Tonight,
Fall asleep quickly and serenely bathed in the amber gold light of the full harvest moon.
As owls hoot and a crisp breeze rustles burnt orange leaves,
Your mind will melt and your body will relax,
Guided into the deep restorative rhythm of night.
My name is Jason Stevenson and I warmly welcome you to this soothing sleep talkdown.
We'll begin in just a moment,
But take a quiet breath to make sure that your morning alarm is set if it's needed and that your curtains are closed.
Then nestle into your sleep space,
Wrapping your body in a comfortable blanket,
Head melting into the cushion beneath it,
And feel the way your physical body is firmly supported by the bed below.
And as you take three slow,
Deep breaths,
Give yourself permission to melt,
Thoughts melting away,
Body melting into the mattress,
Expanding with each in-breath and surrendering with each out-breath.
And after your third deep exhale,
Let your breath flow naturally,
Then draw your attention to the soles of your feet.
As you sense into your soles,
Give them permission to rest completely,
There's nowhere they need to take you tonight.
Invite all tension to melt from your feet,
Sinking into the bed,
Floor and earth below.
Now become aware of your ankles,
Sensing these joints with care and kindness,
And with your next exhale,
Invite them to relax,
They too can sink into stillness for the coming night.
Sensing into your calves muscles now,
Feeling the way they already melt and mold into the mattress beneath you,
And with your next out-breath,
Deepen their felt sense of surrender.
Gently,
Your awareness rises into your knees,
Notice whatever might be present here,
And if you discover any tension,
Give it permission to leave your body as you exhale.
Become aware of your thigh muscles,
Noticing whatever sensations they hold,
And as you breathe out,
Invite them to relax,
Invite them to release the day behind you.
Bear witness now to both of your legs completely,
Filling them with a slow,
Steady breath in,
And melting with the breath out.
Your legs are deeply relaxed,
Naturally your awareness ascends your body,
Filling each area with a loving,
Nutritive inhale,
While softening on the exhale.
So as your attention arrives in your hips and pelvis,
These parts of you are nurtured with a loving in-breath,
And softened with the out-breath.
Sense now into your belly and your lower back,
Feeling these areas gently expand as you inhale,
And relax as you exhale,
Surrendering any tension or contraction of any kind.
Your awareness travels slowly up your spine,
Offering warm,
Loving presence to each vertebrae,
To every bone of your rib cage,
And eventually settling in to your heart area.
Stay present with your heart for a few loving breaths,
Imagine it energetically expanding with each in-breath,
And releasing stress and tension with each out-breath.
Your whole chest softens alongside your heart,
And so does your upper back,
Tension melts with each out-breath,
As your embodiment of ease grows and grows.
Take a few slow,
Deep breaths,
Releasing anything these parts of you no longer need to hold,
And as your upper torso relaxes,
Your shoulders naturally follow suit.
With your next few breaths,
Surrender any weight they've been carrying,
Letting go with each exhale.
Relaxation begins to flow down your arms inch by inch,
Your upper arms relax,
Sinking into the support system beneath them,
Your elbows relax,
Tension melting naturally away,
Ease and release flows through the muscles of your lower arms,
Dissolving any stress or effort,
And gradually,
This gentle current moves through to your wrists,
And into your hands,
As your awareness settles into your palms,
And they release any grip they've been holding,
The way autumn leaves naturally release their attachment to trees.
Take a quiet moment to sense into your relaxed arms,
Inviting a deeper surrender with your next exhale,
And with gentle presence,
Your awareness rises slowly back up your arms,
Across your collarbones,
And into your neck,
Any tension or tightness in your neck muscles melt away,
And then your jaw relaxes,
Your tongue drops naturally away from the roof of your mouth,
And any stress or tension melts away from your forehead,
And your entire face and your whole head relax deeply,
And as this happens,
Your thinking mind quiets.
