Aquarium

Aquarium is such a dreamy place. The dim colored tank lights, pink, blue, or green, according to the needs of their occupants and the slow movements of the fish, the warmth of the air and the low hum of the pumps, all contribute to a uniquely cozy atmosphere. Let's walk these rubber tiles and enjoy the wonders of the aquatic world, a gallery of extraordinary creatures. As far as people go, the aquarium is near empty. There is no need to hurry our visit because tonight is late opening. We can stay as long as we like and take in the sights in our own time. Before we begin to enjoy this unique place, it's nice to start with a wind down exercise. For tonight's wind down, you're going to use your imagination. So no matter what's been going on today, whether it's been a busy day or a calm one, this is an opportunity to put everything down, to let go of any inner chatter and find a place of rest in both the body and the mind. So first, get yourself comfortable in bed, taking a moment to pause and be still. And when you're ready, taking a big, deep breath, breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. And as you breathe out, allowing the body to sink down into your bed, feeling the weight of the body, allowing thoughts to come and go. Now imagining a steady flow of warm sunlight, slowing down through the body, dissolving any tension, any discomfort, as it begins to fill the body, starting with the toes, moving up through the feet and the legs, being filled with sunlight, the qualities of warmth, space, and ease as it continues to travel up through the body, up past the waist, to the back and the stomach, as though it washes away any discomfort. It continues up through the chest and the back, into the shoulders and down the arms. All the way down to the hands and fingers. The sense of relief in the body and stillness in the mind as it continues to travel up through the neck and the throat into the head and face, all the way to the very top of the body, until there's nothing other than that sense of stillness remaining. And now just gently bringing the attention back to the body. You stopped for a moment at an empty tank. Tiny blades of yellow sea grass sway on some invisible current making shadows on the sand. The air is quiet. The only sound is the low hum of a pump somewhere. It's so faint. You can only hear it because it's late and almost everyone else has gone. From within the yellow grass, hardly visible, a shape appears, a shrimp. Its body is almost completely transparent, so you might not have seen it were it not for the spray of rust-colored spots along its back. Hello, shrimp. Its body is quite upright and...