Hello and welcome to this guided meditation that will help you to cultivate a positive mindset before sleep and one that will empower you in the days to come.
My name is Jason Stevenson and I invite you to open your mind and soften your heart as you prepare for this journey.
Just to begin finding a comfortable resting position that will be conducive of sleep and support yourself with any blankets and cushions you might need and close your eyes as you settle in.
Ensure that your neck is aligned with your spine and let your limbs surrender into the surface beneath you.
And I invite your mind to fully arrive in this moment by tuning into your physical body and just note what it feels like to be in your body and to be supported by this place that holds you now.
Drawing your attention to your breath,
Minding the unconscious stream of life force that continually flows through you.
In order to breathe there is nothing you need to actively do.
The breath is guided by an innate consciousness that supports the life in all of us,
So simply observe it,
Simply pay attention to its effortless presence.
Watch the way it flows in and watch the way it flows out.
If at any point during this meditation you notice the mind has drifted into unrelated thoughts,
Simply guide it back towards the words spoken here or to the anchor that is your breath.
Now before we move into a visualization to cultivate positivity before sleep,
Let's take some time to harness the power of the breath because even though we do not need to control or engage the breath in any way in order for it to function,
We can consciously direct the breath in various ways to support deeper healing.
For instance,
As we mindfully invite the breath into the belly,
We initiate the body's relaxation response and interfere with the fight-flight-freeze response that can chronically take over our lives.
We can also use the breath to consciously cleanse ourselves of any negative thoughts or beliefs that impede with the experience of vitality and empowerment.
To practice this,
Just take a couple more natural mindful breaths at your own pace and after your next exhalation,
I invite you to imagine that as you inhale you take in a bright white light from the universe that surrounds you and as you exhale,
Imagine any mental or emotional debris leaving your body.
Inhale the white healing light of the universe and exhale any heavy,
Stagnant or negative energy that may be holding you back from being all that you are.
Continue breathing in this way for a little longer and as you do,
I invite you to be patient and compassionate with yourself throughout this process.
We are all subject to experiencing negative or limiting thoughts and feelings,
So if it feels that negative energy has been culminating in you recently,
Know that this is nothing personal and in fact,
It is nothing bad or wrong.
Rather,
When we become aware that we have been holding on to negative or self- limiting energy,
We are blessed with the opportunity to move beyond it.
Awareness of negative energy in this way acts as a catalyst for deep transformation.
So take just three more full cleansing breaths now.
Inhaling light and exhaling any heaviness or darkness and after you finish that third exhalation let your breath come back to its natural pace,
Depth and rhythm.
Having established a groundwork of inner light and positivity,
Let's begin our journey into a visualization of positive transformation.
So take a moment to draw your attention to the mind's eye honoring this space within you for its incredible capacity for visualization.
Clear away any images or ideas that might be held here and on the empty canvas left behind,
I invite you to imagine that you are standing in a wintry forest somewhere not far from the outer reaches of the arctic circle.
The sky is dark and a deep silence permeates the forest.
Snow covers the ground and though it is cold out,
You are well bundled and prepared for this journey.
Standing with your feet firmly rooted into the snow-packed trail beneath you,
You stand tall and take a deep full breath into your belly and then let it back out.
Another long deep breath into the belly and then back out and you take a third and final breath in of this crisp clean pine-infused air and let it all go with a sigh.
You begin now your journey on the path ahead.
You tread slowly and mindfully,
Open to the wonder of this remarkable midnight landscape.
As you walk through this quiet uninhabited land,
You feel a sense of the infinite possibilities of the universe.
The stars and the moon that shine down on you from up above remind you of the magic and mystery of the cosmos,
The cosmos that you are an integral part of.
All of the world's challenges and your own challenges seem to fall from your shoulders as you make your way through this vast and natural landscape.
It may not be that the difficulties go away completely,
However,
Your fear and resistance to these challenges diminishes with each step you take across the forest floor.
In their place,
Confidence,
Courage and a positive outlook on life arises.
You continue to weave through the pines and spruce trees.
Though it is quite dark,
Your eyes are well adjusted thanks to the help of the glowing full moon above.
You are not quite sure how or why you've arrived at this place,
But you sense that you are being called to take a step back from the gritty details of life and to consider yourself,
Your life and the universe from a fresh perspective.
Here in this near arctic forest,
You find space to breathe and indeed,
You begin to develop a clearer,
Broader view of things,
A leap away from the day-to-day routines and habitual modes of thinking.
The weight of the world you've been carrying dissolves.
Here in this forest,
You feel yourself awakening to your divine presence and to the divinity that lives within all beings and within the earth itself.
You breathe deeper now,
Letting each breath continue to cleanse any negative thoughts or beliefs that no longer serve you.
As you walk a little further through this enchanted landscape,
You begin to absorb all of its wonder,
Beauty and blessings.
You take in the freshness of the snow that covers the earth and the treetops.
You relish in the sound of this snow crunching beneath your feet and you sink into the silence that pervades the entire forest,
Absorbing the herbal aroma of the pine and spruce trees.
Your mind is awakening to all of the details of this landscape and to the beauty in the simplest of things.
Soon,
You arrive at the edge of the forest,
Coming upon a small clearing in the land.
