Let Go Of Anxiety, Fear: Have Gratitude Before Sleep

Hello and welcome to this guided gratitude meditation that will help to raise your vibration before you drift off to sleep.

My name is Jason Stevenson and over the next short while,

We will explore a heart opening practice of giving thanks followed by a cleansing visualization before slowly settling naturally into sleep.

There is nothing you need to achieve or accomplish here,

Simply follow my voice as I guide you for the next little while.

Begin by finding a comfortable resting position using any blankets or pillows you need to support yourself.

Ensure that your alarm is set if needed and that your blinds are drawn and then close your eyes as you settle into this meditation.

We'll begin by starting with mindful awareness of breath and body,

So just take a few moments now to witness the natural flow of your breath as it enters and exits your lungs.

There is no need just yet to change the breath in any way,

Simply become more attuned to its flow,

Observe any temperature changes or sensations observed as it enters through your nostrils and then again as it returns to the world around you.

Observe that you are being replenished with each inhalation and that you are invited to soften a little bit further with each exhalation.

Now,

Continuing to breathe naturally,

Draw your attention to your stomach,

Noticing if the breath effortlessly begins to deepen.

Without strain,

See if you might release any restriction in the abdomen as you subtly welcome the breath to expand its reach.

Let each inhalation bring new life to each and every cell and let each exhalation take with it some ounce of tension or fear that no longer serves you.

Now,

Take a moment to witness the presence of your physical body.

Starting at the crown of the head,

Slowly begin to scan the body downwards,

Releasing any tension as it feels comfortable to do so.

Relax the muscles around your eyes,

Your cheeks and jaw,

Your throat and shoulders,

Your belly,

Relaxing each limb from upper to lower and any other areas where you sense some lightness or release is yearned for.

When you have finished moving through the entire body,

Hold the fullness of your being in your awareness,

Feeling rooted,

Present and appreciative of your place here on this earth.

In just a few moments we'll move further into the heart space,

Exploring our capacity for gratitude and the freedom,

Contentment and lightness this virtue brings.

When we hone our attention on all that we have to be thankful for,

We raise our vibration to a higher level.

At this level,

Our sense of lack diminishes and fear,

Anxiety and uncertainty have a more difficult time latching on to our awareness.

Though many of us might be experiencing loss,

Fear and uncertainty,

Gratitude holds the power to broaden our perspective on what's happening around and within us.

Gratitude doesn't deny or diminish any emotions or deep loss we might be experiencing,

But it helps to shift our attention so that we may balance our frequency and move forward with grace,

Confidence and greater trust.

In the words of Melody Beattie,

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life,

It turns what we have into enough and more,

It turns denial into acceptance,

Chaos to order,

Confusion to clarity.

So before we begin our journey into deeper levels of gratitude and awareness,

Let's take another full breath into the belly,

Inhaling for a count of 4 and release completely exhaling to a count of 4.

Take another deep breath in and let it all out.

One more full breath in and let it all back out.

As your breath resumes its natural pace and rhythm,

Draw your attention to the heart space.

As your breath fills this space,

Imagine it expanding energetically.

And as the breath is released,

Imagine all barriers around it beginning to soften.

Now,

From this loving,

Balanced energy centre in the heart,

We will open ourselves to a deeper awareness of all we have to be thankful for.

In just a moment,

I will guide you through a gratitude journey by listing off various aspects of the human experience you might take a silent moment to give thanks for.

If anything I list off does not resonate with you,

Or if anything brings some uncomfortable emotion to the surface,

Know that this is entirely natural.

For instance,

It might be difficult for someone to feel gratitude for the body's mobility if they are at present injured.

If something like this arises for you,

Some suggestion of gratitude that does not feel authentic to you in this moment,

Just take a deep breath through the silent space instead.

Hold awareness and gratitude for your breath in that space,

Or for your pure being in that very moment.

Now,

Let's begin the journey by saying a few silent words of thanks to honour our breath.

Whether we are breathing on our own or are being supported by a breathing aid,

Take a moment to witness and honour the flow of this life force through your dynamic being.

Whisper a silent word of thanks.

Draw to mind and give thanks to the blood that transports this breath,

This oxygen.

And then give thanks to each cell,

Each tissue and muscle,

And each organ this oxygen enters.

Holding your entire body in your awareness,

Take a moment to give thanks for your pure being in this moment.

Grant yourself unconditional acceptance and love as you honour the gift of your presence.

Thank and bless your mind for driving you forward,

And your heart for keeping you centred in your humanity.

Now,

Moving beyond the physical body,

Take a moment to honour the surface beneath you and any cushions or blankets that provide comfort and support.

And then let your awareness descend,

Moving through the floor of the room that holds you,

Down into the earth's crust,

Into the rich,

Dense soil that supports all life on this planet.

Take a moment to give thanks to the earthly elements that allow us to thrive.

Rising back up to the body now,

Expand your awareness through the top side of the body,

Noting the air that surrounds you.

Take a moment to silently thank this invisible energy field for supporting the relationship between humans,

Animals and the plant kingdom.

Without it,

Life as we know it would not be possible.

Eyes remaining closed,

Expand your awareness to honour the walls and roof that protect you here.

Give a silent word of thanks for the safety and security you are provided with in this moment.

Now,

Keeping your awareness within these walls for just a few moments,

Take some time to move through your physical environment with a heart-led mind.

Note all the comforts and securities you have to be thankful for.

Perhaps you note the gift of electricity,

Refrigeration,

Eating and fresh water,

Or anything else that provides you with peace,

Joy or comfort within your home.

Note too your favourite small household items,

Perhaps your favourite mug,

Your plants or your coffee table.

Let an inner smile spread through you as you note any items of simple beauty that brings joy to your heart.

