Rediscover Inner Peace, Release What Does Not Serve You

Through gentle guidance, this sleep meditation helps you express yourself and release suppressed emotions so your mind can settle into a calm, peaceful state. This guided meditation offers a safe and supportive space to release anxiety and emotional tension, allowing you to let go of the feelings you have been holding beneath the surface.

This guided sleep meditation supports emotional processing without the need to analyze or fix anything. Simply allowing your emotions to be present helps them flow naturally. This practice promotes a sense of emotional safety so you drift into a deep, restorative sleep. Trust that tonight, you are supported, held, and free to rest.

Transcript

Tonight,

Give your emotions space to be expressed,

So that you can effortlessly find freedom from them.

Held in a safe and sacred inner container,

You'll move through emotional processing and release so that you can rediscover inner peace.

My name is Jason Stevenson and it's a gift to guide you on tonight's journey.

It's a practice that will free your heart and mind before guiding you into a restorative night's sleep.

As you settle into this meditation,

Take a moment to honor however you are showing up right now.

Anxiety,

Frustration,

Uncertainty or fear,

Whatever emotional currents are flowing through you,

This practice will hold and transform them,

But first,

Give them permission to be present,

With compassion and patience,

Allow them to be here.

Take a couple of slow,

Steady breaths as you settle in and with each exhale,

Sink deeper into the support of your bed and this practice.

This is your time to take care of yourself,

This is your time to tend,

Befriend and let go,

Simply follow my guidance as the meditation unfolds and know that you can have full agency over this journey.

If anything becomes too much,

You can refocus your attention on your breath,

On the bed beneath you or on anything that helps you feel grounded.

Before we move into this visualization,

Take a moment to tend to the crown of your head and as your attention gently rests on this place,

Imagine a subtle current of relaxation flowing in,

This ease and surrender stretches across your forehead,

Guiding physical tension or swirling thoughts to soften,

Softness spreads across your eyebrows,

Temples and cheeks before melting into your jaw and mouth,

Your entire face gently relaxes and so do the sides and back of your head,

Every cell,

Muscle and organ in your head surrenders with a soft sigh,

Stories gently untangling from the day.

Naturally this current of ease flows along the sides of your neck,

Massaging out any knots of tension there,

It unfolds gently across your shoulders as you give them permission to lay down any baggage you've been carrying,

Your shoulders melt into the bed beneath you,

Deeply and completely supported,

Then inch by inch in a downward flow,

Your arms begin to relax,

Your upper arms,

Every cell,

Bone and muscle within them,

Sink with gravity into the bed supporting you and so do your elbows and your lower arms surrendering to the quietude and support of this moment,

Your wrists melt gently and so do your hands,

Releasing their grip on the past,

Releasing their grip on the future,

Take a slow deep breath all the way down to your fingertips,

Sensing your arms sink a little bit more as you exhale,

There's nothing they need to hold or carry,

For a few gentle breaths,

Sense into your heart space now,

With every inhale,

Imagine your heart filling with love,

Care and support from the universe,

And with every exhale,

Let any walls around it begin to melt or chip away to whatever degree feels comfortable for you,

Know that this process is not a race,

It's a gradual,

Gentle,

Compassionate unfolding,

Simply be open to the possibility of softening,

Wherever and however much you presently can,

As your heart slowly begins to soften,

Imagine a ripple of relaxation extending outwards,

It brings softness and ease to your whole chest and your entire upper back,

Tension and tightness begin to melt away down into the grounding earth below,

Then draw your attention to the top of your spine and slowly inch all the way down your spinal cord,

As you do this,

Offer your nervous system a whisper of gratitude for all that it's held,

For all that it's worked to process already,

Then let it know that it's time to rest now,

This is it's time to be restored,

Continue down your spine until you land in your belly and see if you can let this area soften,

Notice the way your belly naturally expands as you breathe in,

And softens as you breathe out,

This gentle glow of relaxation expands to soften your hips and pelvis,

And slowly and gently it journeys down your legs,

Guiding your quads and hamstrings to soften and surrender,

Bringing ease and nourishment to your knees,

Reminding your calves that there's nowhere they need to take you,

Feeling them surrender with gravity into the mattress below,

And then passing gently and lovingly through your ankles,

Before landing in both of your feet,

All the way to your toes,

Your legs and feet surrender,

There's nowhere they need to carry you,

And then,

Take a few slow steady breaths as you sense into your whole body,

Becoming aware of any tension or tightness that needs an extra nudge to soften with care,

