Are you ready to discover a secret garden of peace that lives within you?
My name is Jason Stephenson,
And tonight,
You will journey to a tranquil sanctuary of blooming florals and ancient rooted trees,
A place where you'll be reminded of the infinite calm within you.
Whoever you are,
Wherever in the world you find yourself,
Welcome.
It's an honor to help you clear away what does not serve you and guide you home to your inner peace.
Before we get started,
Take a moment to prepare for sleep.
You can drift off to sleep whenever it comes naturally,
So make sure your morning alarm is set if it's needed,
And that your curtains are pulled closed.
And as your head sinks into the pillow beneath you,
Take a long,
Slow,
Deep inhale,
And exhale with a sigh.
Take two more slow,
Cleansing breaths in just the same way.
Slowly,
Gently releasing any grip you might be holding on the day behind you.
As you continue to breathe naturally,
Settling into this calming,
Restorative practice,
Let's take some time to prepare the physical body for deep rest,
Because when the physical body relaxes,
The mind will follow suit.
So begin by bringing your awareness to the soles of your feet,
And simply sensing into these parts of your body for a couple of mindful breaths.
Just notice what your soles feel like,
Perhaps even offering them a word of gratitude for the way that they support you.
And on your next out breath,
Just invite the soles of your feet to surrender any tension,
Melting deeper and deeper into the bed beneath you.
Now sense into both of your feet in their entirety,
Feeling your toes,
The sides of your feet,
And the tops of your feet.
Send them a long,
Nourishing in-breath,
And invite them to soften with the out-breath.
Allow your attention to drift up to your ankles,
And on your next exhale,
Invite any tension or tightness to melt from your ankles,
Sinking into the earth deep below you.
Now continue this gentle scan through your body,
Sensing into your lower legs,
Into your shins,
And your calves,
And into your knees,
And right into the bones,
The cartilage,
And the tendons,
And slowly travelling into your upper legs,
Welcoming ease and relaxation to flow through every cell and muscle of your quads and your hamstrings.
Take a long,
Deep inhale now,
And as you let that breath go,
Invite both of your legs to surrender,
Releasing the day behind you.
Now allow your attention to land in your hips,
Taking a long,
Loving inhale to nourish these areas,
And releasing with a sigh as you exhale,
And then hold your entire pelvic bowl within your gentle,
Compassionate awareness,
And nourish this space with a full,
Cleansing breath,
Expanding now the scope of your awareness to include your belly,
And as you breathe,
Allow your belly to be soft,
Expanding without restriction as you inhale,
And letting go as you exhale.
Now,
Allow this embodiment of relaxation to ascend the length of your spine,
Inch by inch,
Casting warmth and release across your entire torso as your awareness ascends.
Your back relaxes,
Your ribcage and lungs are gently nourished,
And your heart is bathed in warmth and care.
Now,
Envision your entire chest,
Your heart,
And your whole back surrendering,
Releasing any tension they don't need to hold on to.
Gently now,
Allow your awareness to move across your collarbones and your shoulders,
Smoothing out any tension or tightness,
And to slowly drift down your arms,
Relaxing all the cells and muscles of your upper arms,
And deeply soothing the bones,
Tendons,
Nerves,
And cartilage of your elbows,
And calming every muscle and cell in your forearms,
Passing gently through your wrists,
And landing in the palm of your hands.
Envision now your hands releasing anything they've been holding too tightly,
And as ease and relaxation travel through your palms and fingers,
Through the sides and the tops of your hands,
Take a long,
Deep inhale,
And as you exhale,
Release with a sigh,
Inviting your arms and hands to rest completely and deeply.
As your hands surrender,
Gently guide your awareness back up through your arms,
And slowly back along your collarbones and shoulders,
And now into your neck,
Into the front,
The back of your neck,
And the sides of your neck,
And filling your entire neck now with a slow,
Loving breath in,
And exhale to gently let go,
And then complete your journey through your body by guiding your attention across your whole face,
And along your jaw,
Through your mouth and across your lips,
Across your cheeks,
And up the bridge of your nose,
Slowly guiding your awareness across your eyebrows,
And through your forehead,
And then wrapping around your ears,
And into the sides,
The back,
And up to the top of your head.
