Welcome,
Dear one,
Tonight you are invited to rest,
To soften,
To release,
And to be held by the quiet wisdom of the plants.
There is nothing you need to do now,
Nothing to solve,
Only this moment,
And the gentle doorway into sleep,
Take a slow breath in,
And let it go,
Again,
Inhale at peace,
Exhale throughout the day,
And allow your body to settle,
Supported,
Safe,
Comfortable.
Now in your imagination,
Picture yourself walking into a peaceful herbal garden at night,
The sky is dark and velvety,
The air is warm,
And everything is still,
This is a garden that only opens in the evening,
A garden of sleep,
A sanctuary of calm,
The plants here are not asking anything of you,
They are simply offering their presence,
Their medicine,
Their companionship,
And one by one they come forward as allies for your rest.
The first plant you notice is chamomile,
Small,
Gentle flowers,
Like tiny moon resting on green stems,
Chamomile steps close to you with a quiet sweetness,
Its message is simple,
You may soften now,
Chamomile brings comfort to the nervous system,
A warm easy,
Like being wrapped in a familiar blanket,
As you breathe in,
Imagine chamomile relaxing your face,
Your jaw,
Your shoulders,
And clenching what you didn't even realize you were holding,
Let chamomile soothe you like a lullaby made of petals.
Now,
Nearby,
Lavender sways softly in the night air,
Its fragrance is calm and clear,
Like fresh silence,
Lavender is the air of peace,
The air that whispers the day is over,
The mind can rest,
With each breath,
Lavender cools the busy thoughts,
Settling mental chatter,
Like a still lake returning after wind,
Imagine lavender calming your forehead,
Your temples,
The space behind your eyes,
Inviting your mind to become quiet,
Spacious,
Slow,
And now passion flower appears,
Delicate,
Sacred,
A plant of deep emotional unwinding,
Passion flower is especially for the one who thinks too much at night,
The one whose mind loops and wanders,
Its gentle vines wrap around your racing thoughts,
Not to track them,
But to soften them,
Passion flower whispers,
You don't have to follow every thought,
You can let them pass,
Imagine your thoughts becoming like clouds,
Drifting,
Fading,
No effort needed,
Just release.
Now,
Lemon balm enters the garden,
Bright,
Tender,
Comforting,
Lemon balm carries the energy of reassurance,
It says,
You are safe,
You are held,
This herb calms the heart,
Eases anxious feelings,
And brings a gentle lightness to the chest,
Breathe in lemon balm,
And feel your heart soften,
Like a child finally being told,
Everything is okay now,
Let the sweetness of lemon balm settle into your breath,
Smooth and easy.
Now,
You notice,
Old straw,
Tall,
Quiet,
Nourishing,
Old straw is not a sedative,
It is a restorer,
A plant that reveals what life has worn down,
Old straw comes close like a steady friend,
Offering minerals,
Support,
Gentle strength,
It whispers,
Let yourself be replenished,
Imagine old straw soothing your entire nervous system,
Like warm golden light moving through your body,
Down your arms,
Through your belly,
Into your legs,
Nourishing you deeply,
From the inside out,
And finally,
From the earth itself,
A shuaganda rises,
A crowning root,
An ancient ally,
A shuaganda speaks to the part of you that has carried too much,
The stress,
The effort,
Constant doing,
It says,
You can put it down now,
A shuaganda helps the body release stress hormones,
Helping you return to balance,
Imagine roots growing gently from your body into the earth,
Not heavy,
Just grounding,
Connecting you to stillness,
You are supported,
You are safe,
You are allowed to rest.
Now,
All of these plant allies surround you,
Chamomile,
Lavender,
Passion flower,
Lemon balm,
Old straw,
A shuaganda,
A circle of gentle medicine,
They do not overwhelm,
They do not demand,
They simply hold the energy of sleep,
And you may receive it,
Feel your body growing heavier,
Softer,
More peaceful,
Your breathing slows,
Your mind quiet,
Your heart settles,
Now,
You don't need to do anything else,
The plants have offered their blessing,
The night has opened its arm,
And sleep is near,
If you are still awake,
Simply listen,
If you are drifting,
Let yourself go,
And as this meditation ends,
Soft music may continue,
Holding the space for you through the night,
Like a gentle airport dream,
Good night,
Rest well,
And may the plants watch over your sleep.
