stand before you.
Your inner vibration is attuning to that of the trees.
Calm,
Steady,
Resilient.
After your next full exhale,
Envision yourself coming to rest in the hammock,
Overlooking the quiet,
Moonlit lake.
The hammock is made of thick,
Organic cotton,
Supportive and secure.
And see now that your whole body is warmly and comfortably embraced by this hammock,
Perhaps even noticing a pillow beneath your head,
And a warm blanket draped across your body.
And as you settle in,
You gaze out at the lake and the perfect full moon mirrored upon it.
The outer world is quiet,
Calm and serene.
And your inner world is beginning to reflect that.
And now your gaze lifts to the miraculous cosmic canvas above you,
To that vast dome of sparkling constellations,
Beaming moonlight,
And the midnight blue sky that pervades it all.
Take a long,
Slow breath,
Filling your body with the fresh,
Crisp air of the cosmos,
And exhaling the sigh to soften.
And then allow your awareness to dance amongst the stars,
Tracing lines from one star to the next,
And drawing your very own constellations upon the canvas of your mind.
As you do this,
You might notice the stars beginning to form patterns that hold special significance to you,
Symbols,
Words,
Or shapes that reflect a deep inner knowing.
Or wise self-guidance.
For example,
You might notice that the stars spell out the word love,
Or peace,
Or trust.
Or perhaps they take the shape of a tree,
Or a dove,
Or a wise and ancient figure.
Simply observe and see what unfolds,
Allow symbols,
Words,
Or shapes to reveal themselves in their due time.
Continue to breathe gently as you watch the constellations taking shape.
And as your breath moves with grace and ease,
Practice patience for what's unfolding.
You might actually find the shapes or words now appearing in the night sky are actually answering deep questions you've been holding within you,
Perhaps questions you didn't even know you had.
And if there's a specific question you'd like to ask of the cosmos,
You can ask it now.
Or you can simply ask it the following,
What do I need to know or consider to calm my mind?
Remain quiet as you observe what comes through.
You will recognize true messages from the universe by their wise and compassionate nature.
And if any thoughts arise that do not embody those qualities,
Release them to the surrounding air as they are not here to serve you.
If you're finding it hard to see patterns in the night sky,
Consider that your message might come as a whisper,
As a sound,
Or even as a deep feeling.
And honor your own unique way of hearing the universe speak.
Regardless of the way your insights come through,
The cosmos is guiding you.
Open your heart and mind even wider to embrace its gentle reassurance,
Clarity,
And insight.
Allow the wise and benevolent energy of the universe to further settle your mind.
Allow any shapes or words that have formed in the sky to gently dissolve,
Knowing that even when we can't see them,
Their forms and energy are always there.
And as these images and words dissipate,
Let your awareness expand to simply marvel at the beauty of that twinkling sapphire expanse and the lakeside sanctuary you rest within right now.
Take a couple of slow,
Steady breaths as you deepen your attunement to the vibration of this place.
And as you breathe,
Filled with the fresh,
Vital life force of the universe,
Give yourself full permission to release any residual worries to the stars above.
With each exhale,
Surrender any stress or anxiety that's still present for you.
Imagine leaving your body as an ethereal white cloud,
And then envision it swirling up and through the night sky.
Imagine these worries traveling higher and higher towards the luminous stars themselves.
And imagine that these stars absorb your worries,
Filling them with light and love and reassurance,
Dissolving their entanglements and freeing your mind.
Continue to breathe slowly and mindfully as you witness this process occurring as many times as it's needed.
Again,
You can simply allow each worry to leave your body through your breath,
Spiraling into the air as an ethereal white cloud.
And as that worry reaches the stars,
It is absorbed,
Transformed,
And dissolved,
Leaving you lighter and freer than before.
The stars shine brighter as they take on what does not serve you,
Beaming by the opportunity to help you experience lightness and relief.
So spend a few more moments allowing this process to unfold.
And whenever you feel there are no more worries to release,
Simply bathe beneath the twilight glow of this enchanted cosmos.