Your entire head,
And the fullness of your face,
Is bathed in gentle,
Kind awareness,
Relaxing deeper and deeper with each out breath you take.
Your thinking mind quiets as you focus your attention on your physical body,
Recognizing that each breath is an invitation to let go.
Hold your entire physical body within the scope of your calm,
Curious awareness,
And take a couple of slow,
Steady breaths into its fullness.
As you inhale,
Imagine that your body,
Your heart,
And your mind gently expanding,
And as you exhale,
You release a little more of what does not serve you,
Anchoring your attention in this breath,
In this body,
In this present moment.
After your next full,
Deep breath,
Sense into the surface supporting you,
And notice the way it holds you,
Completely,
Unconditionally.
It doesn't matter who you are,
Or what you're experiencing,
Your bed,
And the earth beneath you,
Are always supporting you,
They're always rooting for you.
You can always,
Always lean into that supportive cradle.
So,
Take just a few more quiet moments to savor the feeling of being cradled by what's below you,
And in a couple of breaths,
We will begin a journey to an inner landscape where deep rootedness and serenity will be uncovered.
Now,
After your next exhale,
Shift your attention to your inner eye,
To the place inside of you that holds your dreams,
Your imagination,
And your deepest potential of peace.
And there,
Upon its blank canvas,
You discover a path.
The path is composed of rich,
Deep,
Chestnut soil,
Lined by ancient ferns and wildflowers.
Take a moment to find your footing upon it,
Noticing the floral fragrance it exudes.
This path will guide you to an inner garden sanctuary,
So allow my voice to guide you there as I count from one to ten.
Beginning now as one,
You take your first step upon the trail,
Feeling its vitality permeate the soles of your feet.
Two,
Lengthening your crown towards a mystic,
Jade green canopy overhead.
As three,
Your shoulders surrender to the earth below.
Four,
Taking a long,
Slow breath in,
Allowing your heart to expand as you inhale.
Five,
Releasing that breath with a sigh and letting go of the day behind you.
Six,
Knowing that you're safe and supported as you journey to this inner landscape.
And seven,
That you're in full control of its unfolding.
Eight,
Looking down at your body,
Noticing that you're dressed in light,
Airy attire,
Clothes that you feel fully comfortable,
Authentic,
And free in.
Nine,
The path nears its end as you approach a weathered stone wall around the garden,
A mosaic of sand,
Beige,
And soft grey stones.
And finally,
Ten,
You arrive at the entrance,
A circular,
Wrought iron gate with an ancient clock that spans its centre.
Creeping ivy and twisted branches weave around the gate,
Offering a taste of the enchantment and wonder that lies just on the other side.
So take a moment now to admire the beauty and magic of this ancient stone wall and the wrought iron clock gate.
Rambling vines,
Flowers in full bloom,
And glistening greenery hang over the top of the wall,
Kissed by the golden light of the late day sun.
And now you feel a deep,
Intrinsic call to enter the garden.
So when you're ready,
Take a long,
Slow inhale,
And as you exhale,
You push open the gate,
Which splits the clock and pauses the spinning hand of time.
You enter into the garden,
Into a place where time has slowed to a complete halt,
And quiet magic fills the sun-kissed atmosphere.
The garden is alive with ancient,
Mystic wisdom,
And the air is rich with the scent of jasmine,
Lavender,
And damp earth.
The paths that weave through the garden are pathed with smooth,
Polished stones,
And tall trees stretch towards the golden sun,
Leaves shimmering in hues of gold,
Emerald,
And deep violet.
The air is warm against your skin,
Filling your heart,
Mind,
And body with a deep sense of care and vitality.
Allow yourself to soak in this incredible sanctuary and all of its magic for just a few quiet breaths.
Now,
Something pulls you down one of the garden's pathways,
And so you begin a slow and mindful walk across those polished stones.
With each step,
Your spine lengthens,
Crown reaching for the sky,
As your shoulders,
Your belly,
And all physical tension melts towards the earth.
