Blue Hammam

The afternoon heat gives way to a light evening breeze outside of our blue hammam. The lights in the courtyard flicker to life as the last moments of sunset fade past the horizon line. From the outside, the hammam's stone gates may seem nondescript. Yet once inside the courtyard, 'tis a place of quiet beauty. The smell of fragrant oils, jasmine, lavender, and sandalwood drift out from the main bathhouse, enticing those in the courtyard towards them. The tile in the main bathhouse is cool on the feet. A refreshing feeling after a warm bath. The hammam's attendants carry trays with tea and coffee, the scent of cardamom strong as the tray passes by. They have fresh towels and perfumes on hand, ready for the moment that a patron decides to step out of their bath. If you look to the ceiling, you'll see an ornate glass stone that scatters the last rays of light across the water of the hammam. In the corner of the room is a large fountain, its basin filled with warm water. The fountain's age shows the patinated bronze now turned turquoise by years of flowing water. Roses float along the water's surface. They are constantly in gentle motion. Never stuck or gathered in one particular place. I have known of this hammam and its wonders for years. And tonight, with great joy, I will tell you about that. However, before I do, I think it's nice to begin with a little wind down exercise. Tonight's wind down is an exercise we call noting. It helps to sooth the mind. And once you've learned it, you can even use it if you wake up in the night. We are going to be counting our breaths, and then just gently noting thoughts and feelings as they arise. We are not trying to change them. We are simply labeling thinking as thinking, feeling as feeling. It may sounds incredibly simple, but it can help to create distance between ourselves and the thought and ourselves and the feeling so we don't get so involved in it. That, in turn, creates a more restful state of mind. In other words, the perfect conditions for a gentle, restful sleep. So to begin, just take a moment or two to get comfortable. Make sure you are nice and cool. Starting with some big, deep breaths. Breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. And with the next out-breath, allow the breath to return to its natural rhythm. In and out through the nose. And feeling the weight of the body pressing you down into your bed. And in your own time, starting to count the breaths as they pass. One with the rise. Two with the fall. Just up to a count of 10. When you get to 10, you can stop and start again at one. And remember, any time you get distracted, the moment you realize you are distracted by thought, simply note it thinking and to...