Your mind grows quieter and quieter as you rest deeper and deeper into pure being.
And as your inner world becomes increasingly serene,
You drift closer and closer to sleep.
As your consciousness drifts towards slumber,
You feel a deep connection to the universe.
Here beneath the deep blue midnight sky,
Cloaked by the light of the full moon and these healing stars,
You recognize that you are one with everything.
This sense of oneness enhances your experience of inner peace as you feel seen,
Supported,
And nurtured by the cosmos.
Take a few slow,
Steady breaths,
Feeling this sense of trust,
Support,
And connection expanding throughout your heart and soul with each breath cycle.
Now you become aware once again of the tree's wide,
Whimsical branches stretched across the sky overhead.
They sway gently in the soft evening breeze.
Allow your attention to dance through and along these branches,
Inching towards one of the tree's steady trunks.
Trace that tree trunk all the way down into the earth beneath you,
Sensing into the roots that are unseen.
As you visualize these wise and ancient trees,
Becoming aware of their strong and steady root systems,
You reconnect with a deep sense of being grounded and centered.
Just like these trees,
You are anchored,
Wise,
And resilient.
And now become aware of the hammock you rest in,
Allowing your body to surrender more deeply into it.
And to support your surrender back to sleep,
Draw your attention to the top of your head as your eyes close to the imagery of the lake,
The sky,
And the stars.
And through your closed eyelids,
You perceive a soft,
Silver glow of the moon,
Which calms and quiets your headspace.
Feel it gently soothing the crown of your head,
Dissolving any tension that lingers throughout your forehead.
All the small muscles around your eyes begin to relax as this silver light fills your whole face.
Your jaw relaxes.
Your tongue relaxes.
And then welcome the light of the moon to slowly descend through your body,
Calming and restoring every part that it passes.
And allow it to massage and release any tension from your shoulders.
And to encourage relaxation through your arms or your hands.
As you breathe,
Imagine this moonlight filling your chest,
Soothing your lungs,
Your heart,
And the space around your lungs and your heart.
And then guide the moonlight down your spine,
Imagining that it gently pulsates,
Expanding to your outer limits as it descends.
Visualize this ethereal silver glow filling your whole belly,
Softening your breath as you breathe.
And now bathing your entire pelvis,
Calming and restoring every cell and every muscle that it moves through.
And finally,
Allow the light of the moon to complete its journey through your body,
Watching it as it flows down your legs all the way down to the soles of your feet.
With each passing breath,
It softens and soothes your whole body.
Nudging you closer and closer to sleep.
For just a few more breaths,
Witness your whole body bathed in the cosmic light of the full moon.
Notice how it pervades every layer of your existence,
Your mind,
Your body,
And your spirit.
Attuning your personal energy field to the magic and serenity of the universe.
And allow this shimmering silver light to melt away any residual worry,
Discomfort,
Or stress.
Surrender it all,
Deeply and completely.
Savor this inner glow for just one more mindful moment.
And then gently allow the light to fade as I count you back down from ten to one,
Knowing that you can return to this place at a later time if you wish.
But for now,
Ten,
Expressing a silent word of gratitude for the gifts of this starlit sanctuary.
Nine,
Feeling the rooted support of the wise and ancient trees.
Eight,
The guidance of the shimmering constellations.
Seven,
Taking a long,
Slow breath in.
Six,
Releasing with a soft and cleansing breath.
Five,
Giving yourself full permission now to drift back to sleep at any time.
Four,
Releasing any lingering imagery of that enchanted inner landscape.
As three,
You become aware once again of the pillow beneath your head.
Two,
Surrendering more and more,
Letting go deeper with each and every breath.
As one,
You arrive back in the space that now holds you,
Back in your warm and comfortable bed.
And as you gently and effortlessly drift back to sleep,
Know that you are eternally supported by the cosmos and by the constellations within you.
You can reconnect with them at any time,
Seeking both guidance and support with letting go.
But for now,
There is nothing more to do but rest,
Allow your breath to rock you gently to sleep.
And until next time,
Goodnight my friend,
Goodnight.
