Release Your Anxiety, Heal Your Heart

Tonight will become a sanctuary for your heart. Let go of the anxiety within and allow your emotional body to heal with tonight’s guided sleep meditation. As the golden light of the campfire flickers against the night, you are invited to release the weight of your worries. This meditation offers a safe space for your heart to soften, your mind to grow still, and your body to rest deeply.

Transcript

Feel your heart tonight as you sit before a quiet campfire,

Its golden light flickering against the slow unfolding of twilight.

As the warm restorative flames renew your emotional body,

Your mental,

Physical and spiritual layers will be soothed as well.

My name is Jason Stevenson and I'm grateful you've arrived here.

May this practice be a sanctuary for your heart,

Offering strength,

Softness and stillness.

Take a moment now to prepare yourself for a solid night of deep rest,

Because anywhere along this journey you're welcome to drift into sleep.

If a morning alarm is needed,

Take a moment to set that now.

Then let your body come to stillness,

Nestling into the mattress,

Your pillow and the sheets or blankets that cocoon you.

Fill your body with a slow,

Expansive breath in,

Sighing as you breathe out.

Another slow,

Nourishing breath in and a gentle,

Cleansing release.

Continue to breathe naturally as your attention settles on the soles of your feet.

And as you sense into these areas,

Imagine deep amber threads of light rising up from the heart of the earth and into each foot.

They weave into each sole like light-filled roots,

Grounding your body to the earth.

As your feet are touched by amber luminosity,

They soften,

Releasing the day behind them,

Melting into the present moment.

Now,

Welcome this presence of light to take a journey through your body,

Bringing ease and release to any tension it moves through.

Envision the light entering your ankles now,

Pulsating gently as it dissolves any tension or discomfort that may be stored in these joints.

And as your ankles are softened and soothed,

The earth's amber aura rises to fill your calves and shins,

Soothing every cell,

Bone and muscle there.

Your lower legs surrender to the bed and earth below.

As the light enters your knees,

Bringing peace and comfort to these joints,

Then envision the light ascending further,

Stretching through every cell and muscle of your quads and hamstrings.

Your upper legs release all tension,

Dropping into the support of the present moment.

Hold both legs in your awareness for a slow,

Deep breath,

Surrendering further into the light as you exhale.

Now,

Envision this grounding amber presence circulating around your hips,

Melting any tension or tightness that may be stored there.

And as your hips relax,

The light expands to fill your entire pelvic bowl and your belly as well.

Imagine these lowermost parts of your abdomen deeply nourished by this warm,

Nutritive light,

And with your next few exhalations,

Deepen your felt sense of surrender here,

Belly softening with each breath.

Feel the warmth of this light permeating every muscle in your lower back,

Dissolving tension or discomfort,

Then welcome the light to rise up your torso,

Travelling along your spine and central nervous system.

Imagine the light travelling out from this central corridor in your body,

Restoring every cell and muscle,

While soothing every nerve fibre.

Your physical body is settling into rest and digest,

And your mind is following suit.

Slowly and naturally,

The light unfolds into your chest,

Infusing your heart and lungs with ease,

Care and nourishment.

Take a few slow,

Steady breaths into your heart space,

Deepening your felt sense of the golden amber glow that pervades it.

With each inhale,

The light gently expands,

Warmth and nourishment echoing out in all directions.

With each exhale,

Your heart and chest soften,

Surrendering to the support of the earth.

Now imagine that from deep within the soil,

More roots of warm amber light rise up,

Entering each hand.

Envision your hands openly receiving this warmth and care from the earth as they release their grip,

Surrendering deeply.

This warm presence flows like liquid honey up your arms,

Soothing your wrists,

Relaxing the muscles in your forearms,

Nurturing your elbows,

And guiding your upper arms to relax completely,

Any striving and all tension melting into the mattress below.

Feel your arms with a slow,

Deep inhale all the way to your fingertips,

And deepen the release as you exhale.

This rich amber light rises into your shoulders,

Dissolving any tension or tightness that may be stored there,

And as your shoulders relax,

These streams of light fuse with the light that rises from your heart.