Now let your awareness expand to the community you live in.

Take a moment to give thanks for the conveniences or gifts you are provided with based on where you live.

You might note the accessibility of fresh food,

The view beyond your window,

The people that live in your town or city,

Or anything else that makes your community what it is.

And then let this awareness spread out through the entire region,

Country and earth you are a part of.

As you hold your awareness on the entire planet that is your home,

Take a moment to honour the beauty and blessings of this vibrant planet.

Call to mind the forests,

The fields,

The oceans,

The rivers and the deserts.

And then zoom in on the more intricate relationships and ecosystem within any of these places.

Letting the mind land in either a forest,

A field,

A beach,

A riverbank or a desert,

Take a moment to deepen your visualisation by imagining yourself standing in the ecosystem to which you feel called.

From where you stand,

Note the beauty and vitality of this landscape.

Notice and give thanks for the plants that thrive here,

The animals and insects,

And the sand,

Soil or rock beneath your feet.

Take a deep breath in of the fresh air that surrounds you here,

And then exhale as you sink with complete contentment into this imagined landscape.

Let all five of your senses explore this landscape,

Feeling a deep gratitude for the senses that come alive here.

Soak up the colours,

The textures,

The tastes,

The aroma and the sounds of this wondrous ecosystem in your mind.

Take just a few more full breaths here,

Holding this landscape in your awareness.

And as you zoom out,

Know that even though you will land back in the room that holds you,

All ecosystems of the world are a part of you.

Everything on this earth is interconnected,

And so we can find a deep sense of gratitude for the health and vitality of all ecosystems that thrive today.

These pristine ecosystems hold the key to a vibrant and radiant future,

And as we honour them,

Devote our attention and energy to them,

They begin to flourish.

Now,

Coming back into your body,

Take a moment to ground through the breath once again.

Then let gratitude wash through you for the people in your life that support you,

And for any animal friends that enrich your life,

And for your own divine presence,

Your unique gifts,

Beauty and wonder.

Take a few more full,

Long breaths here,

As you give a silent word of thanks for anything else that comes to mind now.

Now let all inner whispers dissolve as you come back to the body.

Notice,

Without judgement or assessment,

The state of the body right now.

Notice how it rests here in this moment,

In comparison to when you first began this meditation.

And then,

Centre your attention in the heart once again,

Back to where we began this journey.

The heart,

The centre of our love,

Our kindness and our gratitude,

Is where true appreciation is born and flourishes.

Though we might express words of thanks through the mind,

The sincerity of them arises from the heart space.

As we tap into this energetic centre,

We unleash the full capacity of our thanks.

So,

I invite you now to imagine that from within the heart centre,

A small pink orb begins to glow.

It starts out small,

The size of a pearl,

And then slowly expands with each full breath that nourishes it.

Soon it becomes the size of the heart itself,

Occupying this beating centre completely.

As the pink orb vibrates within you,

Imagine it cleansing you of any residual barriers to peace,

Barriers to love,

And barriers to grateful presence.

This doesn't mean you will never feel the weight of loss,

Grief,

Or any other challenging emotions.

It is simply here to support you now,

To cleanse whatever might be holding you back from the peace and beauty of this calm and quiet moment that holds you.

The pink orb grows even wider still,

Soon occupying the entire cavity of your chest.

As it permeates through each and every cell here,

It brings you back towards your highest frequency.

The energetic body comes into alignment and peace begins to wash through you with utmost ease.

Soon this pink glow extends through your abdomen and legs,

Through your arms and up into your headspace.

Your entire body is bathed in this healing,

Loving,

Rose glow.

If we imagine this glow to be the energy of gratitude itself,

We might honour its ability to,

In the words of Melody Beattie once again,

Turn denial into acceptance,

Chaos to order,

And confusion to clarity.

While there may be the right time in waking life to take action to navigate any challenges we might be facing,

Right here,

Right now,

We are called to heal ourselves through mindful presence and through the energy of gratitude.

In this moment,

There is nothing you need to do.

Nothing you need to accomplish and nothing you need to achieve.

Simply let this pink glow of gratitude wash through you to provide you with deep rest and release.

Holding your entire body in your awareness just for a few more full breaths,

Imagine this rose glow expanding through your outer layers and into the atmosphere around you.

Sending your highest frequency out into the universe around you,

This glow empowers not just your present but also your future.

You might,

If you like,

Offer your most inspired intention to the night with this in mind.

Consider what intention might you set to let gratitude pave the road into your future.

Then silently whisper that intention if it comes naturally to you.

Now,

Slowly let the pink glow begin to dissipate,

Knowing that its energy is already embedded into each one of your cells.

And notice once again the state of your physical body.

Imagine each muscle becoming even lighter,

Softening into the surface beneath you.

Let all thoughts,

All imagery and all notions of the future be set free now as you tune back into the natural flow of your breath.

Liken this flow to the steady inward and outward movement of waves,

Slowly rocking you into a deep and restorative sleep.

And as you slowly drift off,

Allow the following words of positive affirmation to continue filling your inner well of gratitude.

Breath by breath,

Let yourself sink a little bit deeper,

Surrendering to the beauty and blessing of deep sleep.

I embody everything I need.

The universe is abundant.

My heart is open and ready to receive.

I trust what comes.

I let go of what leaves.

I am attuned to silver linings.

I harness an attitude of gratitude.

My thankfulness is unconditional.

I am loved and cared for.

I honor and love who I am.

Challenges I face are opportunities for growth.

With each breath,

I begin again.

I am grateful for the earth that supports me.

I am attuned to the love of the universe.

I am thankful for each new day.

I inhale nourishment and exhale all tension.

My heart is in the right place.

I awake each morning to a bright future.

And until next time,

Goodnight my friend,

Goodnight.