Whether you've woken in the night and can't get back to sleep.
Or you're just settling into bed.
This meditation will help you to sink into a solid and restorative slumber.
However you find yourself in this moment.
May be restless or worried.
Frustrated or simply looking for little support.
This is your time to let go.
And to let yourself be held.
My name is Jason Stevenson and I welcome you warmly to tonight's practice.
Before we begin.
Make sure you're as supported as you can be.
By cushions and blankets.
And that any distractions are set aside or tucked away.
Take a few slow clearing breaths to settle.
Softening as you exhale.
Into the knowledge that your body and mind possess.
Already know how to rest.
This meditation will reveal just that.
As we begin.
Know that you have full permission to be here.
Exactly as you are.
Simply allow my words to guide you into the ease and deep rest.
Your body already knows is possible.
There's nothing to force here.
Sleep is on its way.
Breathe naturally as you feel the support of the bed beneath you.
Notice all the places where your body meets the mattress below.
And notice the sensations of any fabrics against your skin.
Recognize how unconditionally you're supported here.
And that this moment asks for nothing of you.
Now draw your attention to the crown of your head.
And invite this part of you to soften.
Let your thoughts begin to unravel.
Not with force.
But with allowance.
And let your forehead physically relax.
Any tense muscles releasing their grip.
If it feels supportive.
You might even bring your fingertips to your forehead or temples.
For just a few breaths.
Gently massaging these areas to help them relax.
Let your hands and arms settle back down when you're ready.
Than sense in your whole face.
Inviting it to rest deeply now.
Your tongue relaxes where it sits in your mouth.
And your jaw unclenches.
Releasing any tension from the day.
Relax the sides of your head.
And the back of your head.
Imagine your entire head.
Sitting with the same grace that a lake settles beneath dusk.
And sense into your neck and shoulders.
Noticing any tension they hold.
Breathing a slow,
Releasing breath into these muscles.
Giving them permission to let go with the exhale.
There's nothing they need to carry.
Now slowly let your awareness flow down your arms.
Inch by inch.
Encouraging your upper arms to soften.
Letting your elbows rest completely.
Inviting your forearms to melt in the direction of the earth.
And letting your wrists find ease.
As you arrive in your hands.
Allow them to release any grip they hold.
Both physical gripping.
And mental gripping.
Let your fingers and palms soften with trust.
Into the support of this moment.
You are held and cared for.
You are right where you need to be.
When you're ready,
Shift your awareness to your chest.
Sense into your heart and your lungs.
And your entire ribcage.
Plus everything they protect.
You inhale.
Feel a subtle expansion through your entire chest.
Nourished by this fresh breath.
And as you exhale,
Sink into this invitation of surrender.
Every breath out is an opportunity to let go.
Effortlessly.
Feel the breath extending out to the back of the ribs as well.
Inviting your back muscles to melt.
With your next exhale.
Sense or imagine your attention.
Coming to rest on your spine,
Behind your heart.
Then slowly and gently.
Trace your spine downwards.
As you do,
Your nervous system settles into a deeper state of rest.
Without any effort.
Your body already knows how to do this.
And pause for a few breaths as you land in your belly.
Feeling the gentle expansion and contraction.
Of each breath cycle.
Invite ease and release to stretch through your entire lower abdomen.
Across to both hips.
And through your pelvis to your tailbone.
You might imagine your tailbone sinking towards the earth.
Imagine that it grounds you into reach.
Cool Soil.
And into the root system of a wise?
And loving evergreen forest.
And slowly and gently.
Your awareness flows through your legs.
Guiding your thighs to surrender.
Supporting your knees to rest and release any tension.
Guiding your calves to soften.
And nourishing your ankles.
Your attention finally arrives at your feet,
Which surrender completely.
There is nowhere your feet need to take you tonight.
From head to toe.
Your entire body releases the day behind you.
Releases all thoughts and concerns.
Letting go,
Never with force or pressure.
Only effortlessly.
Always with ease.
Sense into your whole body.
Which is deeply supported.
Wherever you rest.
And imagine.
Or consider that the grounding,
Earthy scent of pine and birch.
Begins to fill you.
It soothes your mind on the inhale.
And deeply relaxes the body on the exhale.
Now imagine that this fragrance is guiding you.
To a place where you can rest even deeper.
To a small clearing in a safe,
Protective forest.
Next to a crystal clear lake.
Beneath candy-colored skies.
The water is perfectly still.
Mirroring the pine,
Birch and spruce that surround the lake.
Its surface is aglow with a soft pink and lilac light.
That fill the cosmos overhead.
Take a moment to arrive.
Here by the lake.
The soil beneath your feet is dark and nutrient-rich.
And the towering trees.
Act as guardians to support.
And care for you.
And from wherever you sit or stand.
You have a clear view of the tranquil water.
The only observable movement.
Comes from small insects that glide across the surface.
And the clouds that ever so slowly disappear.
Drift across the sky.
