Tomorrow Will Be Better, Anxiety Relief

Tonight,

Find freedom from the grip of anxious thoughts as you learn to mirror the peace and serenity of a secluded lake at dusk.

My name is Jason Stevenson,

And it is a pleasure to have you here tonight.

Whatever may be happening in your mind right now,

There is a place of peace deep within you.

If you're ready and willing,

I will guide you there every step of the way,

So that you can rest with ease as you drift off to sleep.

Before we begin,

Take a moment to get comfortable,

Fluff your pillow up if you need to,

Get comfortable in your sheets or blankets,

And allow your body to drop into the bed that supports you.

Take a slow and steady expansive inhale,

And as you release,

Close your eyes to turn inwards.

To prepare ourselves for tonight's visual journey,

We'll spend a short while bringing relaxed,

Caring attention to your physical body.

As I name different parts,

Guide your awareness to each one gently.

First,

You can simply become aware of what sensations may be present,

Perhaps coolness or warmth,

Stillness or tingling,

Or something else entirely,

And second,

If you discover any tension or tiredness in a particular place,

See if it might gently soften with an out breath.

The intention here is to move through the body with ease and tenderness,

We're not forcing anything away,

We're simply exploring if there's a deeper layer of relaxation that each body part might melt into.

So,

Begin now by drawing your attention to the crown of your head,

Simply sensing this area with care and curiosity,

Notice whatever is present there,

And then soften with a slow steady exhale.

Next,

Fill your entire forehead with your loving awareness,

Witnessing whatever may be here before gently releasing,

Allow your entire forehead to soften any worried or ruminating thoughts melting away as your muscles relax.

At any point along this journey,

If a sensation feels too difficult to be present with,

You are encouraged to let your awareness inch gently away from that place,

Instead,

Anchor your attention on a place that brings you comfort,

A place that grounds and centers you,

Do whatever you need to do at any time during this meditation to fully support yourself.

But now,

Allow your awareness to fill your entire face,

Noticing what it feels like to be present with your whole face,

And with your next exhale,

Soften through every small muscle in this part of your body,

Tension just melting into the pillow below.

Sense into the sides of your head,

And then into the back of your head,

Bearing curious loving witness to these places,

Inviting any tension to soften with your next out-breath.

Take a long slow inhale to fill your entire headspace,

And as you exhale,

Release with a subtle sigh,

Giving any lingering thoughts permission to leave as well.

Now allow your attention to descend a little further,

As you become aware of your neck and shoulders,

And see each breath moving across these muscles,

Gently unraveling any knots of tension.

Each inhale rolls up along your shoulders and the sides of your neck,

And each exhale rolls back down,

Soothing and softening.

Take one more full breath in this way,

Allowing your shoulders to release any weight from the world that they've been carrying,

And then inch by inch,

Guide your awareness down your arms,

Bearing witness to and relaxing your upper arms,

Observing and softening your elbows,

Becoming aware of your lower arms,

Softening with an out-breath,

Sensing into and softening your wrists,

And now entering into your hands,

Holding your palms,

The tops of your hands,

And your fingers in full curious loving awareness,

And with your next exhale,

Give your hands permission to release any grip they've been holding,

Invite them to surrender completely now.

Take a slow steady breath in,

And release with a gentle cleansing sigh,

Slowly travel back up your arms now,

Your awareness rolling along them like a smooth,

Steady,

Unending wave,

Travelling back into your shoulders,

Moving across your collarbones,

And letting your attention land for a few breaths in the centre of your chest,

In the centre of your heart,

As you inhale,

Feel a soft expansion through your energetic heart,

And as you exhale,

Release anything that's ready to be let go of,

Expanding and releasing,

Expanding and releasing,

Imagine a wave of relaxation radiating outwards from your heart,

Reaching into your back body now,

It soothes any tight or tense muscles you might discover there,

And as your back,

And your whole chest relax deeper and deeper,

Your awareness descends along your spine,

Vertebra by vertebra,

Calmness radiates throughout your entire ribcage,

And along your entire spine,

Until your attention lands in your belly,

And as it does,

Allow your stomach to gently expand on the inhale,

And to soften on the exhale,

Offer your entire belly your gentle,

Quiet awareness,

Inviting deeper layers of ease and relaxation to unfold with each passing breath,