It gently massages your collarbones as your upper chest and back relax completely.

Now envision the light completing its journey through the body,

Flowing through your neck,

Offering deep release to those muscles,

Before softening your jaw,

Relaxing your cheeks and forehead,

Filling your entire face and headspace.

Envision this warm,

Restorative light filling every inch of your entire head,

Offering warmth,

Care,

And ease.

Take a slow,

Deep breath into the light that fills your crown,

And exhale with a soft sigh of deep release.

Take just a few more breaths to envision your whole body aglow with the Earth's inner amber light.

It grounds,

Restores,

And relaxes every part of you,

And as your body relaxes,

Your mind relaxes,

And your heart grows wider in preparation to receive additional layers of release and healing.

Slowly now,

The amber glow in your body dissipates,

And as it does,

You envision yourself stepping into a quiet lakeside sanctuary beneath the violet light of dusk.

Tall,

Ancient trees encircle the lake,

Their canopies adorned by the rich,

Earthy hues of autumn.

Just a few feet ahead of you,

Next to the quiet evening waters,

Is a glowing campfire,

Radiating rich hues of orange,

Gold,

And soft crimson.

Take a moment to anchor yourself in this serene setting beneath a cloudless,

Violet sky,

Protected by the wise autumn forest that surrounds you,

Warmed by the contained fire next to the lake.

A light breeze rustles the trees,

Shaking weightless leaves from their branches.

Watch the way they gradually drift down to the earth,

A natural embodiment of surrender.

As your feet anchor to the forest floor,

Notice what the ground feels like beneath your soles.

You might even notice the earth's subtle pulse,

Which soothes your spirit.

And as you root through your feet,

You notice the rich,

Grounding smell of this sanctuary,

A blend of fallen leaves,

Pine needles,

And wood smoke.

With each breath,

This earthy aroma relaxes your body,

Quiets your mind,

And softens your heart.

Now,

Your awareness returns to the golden flames of the campfire.

You watch the way they swirl and spiral into the evening sky.

The fire is beckoning you,

Warmly and gently inviting you towards it.

So,

When you're ready,

You move in its direction,

Taking a seat at a comfortable distance away from its flames.

As you settle in there,

You might imagine yourself sitting directly upon the earth,

Or on a cushion or blanket.

Then imagine that a soft blanket or cloak is draped over your shoulders,

Providing warmth,

Comfort,

And support.

The fire is nestled within an ancient stone circle.

It contains the fire safely,

Helping you to relax as you sit next to it.

This campfire has appeared on your life's journey as a symbol of restorative heart energy,

Warm,

Loving,

And healing.

It mirrors the light in your own heart as well as the light of the earth,

Here to offer emotional restoration and deep compassion.

So,

As you sit before its warming flames,

Take a moment to connect with your heart.

Perhaps laying one or both palms on this part of your body,

And take a few quiet moments to just offer your heart your full,

Compassionate presence.

So often in our day-to-day life,

We ignore the whispers of our heart.

Equally,

We can find ourselves desperately analyzing or trying to fix it.

But as you settle in here and now,

Next to the warm,

Gentle fire,

Can you simply be a loving observer of your heart?

You might ask yourself,

Can I simply listen?

Can I simply be here with my heart as a wise,

Compassionate witness to it?

Take a few slow,

Steady breaths to simply notice what's present in your heart space,

And if emotions arise,

That's entirely natural.

Try to bear witness without being swept away by the heart's stories.

Instead,

Cultivate the skill of wisely holding space for your experience,

As if you were a loving elder.

If anything becomes too much to bear witness to,

You can reconnect with your breath or the feeling of your body on the bed.

Do whatever you need to do to support yourself.

Now,

As you hold your heart in loving awareness,

You might notice that some of the things it carries are preparing for release.

This release does not come through pressure or force,

But rather from a natural opening to life's inherent flow.

Your heart does not want to carry what's ready to be moved.

So to get curious about what's ready for transition,

You might quietly ask yourself,

What might I surrender to this fire tonight?

What can I allow the fire to absorb,

Restore,

And transform?

