Hello and welcome to this soft and soothing sleep meditation that will help you to fall asleep with greater ease.
My name is Jason Stevenson and over the next short while I will guide you through a mindful talk down and visualization that will promote a deep and complete sense of rest and release.
To settle in take a moment to find a comfortable lying down position,
Making adjustments now that feel supportive for you.
Know that at any time during this meditation you are welcome to follow the calls of your body,
Mindfully adjusting yourself for complete comfort as needed.
Now however you find yourself here,
Take a moment to notice the body's position and where comfortable see if you might straighten the spine or open the heart space just a little bit.
This opening and straightening is not necessary if you are comfortable but it can help to promote a posture of ease and openness and release.
Now if you haven't already done so let your eyes come to close and then take a moment to draw your attention into the body through the breath.
Begin your next breath with mindful awareness held at the nostrils and then slowly follow the inhalation as it moves through the throat,
Fills the lungs and perhaps creates an expansion in your belly.
Then follow the same movement in reverse watching the way the body shifts alongside the exhalation.
Just spend a few moments watching this steadying flow as it moves through you again and again by grace.
As you settle into this meditation see where you might invite a gentle softening to take place,
Perhaps that is in the belly,
In the jaw,
In the mind and the muscles around the brows or in any part of you that is calling for release.
Know that in this moment it is safe to let go,
It is safe to release.
If any parts of the body yearn for nourishment see if you can direct your breath towards each of these areas.
With each breath in imagine that a particular part of the body or mind is being granted healing,
Light and love.
And then as the breath moves away from that area imagine it carrying any tension or worry into the universe for transformation.
If there are no particular areas calling for your attention imagine the entire body being filled with healing nourishing energy as you take your next breath in.
And imagine any subconscious tensions being released as you exhale.
Take just a few more moments to witness this replenishment and this release before we move into our visualization for the night.
Now hold your entire being in your loving awareness taking this time to tune in with whatever is present within you.
Hone in on your experience of the physical body noting whatever sensations might be stirring,
Perhaps you notice a softening,
A tingling or a sense of something shifting and flowing.
Then shift your attention away from the physical body and into the mind's eye into the empty space in front of your closed eyes.
As we enter this soothing relaxation know that there is nothing for you to achieve here.
All that you are invited to do is to let these words fill you as they naturally create peaceful imagery in support of relaxation.
Just allow this to happen by grace without any force.
So I invite you now to imagine that upon this empty canvas before your closed eyes a sprawling mountainous terrain emerges before you.
Wherever you are it is early autumn and the colors of the leaves are beginning to shift away from green and into gold,
Amber and mahogany.
The grass of the valley you stand in is still shamrock green hanging on to the radiant aliveness of the summer months.
Within the valley where you stand there is a small village perched at the edge of a small lake.
The homes look quiet and peaceful blending in with a serene backdrop that holds them.
The lake ahead which rests just a short distance away from you now is a shimmering turquoise blue.
Around the edge of the lake a small trail curves into the distance and then sneaks away into the heavily wooded mountainside.
Something about the way it hugs the water's edge and then disappears into the woods beckons you towards it.
Filling this draw to explore the natural world before the sun sets you zip up your fall coat in preparation to follow the trail.
You take a deep full breath in and out.
You continue to breathe mindfully as you notice the aroma of fresh air,
Rich soil and evergreen trees.
Each of these breaths cleanses you further bringing you closer towards complete balance.
You begin to walk slow step by slow step towards the water's edge where the trail begins.
As you move away from the quaint and comforting town you open your heart to the peace,
Serenity and nourishment of the wild natural world that awaits you.
Finally you arrive at the edge of the glistening lake.
The mid-afternoon sun reflecting back into your eyes through a million dancing dots upon the water's surface.
Ebbing and flowing ever so softly against the shore you feel it lulling your heart into harmony.
Take a moment to tune in with the heart space silently inquiring into what it yearns for most deeply in this moment.
Whatever arises take a moment to word this in the present tense letting this mystic body of water witness and hold your deepest intent for the rest of this journey.
Now the path curves around the entire lake but you decide to take the route that veers to the right.
Turning towards its beginning you take another deep breath in and then you begin down the narrow hard-pressed dirt trail that leads you into the woods.
As you move further away from the town the forest to the right of you becomes denser.
The land begins to slope upwards gently transitioning from low land to mountain.
Off to your left the lake remains in view.
Scattered trees and shrubs line the shore but through them the bright blue waters reflect back into your eyes.
As you walk by the water's edge you feel deeply connected to this fluid element.
Always in flow,
Always adaptable,
Graceful and dynamic.
This beautiful body of water reminds you to connect with the energy of change opening yourself to life's flow with ease,
Grace and trust.
A soft smile spreads through your insides as you feel yourself sinking into greater peace and acceptance of this present moment and so you carry on with joy rippling through you.
A soft and humble happiness spreading outwards from within.
As you carry on you shift your attention for a few moments away from the water and to the earth beneath your feet.
With each step you ground further into the stable and secure land that holds you here and becoming more curious about the movement of walking you observe each step from its beginning to its end and through the transition to your next step you watch as your heel rises off the earth first curving onto your toes that then too rise delicately into the air and then as it lands you notice the silent thud of your heel making contact first.
The rest of your foot slowly makes earth contact as well as the other foot begins its movement.
