I'd like you to take some time for yourself,
To let go of things that,
Perhaps,
Are on your mind.
I'd like you to take things a little slower,
And remind you that you don't have to think about everything all the time.
In the next few minutes,
You will find some peace in a more rational way of thinking and a calmer persuasion of positive thoughts.
The types of thoughts that you think about can be influenced by what you experience during your waking hours.
Sometimes certain experiences can make your mind overthink in the form of mind chatter or they may create a sense of overwhelm.
This meditation can be used as an escape or a distraction,
Which will help to bring down your levels of stress,
Negative thoughts and anxiety,
Whilst at the same time creating enough space for you to maybe recognise what may trigger this way of thinking.
Adjust your body to a position that you find the most comfortable and close your eyes.
Imagine now that you are watching a thunderstorm under the cover of a pitched tent at the edge of a forest.
It's summertime,
It's warm and quite late.
It's dusk.
All the birds are now quietly settling down in their nests and the sky is overcast with plump grey clouds.
The tent is large enough for all of your needs.
There is an awning that extends out from where you sit,
On a comfortable folding chair.
You are located in a camping field where other tents can be seen.
You can hear the occasional clatter of pots and pans.
I'd like you to feel safe as you immerse yourself deeply in the atmosphere of this meditation as if you were there.
The scent of flavoursome food fills the air from your gas lit cooker.
You can see the steam rising gently which fluctuates how strong the aroma is when it reaches your nose.
You watch as your favourite food reaches perfection.
Taking a sip of refreshingly cool water as the liquid flows down,
You are relaxed by a wave of relief that follows.
Gazing into a slow burning campfire not so far away,
Only two locks remain.
The smoke from the fire drifts upwards towards the similar grey of the clouds.
Flames barely peak from the charcoal brittle locks that remain.
Your shoulders and the tops of your arms descend,
Which encourages the rest of your body to loosen.
Everything here is at a much slower pace and your thoughts now more manageable.
You have time to think,
To ponder over things with clearness or just enjoy this very calm experience.
The wind picks up very slightly as you see the branches of a green forest wave at in the subtle breeze.
The tall trees sway to the rhythm of the wind,
All the while calm at the same time.
Seeing that your meal is now ready,
You turn off your cooker and plate up your food.
Now eating a most delicious and tasty snack,
You notice a deer slowly walk out from the fringe of the forest.
Its antlers grand and magnificent,
Its posture very royal.
The deer leans down and grazes slowly on the long grass.
It feels safe and shows the fact by not looking around.
You can see the deer calmly eating,
Its mouth moving in a circular motion.
As the deer decides its had enough to eat,
It raises its head and looks you in the eye.
You feel the deer's reassurance.
Looking slowly around,
The deer heads back under the cover of the forest.
Mesmerised,
You watch it disappear from sight.
It's as if it were a sign for you that it is ok to relax.
The sky now very dark,
The air a little cooler.
Finishing your meal,
You wash up your pots and pans.
Facing your kitchen wear away,
You take a sip of your cool water and observe the slow moving clouds.
Everything seems much much slower.
Lightning streaks across the darkened sky in a sideways direction,
With an aura that can be seen within the clouds.
As the storm gets closer,
The wind fades and only silence can be heard.
You feel completely grounded in this moment.
Taking another sip of your drink,
You watch the storm.
The ground vibrates as thunder cracks and thuds through the air.
Even though you are safely dry under your tent awning,
You get the sense of the raindrops on your body.
You are now feeling the moment by being present.
As the rain continues to become heavier,
It feels like you are being cleansed into a very relaxed state,
Not only in body,
But also in mind.
Every muscle loosens immensely as you release and let go of any tension,
Melting into a very very relaxed state.
As your concerns are washed away with the soothing sound of the rain,
Your mind becomes clear with relief.
You now realise that there is no need to think,
You can just be in this moment.
Rain comes in the form of your own stillness,
Inside and out.
Glancing over to the logs that once glowed,
Steam begins to rise as they are cooled by the drops of rain which sizzle and evaporate,
Almost immediately on impact.
The scent of earthy smells linger calmly in the fresh air,
Loosening your shoulders and chest further.
As the rain becomes a little heavier,
You hear zips,
Sliding tents closed,
As the other campers turn in for the night.
You are more than happy to watch the storm for a while,
You find it fascinating,
Calming and very cleansing.
Achieving clearness in thought,
You silently tell yourself things that will encourage you to relax even more.
I am finding my own peace,
The more I become present,
The more I am in touch with myself.
My mind is calm and clear by choice,
I can reach this state of mind whenever I choose.
Taking some time for myself can bring very positive results in a short amount of time.
I am being kind to myself and will continue to do so.
I will remember how relaxed I feel in this moment.
This time I will relax even more.
I feel like there is space to think for myself,
Which tells me that when I clear my mind,
I feel better.
When I feel at peace like this,
Distractions do not disturb me.
I can choose where to focus my energy and it will always be on positive things.
I see myself becoming a master of my own peace as I practice more.
There is no need to think all the time,
Stillness brings me comfort.
I have control over where I place my focus.
At bedtime I am able to settle and relax deeply.