As you walk,
Your awareness opens to more of the garden's ethereal charm.
Silver-winged dragonflies dart through the air,
And flower blossoms unfurl as you walk by,
As if awakened by your presence.
Birds sing sweet melodies from glistening gold branch to branch,
And in the distance,
A babbling brook can be heard.
Notice how the earth beneath your feet anchors you,
The way the light of the sun permeates your crown,
Quietening your mind with grace and ease.
Strolling through the garden,
You approach an old stone bench,
Its surface weathered and smooth,
And a light tangle of ivy is wrapped around it,
And small pockets of moss grow beneath ancient cracks in the stone.
The bench appears to glimmer in the honeyed sunlight,
Imbued with the garden's magic.
You take a seat on the cool,
Solid stone,
Anchoring yourself as your heart space widens.
Take a long,
Slow inhale here,
And a long,
Slow exhale here.
Releasing with a soft sigh,
Another long,
Slow breath in,
And exhaling to settle in more deeply.
Your gaze drifts through your enchanted surroundings,
Through the violet,
Emerald,
And turquoise leaves of this mystic flora.
Along the weathered stone pathways that weave through the ferns and vibrant flower blossoms,
And among the dance of dragonflies,
Who appear to leave trails of fairy dust in their wake.
And as your eyes drop to the stone bench you rest on,
You become aware of something you hadn't seen before,
A rolled up letter,
Tucked into the ivy,
Wrapped with a gold ribbon tied neatly in a bow.
You reach for the small scroll,
Rubbing the smooth parchment and soft ribbon between your fingertips,
And you notice that on its exterior is your name,
Written elegantly in cursive handwriting.
Carefully,
You tug at the end of the ribbon,
Pulling it off and unrolling the paper.
And there,
Inside,
A simple,
Soothing message is revealed.
Upon the parchment,
In the same cursive writing,
Are the words,
Inhale deeply,
Allow the air to infuse you with ease,
Exhale slowly,
Release all tension now,
Come back home to your inner peace.
And as your eyes trace the delicate lines of those soothing words,
Your breath naturally softens.
With each inhale,
You feel the peace,
Wisdom and the magic of the air filling your body.
And with each exhale,
You are reminded to let go,
To soften your grip on things that do not serve you.
Again,
You read the message,
Inhale deeply,
Allow the air to infuse you with ease,
Exhale slowly,
Release all tension,
Come back home to your inner peace.
You continue to breathe slowly and steadily,
Becoming aware of a fountain sitting just in front of you.
Somehow,
You had not noticed it before,
But there it sits in the center of the garden,
Solid marble wrapped in emerald vines.
Flowing water cascades down the smooth marble surface,
Ebbing and flowing as if it were attuned to your breath.
Take a few quiet moments to observe its serene flow,
Mirroring the natural cadence of each inhale you take,
And each exhale.
As you breathe in tandem with the water's gentle pulse,
A profound sense of stillness begins to settle over you.
The attunement quiets your mind and calms your spirit,
Kindling your innate connection to nature's very own soothing rhythm.
And as your mind and spirit settle,
So does your body.
All tension melts into the stone beneath you,
Seeping into the fertile soil of the garden,
Deep into the earth for transformation.
Here in this secret garden,
You are untouched by the noise of the outside world.
Everyday reality seems so distant now,
And in fact,
What feels most real and most alive is the peace of this sanctuary.
You realize that there's nothing you need to do,
No one you need to be,
And nothing you need to fix.
This moment is perfect,
Just as it is,
And you feel a deep sense of belonging right where you are.
Give yourself full permission to lean into that sense of non-doing,
Surrendering to simply being.
As you continue to breathe in harmony with the fountain's water,
Taking slow inhales and slow exhales,
Your gaze travels to the enchanting ancient trees that fill the garden.
First,
Your eyes land upon their whimsical leaves,
Shimmering in otherworldly hues of sea green,
Deep plum,
And bright jade.
Each radiant leaf shimmers with golden light as if dusted by a thin layer of fairy dust.
As you gaze up at that enchanted canopy,
You are filled with a sense of wonder,
Vitality,
And possibility.