And then guide your attention to fill your pelvic area,

Witnessing what's present there with love,

Softening any tension with care,

Your upper body continues to surrender,

Ever so gently with each breath,

But invite your awareness to complete its journey,

Slowly and steadily now,

Witness and release through your thighs,

Offering the same care and attention to your knees,

Slowly scanning your lower legs,

Softening with an out-breath,

And then entering your ankles,

Noticing what might be present there,

And relaxing as you exhale,

Finally,

Allow your attention to root in your feet,

Noticing the tops of your feet,

The soles of your feet,

And all of your toes,

Sensing your feet completely,

Really let your feet surrender here,

There is nowhere they need to take you tonight,

Let them rest,

Deeply and completely,

Now hold your entire body within the lens of your compassionate,

Tender awareness,

And as you do,

Bring your attention to your breath,

Moving steadily and effortlessly,

The way gentle waves lap against a still shore,

Deepen your inhale gently,

As your lungs expand to a slow count of four,

Pause for a moment at the top,

And exhale slowly for four,

Softening,

Releasing,

Surrendering,

Take a few more breaths in this way,

Feeling a natural rhythm begin to settle into each cycle,

Counting to four as you breathe in,

Allowing a gentle moment of pause at the top,

And then exhaling for another slow count of four,

Each breath moves with quiet vitality,

Like wind stirring leafy treetops,

Or ripples spreading across a quiet lake,

Take one more slow,

Full breath this way,

In and out,

And allow your breath to resume its natural flow,

As your breath and body continue to relax,

Your awareness dances into your mind's eye,

Here the canvas slowly transforms to a sky at dusk,

Painted in ethereal hues,

Soft lavender,

Deep indigo,

And streaks of rose stretch across your imagination,

And as the imagery expands,

You find yourself grounding to a calm and quiet stretch of the earth,

Nestled beside a secluded lake,

As a warm spring breeze drifts through surrounding trees,

Take a moment to envision yourself finding a seat by the water,

Perhaps on a plush blanket,

Or pile of cushions laid out across the earth,

And as you settle in,

Take a long slow inhale,

Filling with the sweet perfume of wildflowers,

And exhale to soften,

To anchor more deeply into this serene,

Secluded environment,

You have arrived in a safe,

Personal lakeside sanctuary,

As you attune to the lake,

And to the sky that hangs above it,

You are instantly struck by how restful,

Quiet and harmonious the world is here,

The lake is smooth as glass,

Reflecting a full silver moon and violet sky of the cosmos,

Stars are beginning to appear,

Shimmering like tiny gemstones suspended in the enchanted atmosphere,

And off to one side,

You become aware of a slow moving stream that quietly feeds the lake,

Its current is smooth and effortless,

Cascading gently over weathered rocks,

To enter the larger body of water,

Simply by being here,

You can already feel yourself sinking into deeper layers of inner quietude,

Without effort,

You are beginning to absorb the harmony that emanates from all of the elements of this inner landscape,

To deepen this degree of attunement,

Take a few slow,

Intentional breaths,

Filling with the energy of this place as you inhale,

Melting deeper into it as you exhale,

Absorbing the peace and quietude as you inhale,

Melting as you exhale,

Continue to breathe naturally as you simply observe the beauty of this natural landscape,

Notice the way the full moon gleams at you from the smooth surface of the lake,

And the ethereal pastel glow that blankets the land,

Somewhere in the distance,

A night bird's song echoes through the warm air,

And a soft rustling of leaves whispers from the branches of ancient trees,

Feel nature's symphony permeate every fibre of your being,

Soothing any residual tension,

As you pay attention to the still waters,

The luminous evening sky,

And the surrounding flora,

It will be natural for thoughts to arise,

It's in the mind's very nature to wander,

But when it does,

We don't have to be pulled into its current,

Instead,

See if you can observe your thoughts from the point of view of an outside observer,