Grace and compassion,

Surrender with each exhale,

Letting your body be cocooned by the bed below and the space above you,

Now let your attention settle back down on your feet,

And begin to imagine that these feet are wrapped in warm snow boots,

Firmly rooted to a snow covered pathway,

A wooded expanse of evergreen trees unfolds around you,

And before you,

A cozy serene art studio appears,

A small cedar cabin with large windows and a stone chimney,

Sending a gentle spiral of smoke into the still crisp air,

A colourful wind chimes hang from the eaves,

And a large lantern sits on the wraparound porch,

Casting a soft amber glow across the snow,

Three steps sit before you,

Leading up to the hand painted door of the cabin,

Imagine this door painted in any colours and designs that feel safe,

Soothing and welcoming for you,

Maybe it's a rich solid mahogany tone or a mural of pastel flowers,

And this art studio is a safe,

Still and private sanctuary,

A sacred space where you can process and express any emotions you've been experiencing lately,

So take a few breaths to witness this protective place as being all your own,

Sensing into steady support and the warmth it exudes,

When you're ready,

Take those three steps up to the porch,

Arriving at the cabin's front door,

Gently tap the snow off your boots,

And then reach for the handle and slowly make your way inside,

As you enter the cabin,

You are cloaked in warm air,

Rich with the mingling scent of melting beeswax,

Apple cinnamon and cedar,

You take off your boots and your winter coat,

Tucking your feet into warm slippers by the entrance,

Then your gaze widens to absorb the cosy comforts and warm beauty of this small single roomed cabin,

