Close your eyes and take a breath.
Give your body permission to rest.
Take a moment to settle into your bed,
Finding the most comfortable position.
Allow your eyes to soften,
Your breath to soften,
And each inhale and exhale becomes quieter,
Steadier,
Calmer.
Feel the air coming into the lungs on each inhale,
And the chest gently softening on the exhale.
The slower the breath,
Your heartbeat will begin to slow down and relax.
There's nowhere you need to be and nothing you need to do right now.
This is your time to rest deeply.
As you continue breathing softly,
Allow your body to sink a little deeper into the mattress.
Maybe you feel your shoulders melting away from your ears,
Your hands uncurling and becoming relaxed and your jaw releasing any tightness.
With each breath out,
Imagine any tension you carry from the day melting away from you.
Inhale calm,
Exhale and let go.
Let your mind know now that it's safe to unwind and the thoughts can gently quieten.
I'm going to take you on a journey.
Imagine now that you find yourself standing on the wooden porch of a cosy lakeside cabin on a mild summer's night.
The air around you is perfectly still and you can feel a gentle breeze against your skin.
The last notes of daytime warmth are still radiating from the wood beneath your feet.
You're wearing soft,
Comfortable clothes that sit lightly on your body.
In your hands you cradle a mug of warm tea and you can feel the gentle heat against your palms and your fingers.
Taking a slow sip and as you breathe out you see the faint hint of steam drifting into the night's air and then it disappears.
Above you,
The sky is deep,
Tranquil and turning to night.
The first few stars have begun to peek out,
Twinkling kindly.
Far in the distance,
Across the glassy lake,
You notice a silhouette of pine trees against the horizon.
They're completely still,
Reflected perfectly in the mirror of the lake's surface.
Everything is calm.
Only the sound is a gentle chorus of crickets hidden in the grass and the occasional soft ripple of water as the night's fish stir.
These quiet sounds feel like nature's lullaby,
Blending in with the comfortable silence.
A cool breeze brushes past,
Ruffling the leaves of the oak tree by the cabin.
It carries the clean scent of lake water and pine towards your nostrils.
The breeze is soft and slow,
Almost like the earth itself is exhaling in a sigh of contentment.
As it glides over your skin,
You feel any remaining heat or tension from the day being whisked away,
Replaced by a refreshing coolness.
You pull a blanket around you,
It doesn't feel cold,
But just to savour the snugness.
In this moment,
You feel completely at ease with a warm mug in hand,
Gentle wind on your face and the subtle night sounds around you.
After a few more sips of tea,
You set the mug down on a little side table.
You step off the porch and slowly walk barefoot onto the soft grass that leads to the lake.
The grass is cool and it tickles your toes slightly.
With each step,
You feel more and more connected to the ground.
As if any stress remaining in your body is flowing down through your legs and into the air with every footfall.
You wander towards the water's edge,
Where a small private dock extends a few feet onto the lake.
The planks of the dock are smooth and weathered.
You take a seat at the end of the dock,
Legs dangling comfortably.
You feel your feet a few inches above the calm,
Dark water.
Looking out at the lake,
You see the moon is full.
And it's risen above the trees,
Round and silver,
Casting a long beam of soft light across the water.
The sight is enchanting in its own simplicity.
The moon's reflection forms a gentle,
Sparkling path right towards you.
As you gaze at the moonlit path,
Your mind feels calm and clear as a surface of the lake.
Thoughts that earlier in the day were like choppy waters have now settled into this mirror-like stillness.
You find yourself breathing in rhythm with the lake's barely there movements.
A slow inhale as the tiny wave comes in.
A slow exhale as it glides back out.
With each breath your body grows heavier with relaxation and your heart becomes lighter.
Now you lie back on the dock,
Resting fully.
The wood beneath you supports the body perfectly.
You can even stretch out an arm and touch the water.
Your fingertips skim the cool lake,
Tracing the idle patterns that send small ripples shimmering outwards.
Above the starry sky has blossomed.
Countless stars shimmering and you notice the lazy ribbon of the milky way stretching across the darkness.
It feels as if the universe has slowed down.
Slowed down to watch over this little lake with you.
A sense of profound peace washes over you.
Staring up at the vast gentle sky,
You realize that all of the concerns of your day are far away now.
They've drifted off like leaves on water,
Leaving your inner world quiet and still.
Your eyes grow heavy as you keep them on the stars.
Perhaps you catch a slow moving shooting star trailing gracefully or maybe it's just your imagination.
Either way,
It makes you smile softly.
You feel a growing drowsiness,
But it's pleasant and welcome,
Like an embrace pulling you towards rest.
A lone owl hoots from the woods,
A soothing sound echoing in the night,
Lulling you further into calm.
You decide it's time to truly rest,
So you rise gently and walk back inside the cozy cabin.
Leaving the tranquil lake and the night creatures outside to watch over you until the morning.
The cabin is warmly lit by the soft glow of a single lantern.
You set it into a dim setting,
Casting just a faint golden hue in the room.
You lie down on a large inviting bed by the window,
Which you've left open to let in the fresh night's breeze and the distant song of the crickets.
The sheets are crisp and cool and as you settle under a light blanket,
You feel comfortable,
Safe,
Warm and content.
Through the window,
You can still see a couple of friendly stars twinkling and the bright aura of the moon.
You let your eyes gently close,
Knowing that outside,
The lake continues to sleep calmly and the night will carry on in peace.
Inside,
You feel gratitude for this beautiful moment of serenity you've been given.
You take one more slow,
Deep breath and as you exhale,
You allow yourself to sink into the bed.
As if floating on the calm lake itself,
There's a soft smile on your face as you surrender to comfort.
Nothing more needs your attention.
You are safe.
You are at peace.
You can rest now.
Feel how easy it is to drift,
As if the gentle lake waves were rocking you to sleep.
The stars above watch over you like kind guardians.
Each beat of your heart is slower,
Softer,
Guiding you towards deep rest.
Now,
Simply let go.
Let the quiet night,
The moonlit lake and the tender breeze carry you into deep,
Healing rest.
Sleeping only when you're ready.
Sweet dreams.