Watching them drift like clouds moving across the darkening violet sky,

Or like petals floating atop the peaceful lake,

In other words,

Rather than getting pulled downstream by your thoughts,

Observe the stream itself,

Allow the thoughts to come,

And allow them to go,

From a place of compassionate,

Detached awareness,

Take a few moments to practice this now,

Some thoughts might be sticky or resistant,

And more difficult to detach from than others,

That too is natural,

But as soon as you become aware of any of that stickiness,

Any of that resistance,

You can acknowledge it too,

And you can gently release it to the evening breeze,

Use every exhale to support you in letting go,

And the work here is not about controlling or suppressing your thoughts,

It's not even about getting rid of anxiety or stress,

It's about recognizing that these thoughts do sometimes come,

And that we can naturally allow them to let go as swiftly as they came,

And it's about recognizing that we are not defined by our difficult thoughts,

Instead we are quiet,

Wise observers of them,

And we can come back home again and again,

To the peace and tranquility of what lies beneath them,

To the peace and tranquility of that calm inner lake,

As you sit here,

Watching the world,

Watching your thoughts,

Notice again the stream that trickles into the lake,

And notice how effortlessly it moves,

How it does not fear or fight the obstacles before it,

How it just keeps moving,

The stream holds zero resistance to the stones and boulders before it,

And it gracefully weaves its way around them,

One way or another,

It continues its path to the lake,

To the serene stillness that awaits it,

And give your mind permission to flow that effortlessly too,

To not resist,

To not judge,

See instead if you can surrender to life's rhythm,

Witnessing what moves through you from a wise,

Compassionate place,

All the while grounded and steadied by the solid earth beneath you,

If it helps,

Take a few moments to envision invisible roots weaving you into the earth here,

And with each breath,

Inhale strength,

Vitality and nourishment from the soil below,

Allow this nourishment to fortify your body,

Mind and spirit,

And again,

Simply observe,

With wisdom and non-judgment,

Any thoughts that arise as you bathe in the serene elements of this landscape,

And as you do,

You might quietly ask yourself,

Can I simply watch my thoughts without holding onto them,

Without suppressing them,

And without judging them,

Can I simply watch my thoughts come and go,

As effortlessly as the warm spring breeze that moves through the tops of ancient trees,

If you're still envisioning roots connecting your body to the soil,

You can gently soften that imagery now,

Even without visualizing it,

You are always rooted to the earth,

Now broaden your awareness once again,

To absorb the full beauty of this quiet inner realm,

Now,

Observing the color of the evening sky,

Which transforms as time ticks along,

The violet and rose hues have darkened,

And a cobalt blue backdrop pervades,

And more and more stars begin to light up the night,

And the glowing full moon casts its silver light upon the quiet earth,

Notice the perfume of wildflowers that dance through your nostrils,

And the way its floral aroma intermingles with the earthy scent of cedar and soil,

The blend seems to balance you out,

Grounding you to the earth,

While also lightening your mind,

Now,

Take a few very slow intentional breaths to fill with rejuvenating aromas that live in the air,

