What would it feel like to surrender,
Like a leaf floating down a serene,
Moonlit river?
What would it be like to give yourself permission to rest now,
To completely,
Wholeheartedly let go?
My name is Jason Stevenson and tonight,
As you drift down a mystic river,
Bathed by the soft glow of the ancient sky,
You'll naturally surrender in mind and body,
Effortlessly transitioning to sleep.
Wherever in the world you're listening from,
Welcome,
It's an honor to have you here.
Take a moment to get settled now,
Tucking yourself into bed,
Head surrendering to the pillow beneath it,
And whenever you're ready,
Close your eyes,
Taking a slow,
Deep inhale,
And a long,
Steady exhale.
Take two more slow,
Deep breaths,
Belly expanding with each in-breath,
Melting with each out-breath.
Continue to breathe at a natural depth and pace,
Softening with each effortless exhale.
As this meditation unfolds,
Know that there's nowhere else you need to be,
There's nothing you need to do,
And nothing you need to carry with you.
All that matters is this present moment.
So with each passing breath,
Allow yourself to unwind,
Sinking deeper and deeper in what's here and now,
And soon into sleep.
Before you get there,
Draw your attention to the soles of your feet,
And sense into these areas with warmth and care,
Offering your feet a whisper of gratitude.
With your next smooth out-breath,
Invite your feet to soften,
There's nowhere they need to take you tonight.
As your feet melt into the bed below,
Draw your attention to your ankles,
Send your ankles a whisper of warmth and care,
And as you exhale,
Invite them to soften.
Slowly and gently,
Your awareness rises through your body,
Resting for a few moments in your calves.
Notice any sensations that are present here,
Then gently imagine these muscles giving way to the sheets and mattress that hold them.
Take a slow,
Loving breath into your knees,
Cultivating warmth and softness here,
Then rest for a while in your quads and hamstrings,
Giving those muscles permission to rest now.
Now,
Holding both of your legs now in your awareness,
Take a long,
Deep breath all the way through them,
As they melt even more on your exhale.
Your legs are deeply,
Deeply relaxed,
As your attention now settles into your pelvic bowl,
And imagine that your next slow and steady breath could fill this part of you,
Nurturing it with warmth,
Care,
And a loving presence.
Now,
Invite any tension or tightness in your hips to unravel,
Replaced by ease and spaciousness,
Then allow this sense of soft,
Gentle awareness to expand and fill your entire belly.
Now,
With each inhale,
Your belly expands gently without resistance,
And with each exhale it softens,
Surrendering to the slow,
Quiet flow of this practice.
Now,
Welcome this current of loving awareness to rise and to fill your ribs,
Your chest and heart,
And your whole back.
Your breath slows as tension dissipates from these areas,
A sigh of surrender can be heard on your next exhale.
Notice the slow,
Gentle flow of your breath moving through your heart,
And as it does,
Let it wash away any stress,
Any effort or striving,
And any desire to control this moment.
Each heartfelt breath guides you deeper and deeper into the peace and ease of this present moment.
Let your next few breath cycles stretch across your collarbones and shoulders,
With tension or tightness leaving these areas with each out-breath,
And to deepen the release from your shoulders,
You might silently repeat,
There is nothing I need to carry now.
There is nothing I need to carry now.
There is nothing I need to carry now.
This gentle release then flows down your arms,
Settling into your upper arms,
Tending gently to your elbows,
Flowing into your forearms,
Relaxing all the cells and muscles there.
And soon passing through your elbows,
Landing softly in your hands.
Let your fingers soften,
Your hands unfold,
As your arms melt completely into the bed beneath them.
Hold both of your arms in your gentle,
Loving awareness,
As you send a long,
Slow breath all the way down them,
Surrendering even more on your exhale.
Your limbs,
Your chest,
Your back,
And your belly are deeply,
Deeply relaxed.
And when you're ready,
Your awareness travels into your neck and throat area.
Now,
Imagine a slow,
Steady breath,
Filling the muscles there with ease and care,
Tension dissipating on the out-breath.
Then allow this gentle flow of relaxation to complete its journey,
Softening tension in your jaw,
Soothing your nose,
Your cheeks,
And your ears,
Melting any tightness in your forehead and around your eyes.
Relaxing now your whole head completely,
Take a long,
Slow,
Spacious breath into your entire head,
And releasing with a sigh of surrender.
Each inhale fills your headspace with ease and effortlessness,
And each exhale releases your need to effort and control.
Inhaling ease,
Exhaling effort.
Inhaling ease,
Exhaling effort.
Inhaling ease,
Exhaling effort.
Take a few moments now to sense into your relaxed body,
Each breath grounding you deeply,
Softening your whole body even more.
There's nothing you need to hold on to,
Nothing you need to fix or force.
Just allow yourself to be carried along the journey that's about to unravel,
One breath at a time.
And as your mind softens and widens,
You notice a fresh scent filling your nostrils.