A cast iron stove sits near the corner,

Its fire crackling softly,

Casting soft golden light across the cedar walls,

Stacks of split logs rest neatly by the half,

Ready to keep the cabin warm through the night,

A low table sits near a wide cushioned chair,

Draped with a thick wool blanket,

And shelves line one of the walls,

Crowded with jars of paintbrushes,

Pieces of driftwood and stones and colourful yarn,

A few candles are aglow,

A small kitchenette sits in the opposite corner,

With jars of dried flowers and herbs atop its counter,

And at the very centre of the room,

In front of the cabin's tall windows,

A single blank canvas sits on a wooden easel,

It's been patiently waiting your arrival,

Take a few breaths to centre yourself here,

Feeling the steady floor beneath your feet,

The A-framed roof above your head,

And the four walls that surround you,

This is a safe and protected inner sanctuary,

It is yours and yours alone,

You stand before the canvas,

Gazing for a few quiet moments beyond it,

The snow falls gently on the quiet earth outside,

And the low sun blankets the land,

The blank canvas,

And the whole room with shimmering golden light,

Towering pines and spruce trees encompass the world beyond the window,

An extra layer of protection and privacy,

Now beside the wooden easel,

Is a sturdy workbench,

Holding pallets,

Tubes of paint,

And all sorts of paintbrushes,

Both fine tipped and wide bristled,

And to your delight,

There is a mug of hot tea as well,

It's steam is infused with the grounding scent of apple and cinnamon,

A warming restorative drink to help you settle in here,

Go ahead and take a few sips,

As the tea lands in your belly,

Warmth stretches through every cell and muscle,

And so does a growing softness,

You feel anchored and supported,

As you prepare to express yourself,

Safely,

Privately,

And self-compassionately,

Rest your mug aside now,

You can have more tea later,

But for now,

You reach for a wide pallet,

And you start filling it with dabs of bright paint,

Red,

Blue,

And green,

Yellow,

Orange,

And purple,

Once your pallet is ready,

You choose a wide bristled paintbrush,

And you stand before and gaze at the blank canvas,

Ground through the soles of your feet,

And before you begin painting,

Take a few slow,

Steady breaths,

Inhaling to feel the apple cinnamon air expand your chest,

Exhaling to let your shoulders drop and your jaw unclench,

Anchor into the invitation of this moment,

Knowing that this is your space and time to express and free yourself,

And nothing is asked of you except to show up honestly and self-compassionately,

With whatever is moving through you,

And as you stand before the canvas,

Begin to notice what you're feeling right now,

Maybe it's frustration or anger,

Jealousy or fear,

Anxiety or heaviness,

Or maybe it's neutral,

Whatever is here,

Open your heart to it,

And gently,

Whatever you're feeling,

It's raw essence is welcome here,

And the canvas before you is a safe place to let it out,

Giving it shape,

Color,

And flow,

And when you're ready,

Dip your brush into the color that calls you first,

Maybe red for frustration or anger,

Blue for fear or heaviness,

Or green for envy or longing,

And then let your hand move freely on the canvas,

In streaks,

In swirls,

Or in bold splashing motions,

Any way you feel intuitively called to,

And stroke by stroke,

You are expressing what needs to be expressed,

You are letting flow what needs to flow,

Each motion helps you to process what you've been feeling,

Not through rationale or analysis,

But through allowance,

Movement,

And expression,

As you paint,

You might notice other emotions wanting to be expressed,

Dipping now into the blue,

Red,

Or green,

Or maybe yellow,

Orange,

Or purple,

Paint everything out of your mind,

Your heart,

And your body,

All confusion and sadness,

All anxiety and uncertainty,

All restlessness,

Worry and anticipation,

Everything can move through you here,

Being witnessed and released,

With each brush stroke,

You feel yourself growing lighter,

And lighter,

Spaciousness is beginning to appear inside of you,

In all the places these emotions once took up,

But there's no need to rush to that state,

Allow your mind,

Heart,

And body,

The time they need to keep expressing themselves,

Paint with as many strokes as you need to,

Give yourself permission to take this time to free yourself,

Soften any judgements or analysis about how you're painting,

This isn't about the artwork,

It's about the process,

Allow your hands to move fluidly and freely,

Giving yourself space to breathe,

And you might notice that you're starting to gravitate towards other tubes of paint now,

To the gentler colours,

The ones that soften and soothe,

Pick up a new palette when you're ready,

And fill it with lilac,

Pale blue,

And rose quartz pink,

And as you've been doing,

Allow yourself to paint freely,

Perhaps noticing a growing softness in your paint strokes,

Naturally your mind and whole energy system are calming down,

They're sinking into a quieter rhythm,

A gentler one,

You might notice some lighter and more comforting emotions coming through your paintbrush,

Emotions like love,

Awe,

And quiet contentment,

And stay curious about what's unfolding,

Not rushing to get anywhere,

The more you're sensing how dynamic this human experience is,

Giving space to the full range of your human emotions,

You're beginning to feel more kindness and compassion towards yourself,

And you're trusting that emotions are meant to be in flow,

Troubling emotions may come,

But when we give ourselves permission to express them in safe ways,

They depart with ease and grace,

Maybe reaching for the most serene tones of white,

Silver,

And pale gold,

Feel how smoothly and slowly your hand flows now,

Filling the canvas with ease,

Care,

And peace,

And continue for just a short while longer,

Until soon your arm drops and there's nothing left to paint,

Connect with the slow and steady rhythm of your breath as you gaze at the canvas before you,

Soft,

Shimmering tones predominate,

Glowing gently in the golden light of the cabin,

Take a few breaths to simply stand and witness what you've created,

This unique and authentic reflection of everything you've felt and released,

Notice how your body feels now,

Maybe there's a spaciousness in your chest,

A quietude in your mind,

Or a weight that's been lifted from your shoulders,

Let yourself sink into full acknowledgement of the transformation that's taken place here,

And into the growing sense of ease and relaxation that encompasses your mind,

Body,

And heart,

Gently now,

Set your brush down on the workbench,

Your belly softens and your shoulders drop,

And as a subtle smile stretches from cheek to cheek,

It's a smile of self-acknowledgement,

Acknowledging your full humanity with compassion,

Acknowledging your ability to let go and be transformed,

No emotions last forever,

All they want is the freedom to flow,

You reach for your tea,

Which is still warm,

And you carry it,

Moving slowly towards the iron stove,

And carefully and quietly,

You creak the glass door of the fireplace open,

And add a couple of logs for continued warmth,

Closing the door,

You take pause here,

Noticing how the new wood begins to glow as the amber flames wrap around them,

You are immensely grateful for this fire,

For the warmth and luminosity they offer to this quiet winter's night,

Now you rise gently and make your way to the cushioned armchair that faces the forested world outside,

