Fall asleep swiftly tonight,
As a river of liquid moonlight carries you gently away from all worries and ruminations,
Whether you've just tucked yourself in or have woken in the night and can't get back to sleep,
This is your space to release the mind's noise and drift off peacefully.
My name is Jason Stevenson and it's a pleasure to guide you on this restorative,
Celestial journey.
There's nothing you need to strive for in this practice,
Simply let my words carry you.
Breath by breath,
Deep rest will flow through your body,
Mind and heart,
Guiding you into a serene state of sweet,
Solid sleep.
As you settle in now,
Feeling into your whole body,
Head to toe,
Supported by your mattress and pillow,
Take a slow,
Expansive breath in and a smooth,
Steady breath out,
Another slow,
Nourishing breath in,
Releasing with a gentle sigh.
Continue to breathe naturally as each exhale helps you to surrender the day behind you,
As each full cycle helps you to land in the present,
And as you arrive in the slow flow of this practice,
Draw your attention now to the soles of your feet,
Just noticing what's present there,
Offer your feet a silent whisper of gratitude,
And with your next out breath,
Invite them to surrender,
All tension and all striving melts away,
Leaving them weightless and relaxed.
As your feet relax,
Your attention rises into your ankles,
And sensing into these joints with care and curiosity,
And as you exhale,
Invite them to let go,
Give them full permission to rest.
Become aware of your lower legs,
Sensing into your calf muscles and shin bones,
And imagine them sinking a little bit deeper into the support of the mattress holding them.
So,
Repeat this same process of noticing and softening as you sense into your knees,
Into your thighs,
Your quads and your hamstrings,
And into your hips,
And as you arrive at your hips,
Offer these joints your gentle,
Compassionate presence,
Fill them with a slow,
Loving in-breath,
And encouraging them to melt on the out-breath.
So,
From both of your hips to the soles of your feet,
Surrender with a slow,
Intentional exhale,
Feeling your legs grow lighter and lighter.
If your mind wanders as we continue this gentle body scan,
Let the thoughts flow as freely as a quiet stream,
You don't need to fix or analyze your thoughts,
Nor avoid them,
Simply acknowledge their presence and let them on their way,
Let them come and go as effortlessly as your breath flows.
So,
Owning your attention back on your body now,
Feel the ease and spaciousness that flows through both of your legs,
Then guide your awareness into your pelvis and belly,
Which expand and soften naturally,
Alongside each steady breath.
Focus your awareness on your tailbone,
Inviting it to sink a little deeper into the mattress,
Then breath by breath,
Your attention flows up your spine,
Vertebra by vertebra,
Give your nervous system permission to rest now,
There's nothing it needs to fight nor flee,
Now is the time to surrender,
To rediscover the peaceful place inside of you,
And gradually you arrive at your heart space,
Feeling the way the breath flows through here,
Your heart and chest are nourished by each inhale,
And they surrender a little more with each exhale,
Now take a few slow,
Nutritive breaths here,
Heart softening and opening,
Now notice what's present in your upper back and around your shoulder blades,
And in your shoulders themselves,
Invite any tension or heaviness to melt away from these areas,
Using your exhales to guide letting go,
Like a slow moving moonlit stream,
Your relaxed awareness flows down your arms,
From shoulders to fingertips,
Your upper arms relax gently,
Your elbows are soothed and restored,
Your forearms and wrists soften as well,
And as your awareness arrives in your hands,
They naturally release anything they've been gripping too tightly,
Your hands soften completely,
And as they do,
So does your thinking mind,
And you move back up that moonlit stream,
Encouraging your shoulders to relax a little more as you arrive there,
Then you sense into your neck,
Noticing whatever sensations may or may not be held there,
And nourishing your neck with a slow cleansing breath,
And inch by inch,
Your awareness travels through your face,
Witnessing and releasing any tension you may come across,
Your jaw unclenches,
Your tongue relaxes,
And softness spreads across your cheeks and eyebrows,
Smoothing out all the small muscles in your forehead,
And imagine your entire head filling now with a shimmering silver light presence,
Seemingly made of stardust,
It dissolves any remaining physical tension in your headspace,
And quiets all distracted or racing thoughts,
Breathe slowly and steadily here,
Each exhale a reminder to soften,
Each exhale an invitation to let go,
And now take a moment to sense into your whole body,
Imagining that this ethereal silver light stretches through every cell,
Bone and fiber of your being,
And as it encompasses the entirety of you,
It dissolves any residual weight or knots of tension,
Your physical body grows lighter and lighter,
Serene and luminous,
And the light that fills your body is something like a portal,
A bridge between this physical reality and a calm celestial space within you,
So imagine your consciousness drifting now,
Away from the day behind you,
Heart and mind expanding to meet the deep rest up ahead,
Slowly now the silver light thins like mist,
As you step into a quiet,
Moonlit valley beneath a velvety blue starry sky,
Emerald grass covers the rolling land which glistens beneath the silver light of the cosmos,
And in the center of the valley,
A calm river made of soft moonlight winds through the open landscape,
Take a moment to let this imagery unfold as you anchor your bare souls into the solid,
Grounding earth,
Notice how soft and warm the grass is,
And how steadily you're held here,
And then take a long,
Slow breath,
Inhaling up through invisible,
Nutritive roots,
Exhaling to surrender to the earth's unconditional support,
And the river is wide and shallow,
Only a few feet deep,
As you observe it now,
You marvel at its celestial luminosity,
Its surface shimmers as if brushed with silver light from above,
But it also glows from within,
Each drop of water is imbued with moonlight itself,
You watch how the river bends gently throughout the landscape,
It graces the earth with a dreamlike energy that is loving,