As the sky darkens,

And with each breath that passes,

You are growing increasingly tired,

Envision yourself coming to rest on the earth,

Supported by any cushions or blankets you desire,

You can customize this place even further,

Perhaps imagining that a small campfire adds warmth and comfort to the night,

Or that a cup of herbal tea is beside you,

Offering further relaxation to both your mind and body,

And as you slowly inch towards sleep,

Allow the sensory elements of this lakeside retreat to soothe you,

Focus on the aspects that feel most grounding for you,

Be that the night sky,

The still water,

The flowing stream,

Or something else that feels entirely serene,

And thoughts may continue to come,

And that's okay,

But release any urge to hold onto them,

Instead,

Ask yourself,

Can I allow my mind to rest,

Just as the lake rests in the stillness of the night,

Can I truly allow my mind to rest,

Just as the lake rests in the stillness of the night,

As you surrender here by the lake,

Gazing out at the hushed surroundings,

Hundreds of tiny golden fireflies illuminate the sky,

Their soft glow trails through the evening air,

Flickering like tiny embers before fading from sight,

Allow your gaze to dance alongside them,

Drifting weightless through the twilight,

And as you bathe in the quiet,

Calming magic of the lakeside sanctuary,

Come back to the natural rhythm of your breath,

Inhale,

Absorbing the night's cooling air,

Infused with earth,

Cedar and springtime florals,

And exhale,

Releasing the day behind you,

Releasing any worry about days ahead,

Body melting further and further into the support of the earth below,

And exhale,

The peaceful rhythm of nature surrounds you,

Lulling you into an ever deeper embodiment of surrender,

You're acutely aware that there's nothing for you to do but to let go completely now,

To make that natural transition into sleep,

So you take a few final moments to absorb the visual beauty of the lake,

The night sky,

The moon and the stars,

And the trickling stream,

You feel innately connected to it all,

And deeply aware that its peace is not,

In fact,

Separate from you,

It is nestled here within you,

To further calm your mind,

You allow your eyes to close inside the visualization,

And as they do,

You focus on the feeling of being there,

Of being held by the earth beside the lake,

Of being nourished by the fresh restorative breeze,

And focus on the smell of the air once again,

Attuning to the most grounding scent within its natural blend,

Perhaps you feel most called to the restorative properties of the wild flowers,

Like lavender or honeysuckle,

Or maybe it's the cedar or the smell of rich soil that tugs at you the most,

Whatever fragrance feels most calming for you in this moment,

Begin to breathe it into every part of your body,

Filling with ease and relaxation as you make that final transition to sleep,

Begin by inhaling a deep breath to fill the crown of your head and your forehead,

And filling your entire mind space with the restorative aroma of nature,

And as you exhale,

Release any residual worry or tension,

Then inhale this fresh scent into your jaw,

Your neck,

And your shoulders,

And imagine it offers a final blessing of relaxation to any stress or tension you may be holding there,

Breathe it all the way down your arms and into your hands,

And into your heart or chest and your back,

Filling your belly and your pelvis with this restorative properties of soothing natural aromas,

Now inhaling it all the way down your legs to your toes,

And exhaling with a deep sigh of release,

Now simply rest for a few moments in your breath,

Feeling its effortless flow into your body,

And its natural flow out of your body,

And with each breath,

You are reminded to let go,

With each breath,

You surrender,

Take a moment to thank the secluded lake and the ethereal sky of violet,

Rose and indigo for holding you,

Thank this landscape for reminding you that peace is not beyond you,

It's within you,

All you need to do from time to time is to rediscover it,

And spend just a few more moments feeling yourself resting beside the lake,

The raw earth beneath you,

The smell of earth and cedar and wildflowers flowing through you,

And when you're ready to depart,

Allow the evening sky to pervade your mind,

A deep velvet blue expanse,

A glow with thousands upon thousands of gleaming stars,

And as you exhale,

Allow it to dissipate,

Allow yourself to anchor back into your physical reality,

Into the felt sensation of your body on the bed below you,

Even though you've returned to the physical reality,

The spacious,

Calm,

Serene vibration of the lakeside sanctuary has travelled with you,

It will be with you as you transition into sleep,

And until that happens,

Stay close to the natural flow of your breath,

And let each exhale remind you to soften,

To surrender in both body and mind,

So that you may rest deeply and completely,

And if it helps,

You might silently repeat,

Just as the lake rests in the stillness of the night,

Just as the lake rests in the stillness of night,

May this night hold and carry you through a restorative journey of sweet dreams,

And until next time,

Goodnight my friend,

Goodnight.