You drape the wool blanket over your legs and cozy up with your warm tea,

Mug held snug between your palms,

And as you settle in,

Feeling your sit bones firmly rooted to the chair,

Take a few slow clearing breaths,

Breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth,

In through your nose and out through your mouth,

Breathe naturally as you watch the world beyond the window,

You admire the way glistening silver snowflakes spiral and dance down to earth,

They land on a blanket of snow that's thickening as night falls,

Your eyes move towards the sky,

Which is a deepening gradient of soft indigo and frosted violet,

The sun has just sunk behind the horizon,

And a few lingering streaks of gold and amber stretch across the falling night,

The winter air is still,

There's not even a hint of wind in the trees,

The world is preparing for deep rest,

And so are you,

Now as you inch towards sleep,

You might notice traces of emotion rising up to the surface of your awareness,

Maybe you notice them in your body,

In your heart,

Or simply as a thought,

Allow this to be okay,

Allow this to be completely natural,

Emotions will come and go as we move through life,

But the important thing is that we allow the latter to take place,

That we allow them to go,

So if any uncomfortable emotions reappear,

First notice them with compassion and patience,

They wish to be seen,

Then allow them to flow with your breath,

Leaving your body with each exhale,

Use as many breaths as you need to return home to the stable still place inside of you,

In between any thoughts or feelings,

Let yourself rest in and fully savour this quiet sanctuary in the forest,

It is a reflection of the stillness and quietude that is always within you,

That sometimes we just need a little help finding our way back to,

Gaze out at the night sky,

Which glistens in dark indigo and deep amethyst,

Thousands of stars glisten and a half moon rises,

The earth is now bathed in serene silver light,

A hush settles over everything,

Including you,

So take one more moment to marvel at the winter beauty beyond the window,

Then bring your attention back inside,

Take a moment to thank these walls and the roof for sheltering you,

And the canvas for being a safe place where you could express and release,

You can come back here and repeat this process at any time,

Take just a few more sips of your apple cinnamon tea,

Feeling yourself anchor more deeply as it lands in and warms your belly,

And then set your mug aside and curl up comfortably in this large plush armchair,

Your head finding a comfortable place to rest,

With your next exhale,

Slowly let your eyes come to a close,

Your mind's eye can rest deeply now,

In preparation for a solid night slumber,

Connect with your breath,

Feeling its recurrent care and nourishment,

And as you breathe gently,

Sense into the quiet underlying calm within you,

A place of deep inner stillness that you can return to at any time,

One last time,

Take a slow gentle sweep through your body,

From the crown of your head to the tips of your toes,

And invite every area to relax,

To gently surrender now,

Any residual tension melting into the earth below,

Your entire face,

Your shoulders relax,

Your arms and your hands relax deeply and completely,

And so does your chest and belly,

And every inch of your legs all the way down to your feet,

And feel how firmly grounded you are to your physical space,

Allowing it to gently cocoon you as you drift into slumber,

And as your consciousness slowly transitions,

Allow the following words of affirmation to flow through you,

And may they remind you of the calm place that is always inside you,

And of your power to come back to that place whenever you need to,

I give myself the time and space I need to let go,

I honour the feelings that arise and allow them to flow,

I am grounded,

Supported and centred,

I express my emotions freely in safe and caring ways,

I am patient,

Tender and compassionate with myself,

I cultivate spaciousness in my mind,

Heart and body,

I am deeply attuned to the quiet sanctuary inside of me,

I welcome rest and renewal into my whole being,

I am free to let go of what no longer serves me,

With each breath I am reminded to let go,

I hold space for my emotions with wisdom and care,

I come home to my inner calm whenever I need to,

I am resourced to manage my emotions with wisdom,

I take incredible care of myself,

My mind,

My body,

My emotions,

I give myself permission to feel and let go,

I soften my attachments to things I've outgrown,

The peace I seek lives within me,

Like my breath,

I allow things to ebb and flow,

I nurture myself with kindness,

Patience and compassion,

Complete and enough,

Exactly as I am.

Until next time,

Goodnight my friend,

Goodnight.