Welcome,
And I hope that each one of you will come to find peace within yourself.
I know that so many people have trouble falling asleep,
So I hope that this session will help you drift off.
Give yourself permission right now to let go of everything else,
Anything that you're concerned with,
Before we get started.
And make sure that all your regular nighttime routines are done.
Make sure they're taken care of.
Silence all of your devices except for the one you're using to listen to this.
Now,
If you've listened to my other meditations,
You know that normally I don't care what position you're in.
But since we're trying to go to sleep,
I'll assume that you're laying down.
Just lay in your bed,
Or your sleeping bag,
Or your couch,
Or your comfy recliner,
And start to settle in,
Start to get comfortable.
Remember,
Comfort should always be your first consideration when you meditate.
And if you want,
You can close your eyes now.
Tonight,
You're going to go to sleep on the Peace River.
You're going to float down the river,
And as we settle in,
The sun is just beginning to set.
And it's glowing a deep red,
Just at the edge of the horizon.
You can feel a gentle breeze.
It's warm against your skin.
And it seems like it's lightly scented with pine and lilac.
Now,
Take in a nice,
Slow breath,
And feel the air as it enters your body.
And then,
As you exhale,
Feel all of the air as it leaves your body.
Now,
Take another breath,
Just a little deeper than the first one.
And just as you finish the inhale,
Notice that there's a little pause that's there.
We don't go instantly from inhale to exhale,
But there's always a natural little pause where we finish the inhale before we start the exhale.
And continue to breathe this way at your own pace,
Slow and steady.
And note that little pause,
The stillness that exists at the top and the bottom of each breath.
And as we lay here breathing,
The sun is continuing to sink into the horizon in the west.
The movement of the water surrounds our craft,
And the soft breeze gently touches our skin.
Allow your breath to ground you into the present moment.
There's nowhere else you need to be.
There's nothing else you need to be doing.
This is your time to rest your body for a new day to come.
So,
Give yourself permission to relax and unwind.
Listen to the water as it constantly moves.
This river has flowed like this for eons,
Lapping upon the shore,
Rushing against the rocks it encounters.
The river flows on and on,
Always different,
Yet always the same.
As you continue to breathe,
Let's begin to relax.
Unfurl your brow.
Unclench your jaw.
Relax your shoulders and your hands.
Expand your body for any places you might be holding tension.
Relax your neck and your arms and try to feel your body getting heavier with each and every breath,
Slowly sinking into the surface you're on.
And as you're laying here breathing,
Don't lay there worrying about not being able to sleep,
But rather set the intention that you're going to have a good night's sleep and a deep rest.
Remember,
Words and thoughts have power,
And the things we think can become reality.
So think about how good it is to gently fall asleep.
Peaceful.
Restful.
Think about how soft your bed is as you softly sink into it.
And the river continues to flow,
Never ending,
Never pausing.
The sun is completely down now,
And the stars appear in the sky,
And the breeze is so soft against your skin.
And as you drift off to sleep,
It's a wonderful time to think about the things that you're grateful for.
Perhaps it's the people in your life,
Your partner,
Your child,
Your pet.
Perhaps you're grateful for your health,
Yet all the while you're slowly breathing,
Sinking deeper into the mattress,
Noticing the natural pause in your breath,
Snug and secure in your covers as the river flows and the breeze blows softly through your hair.
There is nothing to do but sleep.
Nothing to strive for.
Nothing to worry about.
There's nothing but the river and the breeze.
And the river flows so serenely,
Never stopping,
Never pausing.
And sleep is calling to you with a voice that's soft and clear,
And the breeze continues to blow,
And the river caresses the shore so softly as we float along the peace river,
Just listening to the sound of the water.
The water's constantly moving,
Constantly flowing,
And the breeze blows so softly,
So softly.
We can float here forever.
The river moving so softly,
Carrying us into sleep,
Our body relaxed and tranquil,
Nothing to do,
Nothing to see,
Sleep is calling.
You can feel the breeze on your skin.
The river flowing past.
There is nothing to do but sleep.