With each inhale,
Your nose is filled with a grounding blend of pine,
Moss,
And wildflowers.
Welcome it deeply into the base of your lungs,
And exhale gently as your feet land on a soft bed of chestnut soil.
You have landed in a tranquil forest beneath a cobalt blue evening sky.
A lush green foliage sways gently in the warm,
Slow breeze,
And just a few steps ahead is a peaceful,
Shimmering river.
Take a moment to anchor yourself here,
Feeling the warmth and unconditional support of the earth below.
Your shoulders surrender,
Your belly softens,
And your crown reaches gently for the sparkling twilight sky overhead.
Notice the serene symphony that fills the air of this enchanted space,
Quietening your mind and opening your heart.
As you find your footing in this tranquil inner realm,
Your attention focuses on the tranquil flow of water,
Just a few feet ahead.
This is no ordinary river,
Its water glimmers with soft ribbons of silver and violet,
As if infused with liquid moonlight.
Its flow is mesmerizing,
The water is crystal clear,
The river embodies a quiet,
Wise aura,
Imbued with the magic and serenity of the night sky.
You open your mind and heart a little wider to embrace it more completely,
And as you do,
You can hear it invite you closer.
Slowly and mindfully,
You make your way to the river's edge.
The water is calm and reassuring,
Soothing something very deep within you.
Your thoughts continue to quiet as you open to the experience of being here,
To the cobalt blue sky above,
Illuminated by countless stars and a silver waxing moon,
To the fresh forest air that fills and soothes you,
And to the subtle,
Tranquil vibrations that permeate it all.
Take a long,
Slow inhale to fill with the quietening energy of this landscape,
And exhale to soften.
You look down at your feet,
And if you discover you're wearing shoes,
You take them off slowly,
And as if following a call from your intuition,
You step into the shallow water at the river's edge.
The water is warm as your feet plant into a bed of soft sand and smooth pebbles.
A ripple of peace and comfort flows all the way through you,
Reminding your physical body to relax.
Focus on the way the water feels as it moves across your ankles,
Washing away any sense of needing to rush anywhere.
There's nowhere you need to be but here.
As you settle into your connection to the river,
Your gaze shifts back to the riverbank,
And you hadn't seen it before,
But you now discover a raft resting next to the water.
It's wide and sturdy,
Crafted from smooth cedar planks with supportive raised sides.
Within the raft's borders are blankets and cushions,
An inviting nest for deep rest and release.
As you admire the raft,
You hear a call from somewhere inside you that knows what you're here to do.
This river has arrived as an invitation for you to surrender,
Ever more deeply,
As you move with its peaceful,
Innate current.
So when you're ready,
Imagine yourself pulling the raft off the bank and into the calm shallows.
And once it settles on the water completely,
You climb in,
Nestling into the cushions and blankets there.
Slowly and gently,
The raft begins to flow downstream,
As you bathe beneath the stars,
Moon,
And deepening blue sky.
Take a few breaths to settle into this relaxed journey,
Inhaling the light and tranquility of the cosmos,
Exhaling to ground into the cedar support system beneath you.
As you drift safely and slowly with the river,
You attune to the slow,
Steady rhythm of your breath.
You notice how soothing it feels to simply rest and to simply breathe,
Not having to do anything,
Not having to force anything.
And not having to be anyone.
With each inhale,
You fill your body,
Mind,
And heart with the beauty,
Peace,
And simplicity of just being here,
Just floating.
And with each exhale,
You surrender resistance,
You let go of overthinking,
And you drop the need to do anything.
You embrace the invitation to simply be,
To naturally soften.
With each passing moment,
You grow increasingly tired,
You can surrender to sleep at any time.
But until that comes,
Your senses widen to the tranquil enchantment of this slow river and its surroundings.
Tall trees line the water's edge,
Their crowns reaching for the stars.
They form a protective barrier around you,
Reminding you that you're held and supported by the earth.
The leaves of these tall trees rustle in the gentle breeze,
The sound of which reminding you to let go,
To let your thoughts drift gently with the wind.
When a thought appears,
There's no need to judge it or condemn it.
It's in the mind's nature to think.
But you realize that you don't have to hold your thoughts right now.
You can let them leave you,
Release them to the wind,
Breath by breath by breath.
Your attention drifts through the evening air,
Catching sight of golden,
Glowing fireflies that flit between the trees and above the river.
Their soft light flickers like tiny stars,
Weaving an extra layer of enchantment into this serene landscape.
As you watch the fireflies move with effortless grace,
A quiet joy arises within you.
You admire the way they move without rush or reason.
It's as if they're reminding you that you,
Too,
Can move like this in the days to come,
With joy,
Ease and lightness.
They invite you to release any heaviness or stress you carry and to let your inner light shine through.
Take a long,
Slow breath in to fill with the soft luminosity of these golden fireflies.
And exhale to release any residual heaviness,
Becoming as light and luminous as they are.
The further you travel with the river,
The more you recognize how supported you are.
