Experience the deep rest you seek as your mind melts and your body surrenders comfortably in the safety and serenity of an inner sanctuary.
Whether you're just settling in or have woken in the night and can't get back to sleep,
This meditation is for you.
This is your moment to release the noise and weight of the world outside and to allow all layers of yourself to soften.
My name is Jason Stevenson and I warmly welcome you to travel with me now to a cozy fireside retreat where deep peace and inner quietude will be revealed.
There's nothing you need to bring with you but yourself.
You're welcome here just as you are.
As we settle into this practice,
Take a few moments to connect with your breath.
Your breath is always supporting you but we often forget to pay attention to it.
As you inhale,
Feel your body expand slowly and gently and as you exhale,
Give yourself permission to soften,
To release with a sigh and melt into the mattress below.
Expanding gently with the in-breath,
Releasing with the out-breath.
If your mind wanders now or at any point in this meditation,
You can always reconnect with your breath.
It is an anchor back to this present moment.
Now let your awareness of your breath gently fade as you sense into the soles of your feet.
Notice any sensations you might observe there and then allow your feet to grow heavy,
Surrendering to the bed below.
There's nowhere your feet need to take you tonight.
Our journey will be internal.
As your feet melt completely,
Let your awareness slowly travel up your body,
Relaxing each area that it moves through,
Inviting your ankles to soften and surrender,
Softening through the cells and muscles of your calves,
Feeling ease and release rise up through your knees and allowing your upper legs to melt,
Giving way to the mattress that holds them.
Take a slow steady inhale all the way down your left leg,
Deepening the release as you exhale and a slow steady inhale down your right leg,
Letting it go as you breathe out.
Now draw your attention to your tailbone,
Then slowly expand your awareness to encompass your entire pelvic area.
Give this area permission to soften,
Your tailbone grounding into the earth.
Now notice the way your belly expands and softens as you breathe,
Allowing your core muscles to relax.
There's nothing they need to contract around.
You are held safe and supported right here,
Right now.
Now let your awareness rise up your spine ever so slowly and gently.
Sense into your ribcage,
Feeling the way it protects your lungs and other organs,
Then sense into your heart and lungs themselves,
Chest rising and falling with each full breath cycle.
As you sense into each breath,
You might notice a soothing aroma filling your nostrils,
A blend of cinnamon,
Stewed apples and wood smoke.
Allow that subtle trace in the air to warm and soothe you,
Nourishing mind,
Body,
Heart and spirit.
Rest for a few more quiet moments here in your heart center and with each inhale,
Recognize the way each breath is comforting you.
With each exhale,
Recognizing the way it reminds you to let go.
Breath by breath,
You are softening throughout all layers of your being.
Your awareness stretches across your collarbones and slowly into the muscles of your shoulders.
Allow your shoulders to melt,
Releasing any weight they carry.
Then slowly and gently,
Guiding this relaxed awareness through your arms,
Softening through your upper arms,
Elbows naturally relaxing,
Forearms melting into the mattress and your wrists too,
Finding ease and relaxation here.
Then sense into your hands and fingers,
Inviting them to soften,
To release any grip they've been holding.
Take a slow,
Steady inhale all the way down your left arm,
Letting it sink deeper as you exhale.
And a slow,
Steady inhale down your right arm,
Inviting it to release completely with the out-breath.
Let your awareness float back up your arms and into the sides of your neck.
Take a slow,
Steady breath into your neck muscles,
Imagining as if it could gently massage any tension or tightness.
Then releasing any tension there as you exhale.
And slowly and gently,
Scan the different parts of your face,
Softening any tension you encounter.
Relaxing your jaw gently,
Softening the small muscles around your eyes and your forehead,
And imagining as if your whole head were growing heavier,
Sinking a little deeper into the support of your pillow.
Give your head and your thinking mind permission to naturally unravel here,
Breath by breath by breath.
Now that comforting smell returns to your awareness,
The subtle blend of cinnamon,
Apple and wood smoke that drifts through the atmosphere.
You follow the trail it weaves through your mind space,
Until you discover the place it originates.
There,
In your mind's eye,
A cozy farmhouse manifests around you.
Its walls are made of warm,
Unheed wood,
Glowing gently in flickering firelight,
And above you,
Heavy beams stretch across the ceiling.
The farmhouse feels solid and protective,
A safe shelter to rest deeply in.
All around the main room you stand in are earth-toned furnishings,
A burgundy couch with oatmeal-toned cushions,
A thickly woven moss green rug,
And paintings of quiet landscapes,
Fields,
Forests,
And winter skies,
Each set in walnut frames.
Dozens of candles are lit around the room,
Their flame casting gentle shadows against the walls.
And at the far side of the room,
Next to wide,
Wintry windows,
Stands a wood-burning fireplace.
Flames crackle gently,
Emitting that grounding scent of wood smoke into the atmosphere.
Take a moment to ground into your place here,
Feel the solid wood flooring,
Or maybe the moss green carpet,
Beneath your feet.
