Moonrise Meadow

Hi, and welcome to tonight's wind down. In this exercise, we'll be using sound and imagery to create a scene in the mind to help you relax and connect to a greater sense of ease. And hopefully help you get some rest. Here's how the exercise will go. I'll begin by setting the scene and introducing the environment. We'll then move into a muscle relaxation technique where, as we breathe in, we'll gently squeeze and tense an area of the body for a few moments. And then slowly let go. By doing this, we help to release tension and tightness in the body, and can guide the mind to a place of calm and rest. At the end, you'll have some time to connect to the different sounds and build up a full picture in the mind. In doing so, we create space for the mind to unwind and be at rest. It's super bloom season, which means once a year the seeds that lay dormant in the earth soil have all decided to make their arrival. This grand entrance of wild flowers paints the most picturesque view. Bright, brilliant hues of color, flowers every shade and shape fill this field that once was just a bare blank canvas. Finding a spot to lie down for just a moment, you make your bed in this field of flowers. Surrounding you, vibrant, beautiful flowers of all kinds, soft grass lines the earth floor supporting you and your body. If you listen close enough, you hear the sweet serenade of the hummingbird buzzing searching for their nectar. All is well and beautiful as we begin to rest and relax in this bed of flowers. As we begin to wind down, let's try this muscle release exercise to help bring the mind to embody to a calm, rested place. With this technique, we'll be squeezing and releasing different parts of the body as we breathe in and breathe out. Squeezing hard enough to feel the tension, but soft enough to stay present with the sensations in the body. So if you'd like you can close your eyes and just feel the weight of the body pressing down. Noticing the gentle rising and falling of the breath. And then taking a few deep breaths. Now, gently scanning down through the body, and just notice how it feels in this moment. Once you arrive at the toes, staying here, and just gently noticing the toes, feet and ankles. As you breathe in gently squeezing the feet and curling the toes, holding them and the breath for five, four, three, two, one. And then letting them go as you breathe out, relaxing all the muscles in the feet. And just noticing how they feel. Now slowly moving up the legs, noticing the calves, knees, hips, buttocks, and breathing in gently squeezing the muscles in these areas for five, four, three, two, one. And slowly letting these muscles go, softening them as much as you can. And...