Mirrored in the lake.
You can make this place completely personal and entirely comfortable.
Here in your mind's eye.
A place that will fully support you.
To relax and sleep deeply.
You might like to imagine a hammock strung between two trees.
Or some warm blankets draped across the earth with cushions for extra support.
Perhaps a few candle lanterns.
Sit on the earth by the water.
Adding extra light and warmth.
To this tranquil landscape.
Or maybe some of the trees are adorned by fairy lights.
Just take your time to make this lakeside retreat.
Your very own.
And as you do,
Feel the unconditional support of the soil.
The surrounding trees.
The water.
And the evening sky.
If you haven't yet.
Imagine yourself taking a seat.
Or coming to rest here.
And take a moment to just breathe.
As you root a little deeper into the quiet,
Wise support of this place.
As you inhale.
Feel the nourishment of the pristine forest.
Filling your body.
And as you exhale.
Give yourself full permission to soften.
Softening your forehead and your jaw your arms,
Chest and belly.
And all the way down to the soles of your feet.
Let yourself relax as deeply as you can.
While also knowing there's no rush.
You can drift off to sleep at any time.
Or you can stay awake to this place for a while.
Either way.
Sleep is on its way.
Let your attention drift across the open sky.
Tracing the outlines of ethereal clouds floating by.
Notice the shapes they take.
And the way they glow with pink.
And violet light.
And let your eyes land on the surface of the water.
Taking a few quiet moments.
Just be present.
With its stillness.
You This quiet lake is a reflection of your own inner calm.
Or at the very least.
.
.
Your capacity for calm.
In other words.
If you're still struggling to settle.
Or feel at peace in this moment.
That's okay.
The capacity for it does live within you.
There might be things still moving through your awareness.
Like restless thoughts.
Worries or ruminations.
But as you gaze across the quiet water.
Breathe into the truth that it's reflecting back a place very deep within you.
That already.
Is at pace.
You don't have to force yourself to believe this.
Nor even to feel it right away.
But the return to a state of calm.
Is happening.
Innate to your body.
And to your mind.
To awaken to this truth.
Or to deepen into it.
You might imagine that sitting beside you on the lakeside shore,
Are small pebbles.
For every thought or tension that arises.
You can pick up a pebble.
And gently toss it into the water.
And as you do this.
Tossing one pebble for each lingering tension or worry.
Notice how each stone creates ripples that extend out.
From where they drop into the lake.
And watch how these ripples expand outwards.
Are they softened?
And how they soon dissolve back into the stillness of the water.
The pebbles settle at the bottom.
And the lake returns to still tranquility.
Take some time to explore this at your own pace.
Or simply just observe the quiet water.
You don't need to force any thoughts to come.
Just as you don't need to force them to leave.
Simply toss a pebble into the lake for any tense thought or feeling that arises.
And bathe in the stillness that lives in between.
The stillness that the ripples always return to.
Recognize that the water is guiding you back to tranquility.
Over.
And over.
It's not wrong for thoughts or feelings to arise.
Just as it's not wrong for quiet water to be disturbed.
None of this is about being completely still or unshakable.
It's about knowing.
That whatever ripples through us.
Will naturally dissolve if we let it.
And that a deep calm lives beneath all movements.
In mind.
And in body.
Your body is wise.
And it knows how to rest and restore.
And your mind.
However busy it gets sometimes.
You can always sink into the stillness between thoughts.
So take a few more moments.
To toss pebbles into the water if you're called to.
Watching the ripples extend outwards.
Before the lake returns to its mirror-like state.
It always returns to its mirror-like state.
Look out across the still surface of the water.
And notice how the colors have quietly shifted.
The sky.
And therefore the lake.
A growing richer.
Tones of teal,
Magenta.
And Mulberry.
Now fill the cosmos and water.
A couple of glistening stars appear in the dome above you.
As does a silver half-moon.
The lake.
Sky,
And forest.
Are preparing for deep sleep.
And so are you.
Connect with your breath.
As you marvel at the universe.
Sense into how vast and mysterious it is.
And how peaceful it is.
It too is a reflection.
Of the deep tranquility inside of you.
What is it like to bathe in the tranquility?
Of everything around you.
To feel the water's calmness in your mind.
The forest's protection.
In your body.
The sky's vastness in your soul or spirit.
You don't have to answer the question with words.
Simply feel it.
Feel what it's like to be so deeply held here.
And to surrender a little deeper into the peace all around.
And within you.
And when the time is right.
You will naturally.
And effortlessly.
Drift off to sleep.
Now,
If you currently see yourself in a seated position,
Let yourself lie down.
Whether in a hammock.
A nest of blankets.
Or perhaps on the porch of a small lakeside cabin.
See yourself.
Really settling in.
Pull a blanket up over your body for comfort.
And let your head melt into a soft but supportive pillow.
Quietly whisper to your body as you settle.
It's time for you to sleep now.
It's time for you to sleep.