You might become aware of a limiting belief,

A tension held too tightly,

Or an old story that's been holding you back.

And as the things yearning for release become known to you,

Breathe them out to the fire.

Allow its flames to lovingly absorb them,

As they transmute to a misty smoke rising into the benevolent universe.

This process of release may continue to stir your emotions,

And that's okay.

It's natural.

But remember that whatever arises,

You are grounded here.

You are deeply supported by the earth and by the steady warmth of the fire.

Now notice that in the center of your chest,

An orb of rich amber light starts to grow.

It mirrors the warmth and vitality of the fire,

Nourishing and deeply compassionate.

This is your loving heart center,

Burning brightly,

Your inner source of strength and compassion.

Feel its gentle glow expand with each breath,

Filling your chest with warmth and kindness.

Allow this light to gently dissolve any residual tension or outdated,

Hard-held stories.

Give yourself room to breathe,

To soften,

To surrender what doesn't need to be held any longer.

A natural healing force is moving through you.

It comes from both the campfire and the center of your own heart.

It's the healing force of compassion.

It's the compassion that infuses the universe,

And the self-compassion that comes from within.

As you allow this current of healing energy to move through you,

Quietly ask,

What loving words does my heart need to hear right now?

What loving words does my heart need to hear right now?

Whisper to your heart any words of care that will support its healing.

And if this feels challenging,

Consider what words you'd offer to a loved one whose heart was in need of some care and kindness.

Give yourself the same compassion that you'd offer to someone you love.

Now let your inner world fall quiet.

As your awareness returns to the campfire,

Your breath softens as you observe the dancing,

Flickering flames and the tiny golden sparks that dart like fireflies into the darkening sky.

Notice that the once violet sky is now a rich,

Majestic amethyst.

Silver stars burn brightly,

And a full moon rises slowly.

And as your mind falls quiet,

Your heart becoming increasingly receptive to the love all around you,

You can hear the fire send a subtle message.

It whispers,

You are held and protected.

You are loved and you are healing.

You are held and you are protected.

You are loved and you are healing.

Take a few moments to simply notice what it feels like to be in the presence of the fire's compassionate,

Glowing warmth.

Feel its golden light soothing your crown and forehead,

Quietening any thoughts in your mind.

As your forehead physically surrenders,

And slowly scan your entire body all the way to the soles of your feet,

Feeling the way the golden light nurtures and soothes the whole of you.

Your jaw unclenches.

Your shoulders release any residual weight they've been holding.

Your back and belly soften.

As your hands,

Arms,

Legs,

And feet surrender to the earth below.

There is nothing you need to cling to,

And nothing you need to push away either.

Trust the natural flow of all things,

Including emotions,

As you naturally settle into deeper layers of peace,

Healing,

And well-being.

As you sit beside this restorative campfire,

You return to your other senses.

Ground your awareness in the feeling of the earth beneath you,

In the blended fragrance of pine trees and wood fire.

With each inhale,

Your body fills with restorative life energy,

And with each exhale,

You soften,

Surrender,

And stay rooted.

If thoughts or emotions continue to arise,

You can surrender them as many times as you need to,

Breathing them out to the loving heart fire within or before you.

In the meantime,

You deepen your felt sense of your sit bones on the earth,

And imagine that from deep within the heart of the earth,

Glowing amber roots rise to meet your body once again.

Imagine these roots flowing through your sit bones,

Then weaving through your whole body like warm,

Restorative nerve signals.

Imagine that they carry a message from the earth itself,

Silently whispering,

You are safe and anchored here.

You can let your heart rest now.

You are safe and anchored here.

You can let your heart rest now.

You are feeling on a very deep level that heart healing isn't something to force,

It's something to be allowed.

It's something you can slowly and gently soften into,

And as you soften into it,

An inner strength grows.

So allow yourself to soften with a few deeply cleansing sighs.

With your first exhale,

You soften through your physical body.

With your second,

You soften any thoughts in your mind,

And with your third,

You soften through your heart space.

Letting it rest deeply and completely.

As body,

Mind,

And heart surrender naturally,

Your spirit is restored.

