Welcome to this guided meditation to help you relax and find a restful sleep.
Let's begin by finding a comfortable position,
Either sitting or lying down.
Close your eyes gently and feel the weight of your body as it sinks against its support.
Relax your shoulders and let go of any tension you might feel in your muscles.
Take a few deep breaths,
Inhaling slowly through your nose and exhaling slowly through your mouth.
Feel the rise and fall of your chest with each breath,
Anchoring you to the present moment.
Take a few moments to focus on those breaths.
Now,
Imagine your feet flat on the ground,
Anchoring you as though you have imaginary roots extending from your feet deep into the earth.
Feel the energy of the earth flowing up through these roots,
Grounding you and providing a sense of stability and support.
Continue to breathe,
And with each breath,
Draw this grounding energy deeper into your being.
Take a deep breath in through your nose,
Hold it for one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
And exhale through your mouth.
Let's do that once more,
Inhale through your nose,
Hold it for one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
And exhale slowly and fully through your mouth.
As you do,
Release any remaining tension,
Or stress,
Or anxiety.
Now visualize yourself standing on the bank of a serene river.
The sun is beginning to set,
Casting a warm glow across the water.
The air is cool and refreshing,
Carrying the gentle scent of the nearby trees.
You hear the soothing sounds of the river flowing,
The rustling of leaves,
And the occasional chirping of birds in the distance.
Your gaze is drawn to a beautiful dock,
Adorned with twinkling lights.
At the end of the dock,
You see a magical boat unlike any other.
It's simple in design,
Yet intricately decorated with sculptures,
Vibrant colors,
And illuminated lanterns obviously crafted with the artistry from antiquity.
You feel an irresistible pull toward the boat,
And with a sense of wonder and anticipation,
You make your way down the dock and carefully step aboard.
As you do,
A figure emerges from the shadows,
Cloaked in a mystical garment of iridescent hues.
Their head is covered by a flowing hood,
Creating an aura of mystery and wisdom.
You feel a sense of safety in their presence.
This is your captain,
And you know that they can be trusted to keep you safe and relaxed.
They motion for you to sit on a comfy,
Plush chair with deep purple velvety cushions and pillows.
As you sit,
You immediately relax as you feel yourself sink into the pillows.
As you settle into the chair,
You feel the sense of almost weightlessness and peace wash over you.
The captain gently pushes the boat away from the dock,
And you begin to safely drift along the river.
The rhythmic lapping of the water against the boat's strong wooden hull creates a soothing melody lulling you into a state of calm.
As dusk settles in and the sun lowers in the sky,
The colors of the approaching sunset are mind-blowing.
The deepest reds and yellows and blues blended with hues of purple and pink and violet as they paint a masterpiece on the canvas of a rapidly changing sky.
You watch in awe as the sun's rays reflect on the water,
Creating shimmering,
Dancing paths of light.
As this special boat continues to glide gently through the river,
You look ahead and see that you are about to move between two massively high cliffs of rock on each side of the river,
Almost as if they form a natural keyhole,
And you in this magical boat are the key.
As you approach the cliffs,
The palette of colors at which you were marveling moments ago have quickly softened and dissolved into the approaching night sky.
You look to your left and to your right and are mesmerized by the sheer size of these cliffs and the history they must represent.
How many people over the eons have passed through this same corridor,
In all manner of craft,
Created with the wisdom of the ages.
As you draw closer,
You see that the cliff faces are jagged in places and smooth in others,
And as the last glints of sun approach the horizon,
You see the shimmer of embedded minerals in the cliffs.
And these are magical cliffs,
So also embedded are many types of precious gemstones which have been polished over the years by the elements.
Magical green emeralds,
Deep blue sapphires,
Rich red rubies,
And glistening diamonds refracting all colors of the rainbow.
As your captain safely navigates through this natural keyhole of nature's beauty,
And you emerge on the other side of the cliff's passage,
It is as though you have unlocked the skies,
Seeing them move from the colorful dusk and sunset to a tapestry of twinkling light against the darkness of the night sky.
Shooting stars fly by,
Leaving trails of muted light in their wake.
Constellations appear,
Welcoming you to this side of the cliffs.
Planets and stars sparkle,
And the full moon appears in its greatest glory directly in front of you,
Lighting your way.
At this point,
Your captain drops anchor to stop the boat,
And gently covers you with the softest,
Warmest blanket you can imagine,
And it envelops you like a loving hug from family,
Friends,
Or your beloved animals.
Take a few deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth,
And as you do take a moment to be in the moment.
Look around in your mind and be thankful for the beauty of nature that you behold.
Take in the sounds of the river at night,
And inhale its cool,
Calming mist.
Look upward and marvel at the sheer magnificence of the illuminated sky as you continue to breathe naturally and comfortably.
You reposition the pillow at your head,
And as you do,
You realize that your eyelids are feeling heavy as you struggle to keep them open.
Live in to that heaviness.
Allow your eyes to gently close in your mind's eye as you feel the weight of your body settle even further into the plushness of the cushions.
Let the rhythmic beating of the water against the boat lull you off to deeper calm and relaxation.
And breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Clear your mind and think only of being at peace in this most tranquil of settings.
If you feel any residual tension,
Release it,
Relax your muscles as you continue to fall deeper and deeper into the embrace of sleep.
Continue to breathe and clear your mind.
You are ready now,
Ready to give in fully to the beauty of nighttime slumber.
Feel your breathing slow and your heart rate decrease as you now become fully and utterly relaxed.
Enjoy this feeling of tranquility as you sail off into the night safely,
Calmly,
And comfortably.
Relax as you look ahead to your beautiful dreams and sleep.
Good night.