Comforting and deeply restorative,
Slowly and gently you approach the river,
Kneeling next to it so you can dip your fingers into the slow-moving current,
The water feels like silk,
Smooth and serene,
Wrapping your hands in warmth and luminosity,
Take a few breaths to imagine this warmth traveling all the way through your body,
Reminding every muscle to relax,
Any stubborn knots of tension melt into the riverbed beneath you,
Now,
Just next to where you rest at the water's edge,
You discover a wooden raft,
Its surface is broad and sturdy,
Made of smooth cedar planks,
You understand intuitively that this is where you are meant to rest,
This is where you are meant to surrender while the slow river's flow gently carries you,
You notice a thick rope tethering the raft to the riverbank,
And in the center of the raft itself are comfortable cushions and a soft blanket,
When you are ready,
You climb in,
Letting your body rest completely,
Head melting into the comfort of a supportive pillow,
Feel the moonlight that pervades the world all around you,
That shines down from the full moon in the sky and that emanates from the water itself,
You gently untie the large rope that tethers the raft to land,
Then let your body rest deeply,
Pulling the blanket up over your body,
The raft begins its journey now,
Carrying you slowly and securely along the river as it weaves through the land,
Notice where your mind is as you float effortlessly,
Are you ruminating about the day behind you,
Or planning the day ahead,
Are you trying to control things you can't take action on right now,
Or anticipating events that may or may not happen,
It's in the mind's very nature to wander and ruminate,
There's nothing strange or unusual about it,
Yet in our modern lives,
Our minds tend to be on overdrive,
And when it comes time to rest,
We have trouble slowing down our thoughts,
So take a moment to attune yourself to the river's flow,
Inviting your mind to mirror its slow steady movement,
The river is not rushing to get anywhere,
It's not holding on to where it's been,
Or racing to get to the next bend,
It embodies presence and serenity,
And you can too,
The mind naturally slows and quiets when we anchor in our senses,
So allow yourself to notice what this realm looks like,
What it smells and sounds like,
What it feels like,
And maybe even what it tastes like,
Notice the luminous silver aura that seems to pervade everything here,
And the deep blue sky aglow with thousands and thousands of diamond like stars,
Notice the fresh air that flows through your lungs,
Carrying traces of lavender,
Chamomile and damp soil,
And deepen your felt sense of the cedar raft beneath your body,
And the cushion and blanket supporting you here,
Then open your ears a little wider to the celestial lullaby that flows through your awareness,
And allow it to help you drift freely into deepening layers of serenity and surrender,
You might even imagine that you can taste this serene,
Peaceful place,
Maybe a touch of nectar from nearby blossoms,
Or replenishing miracles from the land's fresh water,
And continue to just let yourself be carried here,
There's nothing you need to do but rest,
As the subtle current moves the raft along,
You leave behind anything that does not serve you,
Any worries,
Troubles or tension,
You're not pushing them away or forcing them to disappear,
As you are carried they are naturally left behind you,
So as you float,
Notice if there's anything you're clinging on to,
Anything you can intentionally yet effortlessly let go of,
Even if just for tonight,
If your mind resists,
You can let it know that tomorrow is a new day when you can plan,
Analyse and act,
But for now,
You're committed to resting,
Release any resistance to this natural flow and invitation to surrender,
Noticing how much more peaceful it is just to let yourself be carried,
And again,
You might gently guide your awareness through your body,
From the soles of your feet to the crown of your head,
Reminding every muscle to let go,
Because as you relax the body,
The mind naturally relaxes as well,
A mutual dance of letting go,
Sense into the natural rhythm of your breath as you float,
Noticing with each inhale nourishes you deeply,
And each exhale helps you to soften,
Nourished as you breathe in,
Softening as you breathe out,
You don't have to breathe any special way,
Just allow each cycle to flow as it wishes to,
Surrender to that innate wisdom that lives inside your breath,
It doesn't need you to control it,
And your attention drifts up to the open sky now,
In awe and wonder of the beaming stars shining down upon you,
And as you sense into their quiet presence,
You feel as if they're watching over you,
Thousands and thousands of guardians in the sky,
Loving,
Nurturing and protecting you,
Allow yourself to really feel how loved and supported you are,
You're not alone here,
The universe is with you,
It has your back and it's guiding you forward,
Into the peace that lives deep within,
But it's not just the stars providing company and nurturance,
It's the full moon too,
Large and luminous,
It bathes the earth and you with healing,
Restorative light,
Take a few slow,
Steady breaths into the moonlight that fills this space,
Inhale it deep into your belly,
Imagining that it radiates out to soothe every cell in your body,
And with each exhale,
Release any last worries or ruminations that don't support you here,
And let them all go so you can melt back into the peace and serenity of this flowing moment,
A deep sense of inner quietude and spaciousness is taking root in your mind,
And you're coming to realise now that you're not floating through some realm out there,
You're floating through an inner sanctuary of peace,
A river of calm that is always ready within you,
Take a few moments to melt into that,
The peace you seek is not something that needs to be given to you,
It's something that you can reclaim and come home to,
And here in this moment,
You're at home within it,
Marvel at the stars and moonlight,
And notice how vast and peaceful this space is,
Your inner world is quiet,
And the only sound that floats through the landscape is that serene melody that serves as a lullaby,
And it flows through every cell and fibre of your body,
Guiding you to surrender ever more deeply,
Breath by breath towards sleep.