You can feel how deeply held you are,

And how deeply the universe loves and supports you.

If you're still imagining luminous roots woven through your body,

You can release that imagery now.

Then envision yourself lying down on the earth beside the campfire.

You're becoming increasingly tired,

Ready to restore through sleep.

Imagine your head melting into a pillow here,

And a warm blanket draped over your body.

And just before sleep arrives,

You gaze out at the beauty of this landscape.

You notice that the dark silhouette of the forest that surrounds,

Feeling its care and protection.

You marvel at the velvet,

Moonlit sky,

Sensing the way the moon is watching over you.

And you notice that the moon's perfect silver circle reflects off the lake.

Its stillness calms and soothes you,

A mirror of the stillness that now permeates your emotional body.

And of course,

You notice the glowing campfire,

Its flames now burning low and steadily.

You feel safe,

Soothed,

And deeply grounded in its presence.

You reconnect with your breath,

Noticing once again the grounding fragrance of pine,

Wood smoke,

And fallen leaves.

But it's the fallen leaves that stand out to you most now.

Just like the leaves have gently surrendered their hold on the trees,

Autumn reminds you that it's natural to let go.

It's not about forcing anything,

It's about flowing with the rhythm of the earth.

Because as the earth restores,

Renews,

And creates space for new life to emerge in time,

So too can your heart naturally let go,

Making room for growth and rebirth.

Feel this seasonal wisdom settle within you now,

Reminding you that surrender is fertile ground for peace,

Beauty,

And emergence.

Now take a few more breaths to connect with the imagery of this serene inner landscape.

Notice which part feels most deeply nourishing and grounding for you,

And breathe into their essence.

Offer this place and the glowing fire a word of gratitude for the restoration it offered you,

And when you're ready,

Let your inner eye come to a close,

The details of this place dissipating.

Eyes closed,

You can still sense the warm golden glow of the campfire permeating your eyelids.

This healing light fills your forehead and third eye,

Offering peace,

Ease,

And inner quietude.

And one last time,

Allow the light to move through your body,

Expanding to fill every cell,

Bone,

Organ,

And muscle.

As the light moves through you,

Your jaw softens,

Your shoulders relax,

And your arms surrender all the way down to your fingertips.

Your heart and back relax deeply,

Before the light pours into your belly and pelvis,

Bringing ease,

Warmth,

And lightness to your entire torso.

Slowly and gently,

This soothing presence unravels from your legs to your toes,

Filling your entire body with restorative luminosity.

Take three slow,

Steady breaths into your light-filled body,

Melting with each exhale,

And after your third cleansing release,

Let the light dissipate completely.

As it dissolves,

It leaves deep peace,

Stillness,

And relaxation in its wake.

Now,

There's nothing left for you to visualize tonight.

Your mind's eye can rest deeply now.

If thoughts or emotions arise as you gently drift into slumber,

Practice gentle surrender with an out-breath,

And as your breath naturally rocks you to sleep,

Let the following words of affirmation flow through you.

You don't need to repeat them,

Nor cling onto them.

Just let the vibration of these words settle into your heart,

Mind,

Body,

And soul.

And as you sleep,

They will continue to restore you,

Grounding your whole self in peace,

Ease,

And well-being.

I will leave you to bathe in these peaceful affirmations now.

My heart is restored,

Breath by breath.

I am whole,

And I am healing.

I surrender to the peace of the present moment.

My thinking mind is calm and free.

I am anchored to the loving earth.

I am loved without condition by the universe.

Self-compassion is abundant within me.

I speak to myself with kindness.

I let go as gracefully as autumn leaves detach from trees.

I give myself permission to heal.

I am safe,

Anchored,

And protected.

I am supported by an inner and outer strength.

A loving light lives within me.

I am nourished by slow,

Loving breaths.

A healing current of compassion flows through me.

I listen to my heart with care.

I release what no longer serves me.

I am rooted in peace and presence.

I soften and surrender my mind with ease.

My heart is full of peace,

Love,

And warmth.

And until next time,

Goodnight my friend,

Goodnight.