Nature is holding and guiding you,
Guiding you to surrender,
Guiding you to deep rest.
And breath by breath,
You release any residual resistance,
Attuning to the wisdom of the river itself.
The river doesn't fight to make things happen,
It simply flows.
It doesn't worry about where it's been or where it's going,
It just lets its life unfold.
Bathe in this deep wisdom,
In this unconditional acceptance of the present moment.
Now,
You peer over the edge of the raft,
And you notice that a single leaf is floating alongside you.
It drifts effortlessly on the current,
Without fear or resistance.
It is light and free,
Fully trusting the river's flow.
This leaf is a quiet reminder for you to trust life's flow too.
There is plenty of time in each waking day to plan,
Act and direct life's energy.
But here in this moment,
Can you let yourself be held?
Can you trust that where you are right now is enough?
Can you rest knowing that here,
At this moment,
There's nothing you need to fix,
Prove or do?
Give yourself permission to trust where you find yourself,
To trust the river beneath you,
And to trust the earth around you,
To hold and restore you as you rest.
Nature needs to rest,
And so do you.
And now is your time to rest.
Now is your time to rest.
Now is your time to rest.
Continue to simply float,
Absorbing peace and ease with each inhale,
Resting and releasing with each exhale,
And soon letting go into a cocoon of deep sleep.
As the night grows darker,
The raft begins to slow,
And soon the river widens into a quiet pond of countless lily pads.
Envision the raft coming to stillness in the pond,
Cradled by calm water.
And around you,
The air is warm and still wonderfully fragrant.
Inhale and exhale the grounding aromas of pine,
Moss and wildflowers.
Towering trees encircle the water like ancient wise protectors.
Moonlight reflects off the lily pads,
And the surface of the pond ripples softly as if it were breathing in tandem with you.
A gentle hush blankets everything.
Crickets hum in the distance,
And birds make their way to their nests.
Take a slow,
Deep inhale,
As you welcome this stillness and serenity into your body,
Mind and spirit,
And a slow,
Steady exhale.
Another slow,
Deep breath in,
And a slow,
Soft breath out.
The water is calm,
The world is quiet,
And so are you,
Ready for deep rest,
Ready for deep sleep.
Feel the raft that holds you,
Solid and steady,
Rocking ever so gently.
Sense how you're supported here,
Nurtured by what's below,
Around,
And above you.
And before you close your eyes,
Your gaze drifts across the shimmering night sky.
Shooting stars streak across the universe,
And the moon casts its ancient glow upon your whole body.
Take a moment to feel yourself held,
Loved,
And nurtured by this soft,
Yet radiant light.
It invites you to settle,
It invites you to let go.
Now let your eyes connect with the evening's brightest star,
And as your attention lands there,
Silently repeat,
May my heart be light,
My body relaxed,
My mind at peace,
May my heart be light,
My mind at peace,
May I rest now in deep,
Restorative sleep.
May I rest now in deep,
Restorative sleep.
Take a moment to thank this river and the pond for guiding you,
For reminding you to rest and release,
For reminding you to simply be.
Spend your last moments here,
Envisioning the elements of this landscape that are most soothing for you,
Be that the water,
The trees,
The moon,
Or something else.
Feel the energy of these elements take root in a very deep place within you,
And notice what it feels like in your body to rest within their presence.
Take a slow,
Deep breath in now,
And when you're ready,
Gently let the imagery dissipate,
Slowly and gently come back to your body,
Back to your breath.
Reconnect with the sensory experience of being held by your bed and pillow,
Of being wrapped in sheets or blankets,
And take a long,
Slow breath in,
And one last sigh of release.
Draw your attention to the crown of your head and forehead,
Giving your thoughts one last nudge to rest.
Silently repeat,
It's time to rest now.
Sense into your cheeks,
Your mouth,
And your jaw,
And let one last current of relaxation flow through your physical body,
Moving as slowly and naturally as the river that just held you,
And softening through your neck,
Shoulders,
And arms,
Relaxing your hands,
Releasing any last yearning to strive or control,
And finding ease and spaciousness in your lungs,
Your chest,
And your upper back,
In your ribs,
Your belly,
And your lower back,
And softening now through your hips and pelvis,
And all the way down your legs,
Breath by breath,
Surrender to the tips of your toes,
Your whole body surrenders to the bed beneath you,
Not with force or effort,
But with ease and effortlessness,
Because letting go does not require that we do something,
It just asks for us to simply be,
To be with the breath,
To be with our body,
To be here now,
There's nowhere to go,
Nothing to do,
And nothing now to visualize,
All this moment asks is that you slowly,
Naturally,
Surrender to sleep,
And as you drift,
Attune to the serene symphony that lingers in the atmosphere around you,
Let it carry you as you drift off,
In the same way the river did,
And before you know it,
Without even realizing it,
You'll have landed in a reservoir of deep,
Restorative sleep,
May you rest well now,
And until next time,
Good night my friend,
Good night