Until sleep arrives,
This river will continue to carry you,
Once again,
Feel into the soft glow it emanates,
Feel the way moonlight covers your skin and blankets your whole body,
Reminding every muscle to soften,
Reminding each thought to depart as effortlessly as it arises,
Now your raft is slowing down even more,
It's approaching the end of the river,
Within one or two breaths,
It opens into a moonlit pond,
As celestial and serene as the river water,
The water is completely still,
But for the gentle ripple that surrounds your raft as it floats to its final resting place,
You might imagine your raft coming to stillness in the middle of the pond,
Or maybe tethering to the water's edge,
Whatever your final resting place feels most supportive and peaceful for you,
Imagine your raft settling there,
And as your raft comes to stillness,
So does your mind,
A quiet spaciousness fills you,
As you rest beneath the moonlight,
Your body is anchored to the steady support of the rich,
Grounding cedar,
Take three slow cleansing breaths here,
Each exhale a deep and total surrender,
There's nothing for you to do,
Nothing for you to fix or prove,
And nothing for you to seek or achieve,
The only thing that awaits is deep rest,
Rest for your mind,
Rest for your body and rest for your spirit,
So one last time,
Let your inner eye travel through all of the serene features of this peaceful inner landscape,
Notice the way the diamond like stars sparkle as they watch over you,
Notice the radiance of the full moon and the way it bathes the earth and your whole body,
Notice the rolling hills of emerald grass surrounding you,
And the sweet aroma of lavender,
Chamomile and damp soil that fills the air,
And notice how it feels in your body and mind to be here,
Both are relaxed,
Both are still,
And both are completely and totally at peace,
Offer a silent word of gratitude to the raft and the river for holding you,
Then when you're ready,
Imagine yourself closing your eyes to all the details of your surroundings,
Yet still you can feel the soft silver glow of moonlight as it seeps through your eyelids,
Imagine it spreading across your forehead,
Reaffirming the deep peace,
Ease and spaciousness that pervades you,
Then envision the light expanding to fill your whole face,
Softening your skin,
Smoothing out all the muscles around your eyes,
Mouth and jaw,
Your entire head fills with moonlight,
Connecting you to the universal peace and trust,
Welcome the moonlight as it flows down through your neck and across your shoulders now,
Helping these muscles to soften even more,
Then inch by inch it unfolds through your arms,
Guiding every cell and muscle closer to the final surrender of sleep,
As the light fills your hands,
They rest deeply and completely,
There is nothing they need to hold on to here,
Then feel the way moonlight flows into your heart and chest with each breath,
Softening and soothing this area completely,
This gentle luminosity expands out to nourish and relax your back,
Before the light flows slowly down your spine,
Comforting your nervous system,
As every cell and fibre of your nervous system are soothed,
Your mind sinks deeper into total rest,
Sleep is very close now,
Allow the light of the moon to fill your belly and your pelvis,
Offering love and ease to those places,
Before flowing gently down your legs,
Inch by inch,
All the way to the soles of your feet,
Envision your whole body bathed in this serene loving light of the moon,
It's not asking anything of you,
It's simply here to help you make that final surrender into sleep,
Take a few more breaths in the presence of this embodied light,
Then when you're ready,
You can allow that imagery to dissipate like celestial mist,
And as the light dissolves,
You sink into your breath and body,
Feel the support of the bed and pillow that hold you,
And the nourishment of each breath,
As you drift off to sleep now,
Stay close to this natural ebb and flow of life's energy,
Your breath doesn't need you to force it,
Deepen it or control it,
Instead,
You can surrender to its wire's rhythm,
Letting it carry you instead of the other way round,
May your dreams be sweet and your sleep be solid,
And until next time,
Goodnight my friend,
Goodnight