With your next few breaths,
Gently release any thoughts that appear,
And imagine them leaving your body and floating through the atmosphere,
Like autumn leaves on a quiet breeze,
Breath by breath,
They drift from sight,
Light as air,
No longer yours to carry,
Continue to breathe naturally,
Knowing that your breath can always support you in surrendering,
But for a few quiet moments before you rest beneath the full harvest moon,
Sense into your whole physical body,
And feel the weight of your body anchored to the mattress beneath you,
Noticing all the touch points between you and it,
And then silently whisper to your body,
I give you full permission to rest now,
I give you full permission to rest now,
And take one long slow deep breath in,
And release with a cleansing sigh,
As your relaxed and grounded body prepares for deep sleep,
And let your attention drift to your mind's eye,
And here within the vast expanse of your imagination,
A serene autumn hillside begins to take shape,
You find yourself standing at the foot of a gentle slope,
Where golden light from the rising harvest moon spills across the land like honey,
Rolling hills surround you,
Scattered with clusters of trees,
Their leaves glow beneath the moonlight in hues of burnt orange,
Deep crimson and pale gold,
Take a few slow steady breaths to find your footing here,
And with each inhale,
The cool autumn breeze fills you with the earthy scent of sweet drying grass and fallen leaves,
Soften with each out breath anchoring through the soles of your feet,
You can feel the crisp air brush against your cheeks,
But your body is warm,
And wrapped in layers of soft,
Thick,
Comfortable clothing,
You feel deeply held and supported here,
Settling in with another few breaths,
Now before you imagine yourself moving through this enchanted landscape,
Hone your focus on the radiant full moon and the dark starry sky surrounding it,
The harvest moon is a symbol of abundance and transition,
An invitation to slow down,
Soften and surrender,
It calms as summer ends,
Where there's much to be savoured and celebrated,
But it also signals that the earth needs to rest now,
We,
Like the earth,
Need time for deep quiet,
Time to restore ourselves,
So take a few moments to envision yourself in stillness here at the foot of the hill,
And feel the harvest moon's golden light fall upon you,
Nudging your mind to release its attachments,
Inviting you to rest now,
Take a slow,
Steady inhale,
And as you exhale,
Envision yourself beginning a gentle and relaxed journey up the hill,
All the while bathed by the light of the moon,
And with each slow step,
You feel more deeply connected to the land beneath you,
The grass underfoot is crisp,
Scattered with dry leaves from nearby trees,
And as you move,
Your spine is long,
Your shoulders relaxed,
And you are ready and willing to receive all the beauty,
Peace and stillness that the moon and land wants to provide,
And your ears attuned to the natural symphony that fills the landscape,
The drying grass crunches beneath your feet,
As your ankles brush against the fallen leaves,
And in the distance,
An owl hoots,
Singing along with a subtle whisper of the wind,
This crisp,
Gentle breeze rustles through the branches of nearby trees,
And burnt orange leaves float like weightless feathers down to the quietening land,
The sounds of the hillside sanctuary harmonize to create a natural lullaby,
It calms your mind and soothes your spirit,
Guiding you towards slumber,
And notice the beauty of the moonlight as it blankets the cool earth,
A neat light reflects off each blade of grass,
And the trees glow in those radiant hues of rust,
Gold and crimson,
Now something catches your attention,
A new scent drifting through the air,
It's warm and familiar,
A comforting blend of sweet apples,
Cinnamon and clove,
The smell of spiced apple cider,
With each breath,
Let the scent travel deep down into your lungs,
As you follow it up the slope,
And you reach the final stretch of the rolling hill,
Taking mindful step by mindful step across the earth,
And there at the top,
Bathed in warm moonlight,
Is a cozy place for you to rest deeply beneath the night sky,
A plush blanket is spread across the grass,
Thick and inviting,
And pillows are all huddled around it,
Creating a comfortable nest for you to melt into,
Beside them sits a mug of warm cider,
A subtle train of steam rising from its surface,
Swirling into the moonlight atmosphere,
You take a slow deep breath in and out,
Pleased to have arrived in such a welcoming comfortable place,
And now you make your way to the centre of the blanket,
Sitting atop one of the cushions,
Wrapping a second blanket around your body,
The air is still and the sky is clear,
The silver stars gleam like polished diamonds,
And behind them is a peaceful expanse of dark indigo sky,
Take a few quiet moments to recognise that this place is yours and yours alone,
A place of safety,
Comfort and serenity,
And as your sit bones settle into the cushion beneath you,
Envision yourself reaching to grab the mug of warm apple cider,
If there's a different drink you'd prefer to imagine sipping on,
This mug might be filled with herbal tea or hot cocoa instead,
But as you lift the mug into your hands,
Feel its warmth permeate your palms,
And envision this warmth travelling all the way through you,
Along your arms and into your chest,
Through your belly down to your feet,
And up your neck through to your head,
And take a few slow mindful breaths as the scent of this delicious liquid rises up to fill your nostrils,
Savour what this warm soothing drink smells like,
And when you're ready,
Envision yourself sipping mindfully,
As the warm liquid fills you,
Your body relaxes ever more deeply,
And as you savour its richness,
You gaze up at the night sky,
And your eyes trace the constellations,
Feeling safe and protected beneath their ancient glow,
And once again,
You revel the light of the moon,
The amber gold luminosity of this celestial wonder,
As the moonlight washes over and through you,
You feel deeply held and supported,
The harvest moon is a calming presence,
Reminding you that it's natural to let go,
And that it's imperative to rest,
So as you bathe in its wise restorative light,
You release whatever isn't serving you right now,
