It's good to have you here.
Make yourself as comfortable as you can.
And shift around one last time until everything feels just right.
Before we begin.
There's something I'd like you to know.
Your mind is allowed to be exactly as it is tonight.
Your thoughts are free to come and go.
Light clouds drifting across the sky.
Coming and going.
And your attention can settle wherever it naturally wants to settle.
And from this moment on.
.
.
You can simply allow things to happen.
The way they already know how to happen.
Perhaps you know that strange feeling.
When your body is deeply tired.
Yet somewhere behind your eyes.
But the day is still going on.
One thought appears.
Than another.
Something suddenly comes back to you.
Or something completely unimportant.
Somehow becomes incredibly interesting.
Perhaps a conversation from earlier today.
A plan for tomorrow.
A question.
That can simply remain suspended there for a little while.
Let that question float.
And quietly wander.
What will my next thought be?
Tonight.
Everything is allowed to be exactly as it is.
Your mind is free to move.
It can jump.
It can wander.
It can disappear into the middle of a thought.
And return sometime later.
Without quite knowing where it has been.
All of that is perfectly welcome here.
It's rather remarkable what begins to happen when the mind is simply allowed to be.
Because in the moment.
You allow yourself to be here.
With all of these thoughts.
Something begins to happen all by itself.
And then something else.
Can begin to take over.
Your breathing,
For example.
You were already breathing before I mentioned it.
And now that I have mentioned it.
.
.
Perhaps you notice.
That's wonderful.
Because your body already knows.
How to breathe.
All by itself.
Naturally.
Just as it knows how to blink.
How to swallow.
How to change position during the night.
When the time is right.
How to sleep.
You already know the way into stillness.
Open right now.
Wherever your attention chooses to go.
Is perfectly fine.
It can simply become.
One more place.
Your attention visits.
Before eventually moving on.
And perhaps that is something.
You're mine.
Is especially good at.
Moving.
Shifting.
Discovering what comes next.
And that.
Is something we can use.
Beautifully.
Simply invite your mind.
To keep moving.
In the softer.
Gentler.
Quieter directions.
Like clouds drifting by.
Calmly.
They come.
The May go.
Thoughts are like clouds.
They come.
And they go.
Thoughts are like clouds.
And between them.
Is blue sky.
That beautiful.
Wide open space.
Between one thought.
In the next.
In a moment.
You can quietly ask yourself.
Just one question.
The question is.
.
.
What is my next thought?
Perhaps you noticed it.
That tiny moment.
Before the next thought appeared.
What is my next thought?
Perhaps there is.
Just a hint of stillness.
A moment in which your awareness Simply.
Waits.
And you can return to that place.
Whenever you wish.
What is my next thought?
For one small moment.
Your mind awaits.
Not waiting.
Can become surprisingly still.
And perhaps somewhere in your body.
There is already one place.
That feels just a little heavier.
And it did a few minutes ago.
And on.
Shoulder.
The muscles around your eyes.
Your jaw.
Your legs.
Relaxation can simply begin.
Wherever your body is ready for it first.
Perhaps.
One shoulder releases a little.
And the other follow.
Perhaps.
Your jaw softens.
Perhaps your tongue is resting differently now.
And the tiny muscles around your eyes.
Become softer.
And from time to time.
You may suddenly find yourself.
A little more awake again.
Almost as though.
For a brief moment.
You are gently rising back toward the surface.
And in that moment.
You can simply wander away again.
And each time your awareness comes a little closer.
It may discover.
At all the while.
Your body is continued relaxing.
All by itself.
A little closer.
Then a little farther away again.
Simply because attention.
Changes,
And sometimes,
One small movement in one direction can carry you.
So much farther.
And the other.
And because your mind can be so wonderfully quick.
There may be moments.
When your thoughts suddenly begin gathering speed again.
One thought picks up another.
And that one catches another.
And then another.
Almost like a children's game.
That suddenly gets faster.
So let's make this easy.
Almost playful.
Imagine.
Somewhere comfortably within reach.
There is a large.
Bright red button.
One of those wonderfully oversized red buttons.
You might see on a game show.
Impossible to miss.
A buzzer.
A switch.
And this button has only one.
Wonderfully simple purpose.
Whenever your thoughts begin to speed up.
Whenever that game inside your mind.
Begins gathering momentum again.
You can simply press it.
In your imagination.
And in that moment.
.
.
Everything slows down.
The noise inside your mind becomes quieter.
Everything within you.
Settles.
Perhaps you can even hear.
That's satisfying.
Reassuring.
Inside your mind.
And you can press that button.
As often as you like.
The thought begins to gather speed.
Gonna game.
A little chain of thoughts begins.
And perhaps your mind.
Begins to learn something.
Very quickly.
That red button.
Means slowing down.
There's something inside you to remember.
How good it feels.
To let go.
For tonight.
The great book of your stories.
Can close.
And tomorrow.
Your story continues.
Your room can grow dark.
While everything inside it remains safe.
Exactly where it belongs.
Whatever matters tonight.
Will still matter tomorrow.
In a moment.
I'm going to count slowly backwards.
Simply because numbers.
Can become.
Giant steps.
Leading your awareness.
Bother.
And farther inward.
Tam.
Still here.
KNIME The Night.
Heavier.
Seven.
Deeper.
6.
Father.
Five.
Softer.
4.
Away.
3.
Peace.
To.
Here.
Won.
Now.
You have done enough for today.
Everything calm.
And perhaps you can still hear my voice.
And that too.
Is perfectly all right.
And perhaps.
.
.
Within this stillness.
Something else.
Begins to make itself known.
Something that has been here.
All along.
Beneath all the thoughts.
Beneath all the searching.
Beneath.
All the movement.
There is gentleness within you.
And kindness.
Greater than all those thoughts.
Come and go.
Greater than the searching.
Greater than all those tiny movements.
Imagine that feeling.
Spreading out across the whole world.
Like a blanket of compassion.
Like the warm light.
Over your heart.
Perhaps you can already feel.
Every cell in your body being filled with this energy.
And all the thinking.
All the jumping.
All the searching.
Moving Father.
And father.
Into the background.
And perhaps you can feel yourself.
Floating.
Held by something.
Greater than thought.
This beautiful.
Loving energy.
Remains with you.
As you sleep.
Bob's.
You can still hear my voice.
Perhaps you are already drifting.
You can simply sleep now.
And may you remember tomorrow.
That you are light.
Kindness.
Open-hearted.
And healing.
You sink a little deeper.
Into the warm.
That holds you.
Your breathing becomes slower still.
Slower.
And slower.
And between more and more space.
Everything settles.
You are sleeping.
Drift.
Through the night.
A being of lightness.
Sleep.
Your heart pulses.
And rhythm with the stars.
You are safe.
You are protected.
You are light.
Good night.
Beautiful soul.
Sleep.