Notice the fragrance of the forest as you breathe.
And feel the quality of its air on your skin.
Feel how fresh each breath is.
Restoring both mind and body with each full cycle.
And before you close your eyes to the imagery.
Take another moment.
To gaze up at the darkening sky.
The stars grow in both number and brightness.
Shining down on the lake.
On your mind and body.
And on this wise and peaceful forest.
Now take a moment to consider.
Any intention you'd like to set for tomorrow.
Something you'd like to whisper.
To a single star in the night sky.
It could be an intention for inner steadiness.
For clarity and wisdom.
Or maybe for self-kindness.
Whatever you most deeply wish to experience when the sun rises.
Whisper your hearts intent.
Your chosen star.
It might sound like.
May I wake with inner strength and resilience.
May I begin tomorrow.
Knowing that I am enough.
Just take your time with this.
Planting a seed of your heart's intent.
In the magic of starlight.
Feel your intention taking root in your heart in your body.
And in your higher mind.
Then let it go.
You don't need to ruminate on it.
Judge or reassess it.
And you don't need to force it to come true.
By letting it go.
You signal to the universe that you trust it.
And you allow what's already possible for you to become.
A lived experience.
Let your attention widen back out.
To take in the entire Lakeside Sanctuary.
And feel its collective.
Calming energy pervade your entire body.
Let it hold you as you drift off to sleep.
If they haven't already.
You can imagine your eyes closing to the imagery.
While still sensing.
That the environment is holding you.
You might sense it through smell.
Breathing that fresh blend of pine.
Birch,
And forest floor.
You might sense it in your body.
As if the surface beneath you is still the forest floor,
A hammock.
Or a cabin.
Or you might simply sense its energetic presence within you.
Feeling innately connected to the stillness of the water.
The protection of the trees.
In the vastness of the night sky.
And as you rest here.
Knowing there's nothing to make happen.
Nothing to force or fix.
Draw your attention to the soles of your feet.
Offered them one final invitation.
To surrender.
Imagine your souls grounding down towards the earth.
With nowhere to go.
And nothing to do.
Releasing the day behind them.
Sense into your calves.
Letting these muscles melt into the surface supporting them.
Any last tension slips away.
As they transition into deep rest.
For a couple of gentle breaths.
Let your attention rest on your thighs.
Remind them that they don't need to hold you up right now.
It's safe for them to let go.
Take a slow,
Steady breath.
All the way down your legs.
Welcoming deep.
Deep release as you exhale.
Anchor your attention in your tailbone for a few moments.
Feeling it grow heavier.
Rooting into the poles of the earth.
You might even.
For just a few breaths.
Imagine a deeply restorative day.
Grounding energy.
Rising up through invisible roots in the soil.
Into your tailbone.
Travelling through your entire nervous system.
It's guiding your body into the ultimate.
Restoration of Sleep.
And imagine this sense of grounded relaxation.
Expanding through your entire pelvis.
Unravelling any residual tension in your hips.
And softening your belly.
Feel the rhythmic rise and fall of your belly as you breathe lulling you towards sleep.
Invite any remaining tension in your back.
To dissolve gently.
And rest for a little while in your heart.
As you breathe.
On the inhale.
Silently whisper.
I am held and nourished.
I am hell.
And nourished.
On the exhale.
I rest deeply.
I rest deeply.
I am held and nourished.
I rest deeply.
Now let your awareness rise to your collarbones.
And gently across to your shoulders.
Invite your shoulders to surrender completely.
One last time for tonight.
Is nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
They need to carry now.
Drop gently into your upper arms.
Giving them permission to relax.
Into your forearms.
Supporting them to soften completely.
Than land quietly in your hands.
Feeling the way they unclench again.
Even if subtly.
Take it slow,
Steady.
Compassionate breath.
All the way to your arms and to your hands.
Letting them go.
Deeper and deeper.
And deeper.
Trace your arms back up to your shoulders.
Moving back across your collarbones.
Rising into the sides of your neck.
Invite the muscles in your neck.
To relinquish any last tension.
And slowly scan your face.
Encouraging total surrender into sleep.
Your jaw unclenches.
Your cheeks soften.
And all the small muscles around your eyes and in your forehead.
Give way to the restorative slumber.
Just up ahead.
The sides.
The back.
And the top of your head surrender as well.
As do the inner workings of your mind.
You know that there is nothing in this moment you need to figure out.
Nothing to plan for or fix.
Nothing to even hold.
And one last time.
An image of that still.
Quiet lake appears in your mind as a reminder.
A reminder that the peace you seek is real.
Is within you.
That thought's intention.
Are but ripples in the water.
And that what proceeds and follows all movement.
Is stillness.
Peaceful.
Nourishing stillness.
Let yourself rest in that stillness now.
Letting the ripples of thought and sensation come and go.
You can always come home to peace that lives beneath.
And between all movements.
Breathe gently as you drift off now.
And until next time.
Good night,
My friend.
Good night.