Reach your crown for the supportive beams overhead,
And let your shoulders and belly soften with your next exhale.
Feel the safety and support of having arrived in this cozy farmhouse sanctuary.
Before you nestle into the sofa by the fireplace,
You attune to the other scents that linger in the air,
The smell of cinnamon and warm apples.
You scan the room from where it might come from,
And it doesn't take long before you find a pottery mug on the kitchen counter with warm steam rising from its surface.
You pick up the mug,
Feeling its warmth radiate into your palms.
A cinnamon stick stands in the warm liquid,
And as you bring it to your nose,
You recognize this warm drink immediately,
Spiced apple cider.
You carry the mug to a place where you can rest deeply,
To the burgundy sofa overlooking the fireplace and the winter wonderland outside.
You settle into your seat here,
Taking a few moments to admire the world beyond the window.
The fields are blanketed in soft,
Untouched snow,
Stretching quietly towards the surrounding forest.
Trees stand tall along the horizon,
Both evergreens heavy with snow and deciduous trees with their bare branches.
Snow drifts lazily through the air,
And the sky is painted in soft shades of slate blue and lavender.
The sun has just set,
And the day's last light is fading slowly.
The world outside is calm and quiet.
Take a moment to let it remind you now that it's time to surrender,
That now is the time to rest and renew.
Just as day transitions to night,
Wakefulness is inching towards sleep now.
There is nothing you need to prove or accomplish here,
Nothing to be planned or fixed.
Grant yourself permission again to let yourself settle,
Body melting into the support of the cozy sofa,
Mind into the peace and tranquility of these surroundings.
Your focus shifts now to the warm glow of the fireplace.
Admire the way the flames flicker,
Swiftly and gracefully,
Absorbing the comfort it offers to your body.
And as you marvel at the fire,
You remember the warm drink in your hands.
Lift the mug to your nose again,
Inhaling the nourishing scent of the fireplace.
The scent of cinnamon and apple,
Perhaps with a hint of ginger and clove.
And when you're ready,
Allow yourself to savour a few sips.
Feel the warmth of the liquid as it travels through your throat,
And as it lands in your belly.
Sip by sip,
You surrender,
Giving yourself full permission to ground deeply here.
There's nothing you need to do,
No one you need to be,
And nothing to be held,
Controlled or achieved.
It's enough to simply savour the ease of this moment.
Take one or two more sips,
Then place your mug on the small wooden table beside the sofa.
And as you place it down,
You discover a pen and spiral-bound notebook.
Curious about what's inside,
You pick them up and slowly flip open to the first page.
There inside,
Your eyes land on words that were written just for you,
As if the universe knew you'd be coming here.
And in delicate handwriting,
You read,
This notebook is for releasing any thoughts or worries that linger.
Write on these pages whatever you wish to be free from,
Then feed them intentionally to the fire before you.
And you feel grateful for the opportunity to consciously release any remaining worry or rumination.
So in your own time,
If you become aware of anything in your mind that doesn't need to hold now,
Write it down on a sheet of paper,
Then carefully set it into the fire.
You don't need to write lengthy stories here,
As that might pull you deeper into them.
Instead,
Simply write a few words down that encapsulate everything you're ready to be free from,
Anything you can release lovingly,
Even if just for tonight.
Whatever hasn't been serving you lately,
Be that worry or fear,
Anger or jealousy,
Allow the fire to take and transform it.
You don't need to bear its weight,
Not tonight,
Not right now.
So watch as the flames turn those sheets of paper into ash and smoke,
Carried up into the crisp winter air,
Dissolving completely.
With each release,
Notice how your body softens.
Notice how different areas gently unclench,
How parts of you grow lighter.
Notice how your mind grows quieter with each sheet of paper the fire transforms.
It frees you of what doesn't need to spiral through you.
Instead,
Let these thoughts,
Worries or emotions spiral up and away into the night.
And continue until there's nothing left to offer the fire,
Until you are quiet and clear inside.
And notice that as the inner quietude grows,
So does inner peace.
You are coming back home to the truth that you are not your thoughts.
You are not defined by fear,
Worry or discomfort,
Or by any of the stories in your mind.
You are the peace that resides beneath it all,
And you can return to this truth at any time.
When you're ready,
You set the notebook and pen aside.
Perhaps you pick up your mug once more,
Savoring the rest of your warm cider as night falls.
And as you gaze out the window,
You notice how much more present you can be now that your mind has softened.
Details are emerging that you simply had not seen before.
Snow collects along the outer edge of the window frame.
Soft mounds of tiny,
Sparkling crystals,
And delicate crystalline patterns are etched into the glass where frost has formed.
Fractal formations,
Like snowflakes themselves.
The wind outside has picked up slightly,
And you watch as gusts of air lift snow off the ground in rhythmic waves.
Leafless trees bend back and forth in the breeze,
As if they were dancing.
And as you gaze up at the night sky,
You watch the way it's changing.