Whatever's holding you back from deep rest,
And overactive thoughts leave you,
Emotional weight leaves you,
Fears and attachments leave you,
And see these things leaving your body with each exhale,
Drifting up into the sky as effortlessly as the mist rising from your warm drink,
All thoughts,
Emotional weight and ruminations dissolve into the light of the moon,
As your mind melts into stillness and serenity,
Continue to exhale anything that needs release,
While noticing what it feels like to be held here,
Notice the support of the earth beneath you,
And the care beaming down from the stars above,
And notice the warmth of the golden moon in the sky,
And the renewal of each and every breath,
Now take a few more mindful sips of your soothing drink,
And when you're ready,
Place the mug aside,
And you are deeply relaxed and ready for sleep now,
So imagine yourself coming to a lying down position,
Nestled in with all the cushions and blankets you desire for comfort,
And as you rest on the earth,
You can feel its subtle heartbeat,
You can feel its deep care and nourishment,
And for a few breaths,
Envision ethereal roots descending from your body,
Weaving into the soil below,
And imagine the nourishment that lives in the earth rising up these roots to soothe your body,
Envision every cell in your body being restored,
And take a long slow breath in,
Absorbing the earth's gifts for just one more breath cycle,
Then exhale to soften,
Attention returning to the sky above,
And you are deeply,
Deeply grounded,
As your mind and body continue to soften,
Wrapped in warmth and moonlight,
Your gaze lands on the single brightest star in the sky,
And as you connect with it,
You silently repeat,
May I rest deeply now,
In mind,
Body,
And heart,
May I rest deeply now,
In mind,
Body,
And heart,
You thank this star for hearing your wish,
And then you notice your eyes becoming sleepy,
Take one last look across this enchanted autumn hillside,
Notice the tall steady trees with glowing earthy leaves,
And notice the small curvature of the earth,
The beautiful way the land blows,
Notice the golden light that spills across the grass,
Of course,
Notice that radiant harvest moon,
Its golden glow whispering for you to sleep now,
When you're ready,
Your eyes come to a close,
While your body remains grounded to the cozy nest atop this serene hill,
Take a long deep inhale,
Releasing with a sigh,
Another slow deep breath in,
A slow steady breath out,
The moon's golden light continues to bathe you,
Seeping through your closed eyelids,
It whispers again its final invitation to surrender,
To let go into sleep,
To give yourself full permission to rest deeply now,
Because here in this moment,
There is nowhere to go and nothing to do,
Nature wants to rest,
And so do your mind and body,
So one last time,
Let's take a journey through the physical body to relax it,
Supported by the glow of this luminous harvest moon,
Begin as you call your attention to the crown of your head,
And envision the moon's warm golden light spilling in,
Filling your crown and forehead completely,
Shimmering particles of honeyed light absorb any remaining worry or stress,
Melting away any residual tension or tightness,
And then it expands,
Filling your cheeks,
Ears and nose,
And both sides and the back of your head as well,
Your entire head is bathed and restored by this luminous glow,
A deep sense of serenity pervades,
Now envision this light slowly pouring,
Smooth like honey,
Down the sides of your neck,
Allow its warmth and care to massage out any tension that may be stored there,
Before it flows across and through your shoulders,
Any residual tension or baggage being held by your shoulders dissolves,
As moonlight fills and soothes them,
Take a slow deep breath in,
Exhale with a sigh of relief,
And the golden light flows with beauty and grace down your arms,
Soothing every cell it passes,
Relaxing every muscle,
Your upper arms relax,
Your elbows are soothed,
Your lower arms surrender,
And both wrists and hands melt into the earth below,
All the way to the tips of your fingers,
Your arms are aglow with celestial light,
Rested,
Relaxed,
Restored,
And from your shoulders,
The light descends into your heart,
Chest and back,
Bestowing these areas with deep peace and ease,
Envision any last knots of tension or tightness melting away as your breath and heart soften,
And fill your lungs with a slow deep breath,
Chest and belly expanding gently,
And release with a sigh,
Soften,
Center,
Surrender,
And slowly and smoothly,
The light of the harvest moon fills your rib cage,
And travels along your spine and nervous system,
Every cell and nerve fiber is settled and soothed,
Further quietening your mind,
And bringing balance to your whole system,
Now imagine the light pouring into your belly and pelvic bowl,
Filling these areas with ease,
Love,
And deep nourishment,
And with each exhale,
They surrender,
Melting into the mattress,
Your hips are nourished by the shimmering golden light particles that dance around and through them,
And then the light completes its journey,
Travelling slowly towards the tips of your toes,
It soothes and softens every muscle and cell it passes,
Your upper legs relax,
Your knees are nourished,
Your lower legs relax,
And the light soon fills your ankles and feet,
As they surrender deeply and completely,
Your whole body is aglow with the golden luminous light of the harvest moon,
And you feel light,
Relaxed,
And at peace,
While equally anchored to the earth,
Take a few moments to bathe in the sweet serenity of this light,
And now,
Gently,
Let the imagery fade,
While its peaceful vibrations remain,
As the light dissolves,
You become aware of the bed supporting you in physical reality,
And now,
Sense into the warmth and comfort of your own cushions and blankets,
And attune to the natural ebb and flow of your breath,
Each cycle rocking you gently towards sleep,
All that remains is the deep rhythm of the night,
Waiting to carry you effortlessly into slumber,
So let yourself transition naturally now,
With no stress,
Pressure or force,
Trust that sleep is surely unfolding,
And soon you'll drift into another serene landscape of sweet dreams,
Rest well now,
And until next time,
Good night my friend,
Good night.