You feel free from every worry and tension that once weighed you down,
Connected to the love and magic of the universe.
And then,
With a sense of gentle curiosity,
You trace the tree downwards from those glistening leaves.
Along strong and sturdy branches,
Down the wide ancient trunk of your nearest tree,
And along the thick,
Twisted roots that weave in and out of the earth.
Marvel at how anchored and steady this tree is,
And as you focus on its meandering roots,
You attune to your own sense of groundedness,
Your own embodiment of strength and inner stability.
You realize that just like this ancient tree,
You too are resilient,
Grounded,
And wise.
And even though the winds of life may cause you to sway from time to time,
You are held and supported through each and every moment.
Take a few moments now to breathe deep into the earth beneath you,
Feeling an invisible root system that tethers your body to the fertile soil below.
Now,
Focus on whatever aspect of this secret garden feels most peaceful and nourishing to you.
Perhaps it's the dark,
Chestnut soil below your feet,
Or maybe it's the wildflowers scattered across the surface of the earth.
Maybe it's the fairy dust of dragonflies that zip through the air,
Or perhaps the wonder of the sunlit canopy overhead.
Whatever pulls at your attention first,
Let your attention settle there.
And as you breathe,
Inhale the peace,
Serenity,
And well-being of that part of the garden.
Feel it restoring your cellular body with every breath cycle.
And as you breathe out,
Surrender any remaining fear,
Worry,
Or tension that holds you back from your highest potential for inner peace.
Inhaling peace,
Magic,
And vitality,
Exhaling to let go deeply and completely.
As you sit in the center of the garden,
Rooted to the ancient stone bench,
You feel both light and weighted,
Connecting to the earth and also to the wide open sky.
You are free and spacious,
Anchored and steady,
Deeply aware of the infinite calm within you.
But now,
Amidst this all-pervading sense of tranquility which permeates your heart,
Your cells,
And your bones,
You feel yourself growing tired.
You lift your gaze to the sky and notice that the sun has faded.
In place of warm golden light is a tranquil lavender oasis,
With streaks of warm amber light from the descending sun.
The sunset sky reminds you that yes,
It is time for sleep,
And so you find a place within the garden where you can surrender completely.
Perhaps on a soft blanket surrounded by cushions,
Or on a hammock that swings between two steady trees.
Whatever place of rest calls to you the most,
Make your way there.
Envision your body laying down,
Settling beneath the clementine amethyst sky as hundreds of stars begin to twinkle.
As you gaze up at the darkening sky,
You feel a deep sense of connection to everything that is.
A feeling that strengthens your embodied sense of peace and serenity.
Take a moment to inhale the fresh evening air,
Inviting that feeling of connection and peace to expand,
Releasing with a soft sigh as you exhale.
You recognize that at this very moment,
There is nowhere to go,
Nothing to do,
And no one to be.
This moment is enough,
Just as it is,
And you are deeply,
Deeply at peace with it.
And so,
As night slowly falls upon this enchanted,
Luminous garden,
You consciously relax your physical body one last time.
Beginning at the crown of your head,
You invite the peace and serenity of this garden to fall upon you,
Dissolving any last knots of tension in your forehead,
Your cheeks,
And your jaw.
Inch by inch,
This feeling of surrender washes through your whole body,
Softening your shoulders,
Your arms,
And down to your hands,
Bringing love and light to your heart and your lungs.
And to your back,
Your belly,
And down from your hips,
Your legs surrender completely,
All the way to your toes,
One last time for tonight.
Take a long,
Slow breath into the fullness of your calm,
Radiant body,
And as you exhale,
Let it all go,
Let any hidden knots of tension,
Worry,
Or stress sink deep into the earth beneath you.
Allow yourself to be held,
Nurtured,
And restored.
You can stay in this enchanted sanctuary for as long as you like,
Or you can return along the path that brought you here,
Coming back to your embodied sense of being held in physical reality.
But regardless of which realm you drift off to sleep from,
Stay close to the natural rhythm of your breath,
Let it rock you gently like a slow and soothing wave towards the deep rest and renewal of sleep.
Good night my friend,
Good night.