Slate blue and lavender tones are deepening to plum and indigo,
While the first pale stars begin to twinkle just above the horizon.
You watch and watch,
Fully present,
Fully absorbed in the world's beauty.
As the stars slowly grow brighter and more plentiful.
It's not long before the night sky is a vast expanse of midnight blue,
Dotted by countless glistening stars and planets.
And a full moon rises too,
Turning the pure white snow on the earth into a blanket of silvery glitter.
Connect with your breath here,
And with a growing sense of awe and wonder.
Allow your body to expand fully as you inhale,
Releasing with a sigh as you exhale.
Restored with each and every inhale,
Softened with each and every exhale.
The golden aura of the fire still warms you,
But you notice it's tapering.
You place your mug aside and slowly rise to your feet.
You add one more log to the fire.
Settling back into your seat,
You watch the way the flames wrap around this new log.
It is mesmerizing,
Guiding you into deeper and deeper layers of presence.
You can feel the way the golden light meets your skin,
Smoothing out any lines of tension on your face,
Warming your body from outside to in.
Feeling tired,
But before you lie down and close your eyes,
You turn your attention to the stars one last time.
And as you gaze across the vast universe,
In awe of all those radiant celestial bodies,
You consider an intention you'd like to set for the day to come.
It could be an intention for continued inner peace,
For compassion,
For clarity or wisdom.
Whatever you wish to experience or embody in greater depths tomorrow,
Set your intention for the stars to hear it.
It might sound something like,
May I begin my day with inner peace,
Or may I begin tomorrow with strength and courage.
Whatever your highest self yearns for,
Tell it to the stars.
You don't need to hold your aspirations alone.
Trust that the seed of your highest intent has been planted,
And that there's nothing you need to do now to bring it into existence.
The universe has heard your wish,
And it will work through the night to support that.
So take a few deep,
Cleansing breaths now.
Inhaling to expand fully.
Exhaling to release completely.
And after your next full cycle,
Continue to breathe naturally,
And envision yourself curling up on the sofa,
A stack of warm blankets hangs over the arm of the couch.
Pull one or two up over your body,
As your head melts into a comfortable cushion.
Before you close your eyes,
Take stock of all the blessings around you.
Feeling gratitude for the safety and support of the farmhouse,
For the light and warmth of the fire,
For the comfort and joy of that warm apple cider,
And for everything beyond the window,
For the stillness of winter,
The peace and beauty of fields and forest,
And for the care and support of the cosmos.
And take a moment to honor the blessings within you,
Your capacity for renewal,
The quietude beneath your thoughts,
The breath flowing through you.
When you're ready,
You can allow your eyes to gently close,
Slowly all of the imagery dissolves.
What remains is your felt sense of the bed beneath you,
A soft golden glow against your eyelids,
And a lingering sweetness in the air,
Warm apple cider and wood smoke.
Take a slow steady breath in,
Holding at the top for just a few seconds,
And a full cleansing release.
Another slow full breath in,
With a brief pause at the top,
Releasing it all with a sigh.
Savor the peace and quietude that exists here right now,
Within and all around you.
There is nothing to do but drift off to sleep now,
Breath by breath by breath.
You don't need to make sleep happen,
It will unfold naturally,
All on its own.
And as that transition inches closer,
You take one more moment to relax both body and mind,
Deeply and truly.
Begin by calling your attention to the crown of your head,
And noticing the soft golden light that fills your forehead.
Allow any residual tension,
Worry or stress,
To melt beneath the light of the fire.
You don't need to carry it now.
Like liquid honey,
This warm firelight travels slowly through your body,
Smoothing out any remaining tension in your face and jaw,
Flowing down into your neck and shoulders,
Dissolving any final knots of tension.
And inch by inch,
Spreading down your arms,
All the way to your fingertips,
Pale golden light flows,
Guiding your arms to let go,
Guiding your hands to release their grip on this day.
Once your arms are deeply,
Deeply relaxed,
Your attention enters your heart space,
And the golden light follows suit.
See this light filling your chest completely,
Offering love and lightness with each full breath.
And naturally,
The light begins to flow down your spine,
Soothing your nervous system deeply and completely.
The fire's warmth and care pulls in your belly and pelvic bowl,
Dissolving any remaining tension.
Your tailbone grounds back down into the mattress and earth below you.
Then breath by breath,
Unfolding gently,
The light flows down your legs,
All the way to your toes,
Guiding your legs to relax completely.
Feel your legs growing heavier and heavier,
Giving way to the coming of sleep.
Sense into your whole body where it rests,
Both heavy and weightless,
Both grounded and free.
And sense into your mind,
Into its calm,
Quiet,
Deeply peaceful nature.
You are held in a sanctuary of stillness,
A place that is always inside of you.
Sometimes it feels out of reach,
But with practice,
You can come home to it at any time.
Allow this inner quietude to hold you as you transition to a state of deep restorative sleep.
May your dreams be sweet,
And your morning anchored in your highest intent.
And until next time,
Goodnight my friend,
Goodnight.