I leave my concerns behind when I need some me time.
Before I get into bed,
I leave my day behind.
I am aware that dwelling on things leads to overthinking.
I no longer dwell or overthink things.
I am comfortable just to observe my thoughts.
Through observing my thoughts and not interacting with them,
I gain insight.
My body is relaxing deeply as I regain my headspace.
I am good at clearing away things that clutter my mind.
Being aware of any tension in my shoulders,
I can allow them to descend whenever I wish.
The mindful observation of my own thoughts keeps me grounded.
If my mind becomes cluttered with mind chatter,
I allow it to be released by lowering my shoulders.
As I notice each breath becoming deeper and longer,
I loosen much more.
Continuing to watch the lightning glow through the clouds,
You need nothing else.
As the streaks of lightning illuminates,
You see the silhouette of the forest,
Boldly dark against the purple night sky.
The logs that were once orange are now cool and charred.
You hear no other movement from any of the other tents and take a moment completely to yourself.
Feeling a much deserved relief and a welcomed loosened state,
You decide to go to bed.
Folding your chair away and tidying up,
You walk into your tent with a flashlight in hand.
But zipping the entrance closed,
The tapping of the rain on the material now creates a soothing sound.
To have the best night's sleep,
You change into some looser fitting clothing.
Inside the tent is warm and you have a most comfortable bed to lie upon within this natural area of beauty.
The mattress of your bed may be thin but it is very comfortable and you have enough sheets to keep you warm.
Pulling back the sheets,
You climb inside,
Adjusting your plush pillow to a desired position.
Sitting down,
You rest your back and lean your head gently into your pillow.
You can hear all the sounds of the storm from inside your tent.
You even see the purple and blue glows of lightning.
Listening to the sound of the rain on the ground and on the canvas,
Your mind begins to drift.
In no time,
Your body begins to relax deeply.
Your body begins to relax deeply and descend heavily into your bed.
Breathe breath now deeper and longer than before,
Your chest easily accommodating each inhalation.
As you breathe out,
You relax more and more.
As the thunder sends its sound waves across the air,
You feel the rumbles in the ground below and feel massaged into letting go.
In between the sound of thunder,
You sense your mind settling down in those quieter moments.
As you observe your body,
You sense every part loosening and beginning to feel heavy.
The whole atmosphere creates a balance of peace and stillness as you slowly begin to drift off.
You occasionally smell the smouldering campfire.
Its earthy flavour creates warmth to everything you feel.
As it continues to rain,
Its sound is dampened out.
Your head descends without resistance into your deep pillow and the rest of your body follows.
Each moment is more peaceful than the last.
In your mind,
You hear positive encouragement for you to relax further.
My body is settling down,
Descending into a peaceful sleep.
I will sleep the most restful night's sleep yet.
I will create balance within as I rest my mind and body.
I exhale negativity on every outward breath.
My mind strength grows as I breathe in positivity.
I now feel a reassurance of calmness as my body loosens even more.
I let go of any thoughts that keep me from sleeping.
The only thing I need right now is rest for my mind and rest for my body.
As I let go more,
My body descends lower and more relaxed.
I know I can relax further each time I notice how loose my muscles have become.
As my thoughts fade away,
I think about something or somewhere positive to escape.
My mind is only taken up with the distractions that I create.
I realise that my mind works better without clutter.
I am clearing my mind.
The more I let go,
The more I fall asleep.
As I rest peacefully,
My eyes close tighter and want only to stay closed.
I realise that it is safe to close my eyes and go to sleep.
Sleeping is good for me.
I can sleep all through the night.
I notice muscles that may not be completely relaxed.
I adjust them so that they now are.
As I release my day,
My face softens and droops down into my pillow.
I am noticing that I am feeling very sleepy and as my mind becomes clearer,
I allow my head to descend further.
Being quite happy to rest deeply,
I allow my awareness to gently fade out.
I hear no sounds from the outside world.
Everything is so quiet now,
I could fall asleep quite easily.
As I slowly shift into sleep,
I let go even more.
No matter how relaxed I feel in this moment,
I can relax even deeper.
With every rumble of thunder,
My muscles are loosened further.
My head rests heavily on my pillow and as it descends,
A wave of wonderful calming sensations are sent down my whole body.
Drifting in and out,
Out and in,
Your awareness diminishes and sleep becomes your only direction.
Feeling comfortably and peacefully,
Every breath out releases you into a slumber state.
Your eyelids now heavily drawn down,
Your cheeks loose and your jaw widened as every soft sensation lends you to sleep.
As your whole face relaxes,
You rest your head more,
Which releases the muscles in your neck.
Like a chain reaction,
The tops of your arms,
Shoulders and back,
Gravitate downwards.
Both arms now limply sliding towards the soft surface.
As each wrist,
Hand and finger expels out any last remaining tension,
This wave of restfulness brings your hips,
Thighs and legs to the comfort of the mattress.
Each leg,
Ankle and foot finding their way to a pleasing position.
Now as your toes splay to a softened version of themselves,
Sleep is all you need.
Calm,
Still,
Clear in mind and comfortable in body,
You drift off into a deep and restful sleep.
It is.
Thank you.