The small field is covered in snow and at the opposite end of it,
A cabin awaits you.
Slowly,
You cross the field,
Paying attention to the crunching snow of each step.
And as you arrive at this humble abode,
You discover a small fire pit just outside the front door that is cleared,
Prepped and ready to be lit.
In the small shed,
Just a few metres away from the fire pit,
You discover a small brass matchbox holder as well as a warm knitted blanket.
You grab both and head back towards the edge of the pit.
Kneeling down beneath the starry sky,
You strike a match and set the bundle of twigs on fire.
You watch as the flames slowly consume these thin branches and then you place two logs atop the burning pile.
You wrap yourself in the warm blanket and then sink back into the wooden armchair in front of the fire.
The crackling flames pierce the silent night with grace.
You welcome the noise as it settles the soul and awakens the heart.
And as you rest here,
Gazing into the amber glow of flames and coal,
You sense the possibility of transformation that rests before you.
This element you gaze into is the holder of new life,
Bearing the capacity to alchemise parts of you that are ready for change.
Fire ignites our personal power and calls us to new beginnings.
And so,
Hearing its call,
You offer to this fire any negative thoughts,
Stories or beliefs that hold you back from moving positively and courageously into the future.
You might consider beliefs that hold you back from experiencing positive,
Loving relationships.
Or you might consider those that hold you back from success and achieving your wildest dreams.
Or you might reflect upon the negative thought patterns that hold you back from cultivating your greatest capacity for spiritual,
Emotional and physical well-being.
Whatever arises,
You offer to the fire what no longer serves you,
Casting those limiting negative thoughts into the fire to be transformed.
When nothing else is left to be released,
You let yourself bask in the fire's warm glow.
Your belly softens,
Your shoulders relax,
And you compassionately witness whatever is now moving through you.
Sometimes,
Clearing out space for a more positive mindset feels exhilarating and empowering.
Sometimes this process creates momentary confusion,
Sadness or other challenging emotions.
Whatever is present for you,
Honour your experience by tending to it with patience and compassion.
Just allow these waves to come and go,
Ebb and flow.
You lean your head back against the upper surface of the chair's backrest,
And as you shift your gaze away from the fire and into the night sky,
It appears the radiant,
Glowing,
Alchemical northern lights.
Neon green,
Indigo,
And fuchsia bursts of light dance in the cosmos above you.
Watching them play in the night sky,
You feel an immense wave of gratitude wash through you,
As well as a sense of magic and infinite possibility.
You realise that the world is much more than it seems.
And that even when things are dark,
There are always traces of light to be found.
From the fire's glow,
To the stars and the moon,
To the radiance of the northern lights,
Positivity is reflected back to you from all directions.
The openness,
Confidence,
Faith,
And trust that lives deep within you.
Spend a few more moments here now watching the play of the light in the sky above.
These rays of neon light sweep the sky with grace,
Joy,
And ease,
Awakening you to those qualities as they appear within you.
In this moment,
Held in the beauty of the natural world,
You realise that this life is a gift.
And that in each moment there is something wondrous to discover.
The light continues to dance in the atmosphere that surrounds you,
And yet you let your eyes land once again on the burning fire.
You come back to your breath,
Back to your body,
And back to your heart.
And to help reaffirm what you've discovered here,
You take a moment to set an intention to live your life courageously,
Confidently,
And with faith,
Allowing positivity to guide your way.
Now take a few final moments to bask in the beauty of this landscape.
And when you are ready,
Take three long deep breaths as you let the imagery dissolve.
Slowly return to the reality that holds you by minding your body and your breath.
Note the surface that supports you,
And the air that nourishes you.
And let your body surrender to this transformative night,
And as you do,
Allow the following affirmations to permeate your being.
As they enter your subconscious mind,
They will continue to ground your being in the positivity you conjured here tonight.
I am happy,
Healthy,
And at peace.
I love and support myself unconditionally.
New opportunities continually come my way.
I am successful at all I set my mind to.
I cultivate loving,
Healthy relationships.
I am supported by the universe.
I am financially stable and secure.
My physical body is in optimal health.
I empower myself through positive thinking.
I am supported by my loved ones.
I attract everything I need and more.
I have all that I need within me.
I am blessed with financial abundance.
I maintain healthy and nourishing boundaries.
My body flows with ease and grace.
I am grateful for all that I have.
I am financially free.
I am resilient and resourceful.
I take care of my physical body.
My relationships are peaceful and balanced.
I give and receive in equal measure.
I am confident and courageous.
I am creative and inspired.
My relationships are joyful and uplifting.
I release all resistance to financial abundance.
I open myself up to the power of love.
I am committed to my well-being.
My life is rich and abundant in infinite ways.
I attract meaningful new connections.
I am balanced,
Centered and focused.
I am grateful for positive and nourishing relationships.
I give myself permission to be successful.
I trust that I am always where I need to be.
My body is happy and healthy.
I am energized and motivated to achieve my best.
I am committed to achieving my dreams.
I am kind,
Patient and loving.
I speak to myself with compassion.
I attract the life my heart longs for.
I am open to the abundance of this world.
There is nothing I cannot achieve.
And until next time,
Goodnight my friend,
Goodnight.