You watch this slow and rhythmic dance of your two feet for a few moments as you continue walking along this packed soil path.
After a short while you return your attention to the world around you opening your awareness for everything to filter in.
You hear birds whispering in the tree branches overhead and you hear the gentle lap of water against the rocky shore to your left.
Soon however the path begins to veer away from the water.
The subtle sounds of light waves become more distant.
At the same time the path begins to rise the gentle incline signaling that you are beginning your ascent up the mountain and though you are new to the world around you nearly ready to really completely relax you honor the path that you have found yourself on.
You trust that soon you will be able to rest and release entirely letting every corner of both body and mind surrender.
As you pull away from the water and into the mountain the forest becomes even more dense than you had realized it was before.
Only small streams of light trickle through the canopy casting a soft majestic glow through the woods.
The aroma in this fresh pristine space intensifies.
The scent of pine,
Cedar and birch lend themselves to your nostrils deepening your connection to the earth beneath your feet.
You take a deep breath in and out feeling reinvigorated and inspired by this barely touched ecosystem.
The further you go the greater your awareness expands.
More and more of the mountainous forest comes to your attention.
Red and yellow crested birds,
Bushy-tailed squirrels,
Amber-coated foxes and other woodland creatures begin to appear.
Trails of ants and other insects find their way here too.
The harmony of it all brings you a deep sense of peace.
You carry on for quite some time weaving through the woods towards the summit.
Eventually the space between the trees grows wider the forest begins to thin.
Shrubs,
Tree roots and moss-covered boulders spread out across the forest floor.
Sunlight trickles through the canopy with greater force casting a warm penetrating glow upon the exposed soil.
The incline begins to lessen until soon you are on flat earth.
You continue ahead veering towards what appears to be the edge of the tree line and all of a sudden you reach the view your heart has been calling out for.
Here at the edge of this great summit you have a view of the entire valley below and the majestic mountains that surround.
Take a moment to envision,
To hold,
This wondrous view.
You marvel at the soothing palette of warm tones in the leaves that blanket the trees.
Marigold,
Burgundy and amber foliage slowly sweeps through the canopy.
You stand in awe of the shimmering waters down below and the striking mountain peaks that extend across the horizon.
You take a deep breath in of this incredible landscape surrendering to the beauty of this moment as you exhale.
Out of the corner of your eye you observe a small hut and fire pit off to your right.
You make your way in their direction.
In the center of the pit a few shining embers burn bright orange left behind by earlier wanderers.
From the shed next to the pit stacked with twigs,
Branches and logs you stoke the fire to bring back its warmth as the sun slowly sets behind the tree line.
Soon newly placed logs are engulfed in flames and the fire warms you to your core.
You scour the shed to discover what else might be of support for you here.
To your surprise and delight you find a heap of blankets and cushions and so you build yourself a small nest in front of the fire.
Wrapped in one of the beautiful woolen blankets you come to rest on the downturn of the fire.
This is the winter earth nest you've built.
Letting your head land softly on a cushion here you surrender entirely into the summit.
As the sun slowly departs for the day it leaves behind an amber and magenta glow.
The radiant pink light holds and nurtures this entire moment sending a ripple of love and safety through the heart of this experience.
Your own heart expands and softens with each breath in of this pink healing light.
You realize that now you are ready to let go and so you come back into the body.
Closing your eyes on this beautiful view,
Tune back into your presence here in the physical world.
Note what it feels like to be present right here right now.
Take a deep breath into the fullness of your being.
Let it all come together and then let it all back out.
And before slowly drifting off into sleep let us take a moment to relax each and every body part after the journey you've taken today.
Begin by drawing your attention to the crown of your head.
Holding it in your full awareness and then letting it soften as you exhale.
Witness and relax the muscles in your forehead and around your eyes letting the mind surrender into this moment as well.
Draw your awareness through your cheeks,
Your jaw and your mouth.
Relaxing the entire face now.
Let the tongue soften here too.
Observe the throat area and the shoulders.
Letting these parts of the body soften as you exhale.
Scan the length of your right arm from shoulder to fingertips,
Letting this arm rest entirely.
And then let the left arm relax too.
Slowly scanning and relaxing from shoulder through to fingers.
Continuing this deep surrender into this present moment and into slumber.
Observe and soften the chest and heart space.
The spine from neck to tailbone.
And the belly,
Letting each breath expand and soften completely.
Now draw your awareness to your pelvic region.
Seeing if you might invite a softness into your hips,
Your sacral and your root chakra.
And then slowly scan the length of your right leg from the right hip all the way down to your toes.
Letting each part of this limb relax completely.
Repeat this in the same way along the length of your left leg.
Inviting each muscle to soften into the surface that supports you.
Hold your entire body in your loving,
Unconditional awareness now.
Knowing that you are well supported in this letting go process.
As you witness your entire body resting here,
Make note if there are any areas of the body still yearning for your attention.
And if so,
Invite your loving breath into this area for a few final moments before an ultimate surrender into sleep.
Invite the breath all the way into the bottom of the belly once more.
And then let it go with a sigh as you move towards your final descent into sleep.
And until you land there,
Continue to let the breath's natural rhythm carry you.
Ebbing and flowing.
Ebbing and flowing.
Letting go again and again.
And until next time,
Goodnight my friend.
Goodnight.
