Let's just come in.
Life is full of fears and sorrows,
Joy and grace.
It is both fantastical and heavy that we get to exist.
We can't know what came before,
What will be after.
This life is what we have,
This moment most of all,
So we celebrate what we know.
We take stock and gratitude for getting to be,
However briefly,
And acknowledge that our bodies are simple,
Sturdy yet delicate,
And not permanent.
The universe is eternal and we get a moment to experience it,
And so we meditate to make the moment last.
That's what we can do.
Just settling down,
Feeling yourself heavy in your seat or bed,
Noticing the earth calling to you with its gravity,
Loving you that way,
Willing you toward it,
And you can just let go,
Held safe,
Connected.
Let yourself get quiet and still.
Fill yourself up with breath and let it go,
And then as you breathe,
Start using the breath to relax parts of your body that might still be stiff or holding tight.
Invite it all to flow.
It's been a long day,
And certainly someone pissed you off,
Angered you,
Hurt you,
Treated you wrong.
Do you want to hold on to that when you sleep?
Do you think you could imagine extending forgiveness?
If not for their sake,
Then for yours.
It might just help you sleep to let go.
And then because you can forgive people,
They can make mistakes,
You probably made mistakes,
And you can be forgiven,
And every day we can try to make fewer mistakes.
Some days we go in the right direction toward fewer mistakes,
Sometimes not,
But we can always repair.
Your breathing and your eyesight might be growing dim,
Letting the lights fade,
Letting the energy of the day go,
And the day recede from your perception,
And the very suggestion of sweet dreams entering in,
Coming on.
And as you breathe at this very moment,
You might anticipate invisible lines of connection across us all,
That the world shares a common origin and a common destiny,
And that we are all one.
That is a blessing.
And that experience can fill you with love and compassion at every single moment.
You can rejoice in the singularity of creation,
Constantly reminded.
You're breathing,
You're taking it all in,
You're settling down,
Becoming quiet and still,
And you're protected and sheltered,
Covered by great wings and a powerful shield,
So that nothing wrong will come your way.
And you'll rise above all dangers,
Delivered beyond all risks and stressors,
Lying down peacefully,
So that you can rest and get up peacefully,
Shielded,
Protected,
Rescued,
And sheltered,
Going out of the day to come back into a new day,
Whole and in peace.
Breathe into all of that.
Great and good forces came before us and watched over those who preceded us,
Our ancestors.
Those great and good forces of the universe look over you,
And they will look over our descendants and all that comes next.
May you be blessed and protected.
May the universe shine the light of grace upon you.
May the universe turn gently toward you with the gift of peace and wholeness.
Even as you sleep,
The universe goes on,
Ever watchful and vigilant,
And your sleep is safeguarded by great and good forces.
You wander the day with doubt,
Confusion,
Questions,
And at night,
By your right side is the power to answer all questions.
You go through the day striving,
Wrestling,
Lifting,
And at night,
By your left,
Is the power of all vigor.
Before you,
The power of illumination,
And behind you,
Behind all who suffer,
A power of healing to salve and massage your wounds,
To lift you up.
Above all the greatest of mysteries,
Shift and shake,
Adjust any last itches or stretches,
Become even more quiet.
Exhale with the word Sala.
The universe goes on,
And on without end.
You are carried like a baby within it,
No beginning,
No end,
And you are just there in blissful existence.
You can entrust your body into the hand of the universe with nothing to fear.
