Welcome,
My name is Mark Rowland and this recording is designed to help you drift gently into a deep restful sleep.
Unlike a traditional meditation,
There won't be any instructions for you to follow once we begin,
Instead you'll simply be guided by the sound of my voice as I tell you a soft calming story to ease your mind and body into rest.
We will start with a short moment of body awareness and breathing to help you release any tension from your day,
Then you will be carried into a slow journey,
Wandering through peaceful forests,
Quiet villages and finally to the stillness of the ocean under a starry night sky.
The words and imagery are not meant to be focused on too closely,
Just try to let them wash over you,
Like background music for your thoughts,
Until at some point you may notice you are no longer listening at all,
Because sleep has arrived,
So get comfortable now,
Allow yourself to fully relax and let me keep you company as you drift off.
All you need to do now is close your eyes and let go,
Begin by finding a comfortable position in your bed,
Let your body sink into the mattress and gently close your eyes,
Take a slow deep breath in and exhale softly,
With each exhale feel your body releasing the days tension,
There is nothing you need to do right now except rest,
Bring your attention to your breathing,
Feel the gentle rise and fall of your chest and belly,
Without effort let your breaths become slower and deeper,
Inhale through your nose,
Filling your lungs with soothing air,
Then sigh out the breath,
Continue breathing slowly in and out at a calm,
Unhurried pace,
Notice your face,
Soften your eyes,
Release any tension in your jaw,
Your cheeks,
Relax your neck and shoulders,
With your next exhale imagine tension melting effortlessly away,
Your shoulders drop,
Your neck lengthens,
Your body loosens,
Shift focus now to your arms,
Let them grow heavy and limp,
Warm relaxation travels from shoulders to elbows to forearms all the way down to your fingertips,
Allow the muscles along your spine now to unclench your chest open and free,
Let your belly soften,
With each breath in it rises,
And with each breath out it falls,
Feel how natural this rhythm is,
Your hips sink into the bed,
Thighs and knees release,
Your calves and ankles loosen,
Your feet and toes relax,
Imagine now any last tension flowing out from the tips of your toes,
Your entire body is now relaxed,
From the crown of your head to the soles of your feet,
Take another deep breath in and out,
Notice how calm you feel,
If a thought comes just let it drift away like a cloud,
Imagine yourself now at the edge of an ancient forest,
Bathed in the golden light of the late afternoon,
Tall trees rise above,
Their leaves filtering sunlight into soft rays,
The air is warm,
Warm,
Fresh,
It carries the scent of pine and the earth,
You take your first steps onto a mossy path,
The ground soft beneath your feet,
Birdsong echoes faintly and far off you can hear a stream trickling,
Each step you take your mind grows clearer,
Calmer,
Like a still pond reflecting the sky,
You run your hand along the bark of a tree,
Solid,
Reassuring,
These trees are ancient,
They've stood for hundreds of years,
They share their patience and stability with you,
Each inhale draws in their strength,
Each exhale releases your worries,
Up ahead the trees part to reveal a small clearing,
It's carpeted with grass,
At it's centre an ancient oak waits,
Wide branched,
Welcoming you,
You sit at it's base,
Leaning into it's strong,
Sturdy trunk,
The oak supports you,
Grounding you in peace,
Above the sky shifts into evening colours,
You see pinks,
Oranges that fade into blue,
A deer grazes at the edge of the clearing,
Calm and unafraid,
Fireflies begin to appear,
Their tiny dots of light dancing in the air,
One firefly drifts towards the path,
As if it's inviting you to follow,
You rise,
Leaving the oak behind,
Stepping once more onto the path,
Through the thinning trees ahead,
Faint lights of a village begin to glow,
You step out of the forest path and see the glow of the small village ahead,
The twilight sky above is turning deep blue,
With the first stars of the evening beginning to shine,
Quaint cottages line in a cobblestone lane,
Most their windows lit with a golden lamplight,
You walk slowly along the cobblestones,
Roses and lavender scents spill from the little gardens,
Wooden shutters close one by one,
As the villagers prepare to shut down for sleep,
The whole village seems to be tucking itself in for the night,
Soon,
You arrive at a square,
With a stone fountain at its centre,
The trickle of water mixes with the glow of a street lamp nearby,
You sit yourself down on a smooth wooden bench,
Listening to the gentle splash of the fountain,
Faint voices drift from the homes,
A quiet laugh,
A clink of dishes,
Somewhere,
A clock tower chimes softly in the distance,
Everything feels safe,
Familiar and calm,
The scent of baked bread still lingers in the air from the bakery,
A trace of wood smoke drifts from a nearby chimney,
These fragrances wrap around you,
Like a warm embrace,
You look up,
The sky is now filled with stars,
Bright,
Countless steady stars,
The milky way stretches above like a river of light,
Each star feels like a gentle guardian watching over you,
Keeping you safe,
You rise from the bench and take a stroll down a lane toward the ocean,
The sound of the waves grow louder,
Steady and soothing,
A small path leads you up to a sandy dune,
Where a beautiful ocean view awaits you,
You crest the dune and the vast open ocean stretches far before you,
The moonlight paints a silver path across the water,
A reassuring lighthouse beam sweeps the horizon,
Slow and steady,
You step down the dune,
Feet sinking gently into the soft sand,
The air is cool and salty,
Brushing against your skin,
The waves lap at the shore like a timeless lullaby,
You find a hollow in the sand,
Shaped like a natural bed,
You ease yourself down,
The sand supporting every curve of your body,
Above you,
The stars twinkle and shine in quiet brilliance,
The vast milky way arches across the sky,
A silver river of stardust,
A shooting star streaks by,
You make a gentle wish in your heart,
The sky,
The sea and the stars,
All are watching over you,
Protecting you,
Keeping you safe for sleep,
You notice your breath matching the rhythm of the waves,
Inhale as the tide arrives,
Exhale as it retreats,
With each outgoing wave,
You release more tension,
With each incoming wave,
Peace returns to your soul,
Your body feels heavy yet light,
Slowly surrendered to rest,
Your thoughts drift like clouds far on the horizon of your mind,
It's ok now,
To let go completely,
To drift into peaceful,
Peaceful,
Restful sleep,
You welcome sleep into your body,
Fully relaxed,
Fully safe,
Fully held,
Let go completely,
It's ok,
You're fully able to drift,
Drift off now,
Into sleep,
Goodnight,
Sleep well,
And sweet dreams,
