Coastal Campground

Hello, and welcome to tonight's exploration of this secret coastal campground hidden in plain sight, just off the beaten path of this rocky coastline. At this time of day, the unobstructed sunset provides a brilliant display of colors that reflect off the ocean's surface. With each passing moment, the sun's rays slowly give way to the silvery glow of the approaching moon. Here, at the border between land and sea, we are able to experience the best of both landscapes. Cool gusts of wind stir up the ocean's surface below, paired with the chirps and chatter of the surrounding forest wildlife. The air is warm and welcoming, the perfect setting for an evening of rest and letting go. So as we settle in, let's deepen this sense of relaxation with a short wind-down exercise. Tonight's wind-down is a visualization. When you're ready, let's begin. So just take a moment to get comfortable, letting go of the day, enjoying that feeling of having stopped, of having nothing left to do. We're going to focus the attention of the mind on the different parts of the body, watching, as the muscles in the body switch off for the night, leaving the body feeling rested and leaving the mind more at ease. So starting down at the toes, and feeling a sense of the muscles switching off, the feet, the arches, all those muscles switching off. Same in the lower half of the legs. Notice any tension being let go of as the muscles switch off, shut down. In the upper half of the legs, any tension melting away, being let go of. Into the area of the hips, the pelvis, again, any muscles shutting down for the night, completely at rest. Everything from the waist downward is heavy, at ease. The muscles in the lower back and the stomach are now switching off. Middle of the back, around the diaphragm, the upper back, and the chest. So any muscles not needed, shutting down, switching off for the night. The shoulders switching off, the upper half of the arms and the lower half of the arms switching off. The hands, fingers, just switching off. Any muscles around the throat and the neck switching off. The head, the face, the jaw, the eyes, any last areas of tension melting away as the muscles shut down, switch off, at rest for the night, and allowing thoughts to come and go, allowing the mind and body the space they need to rest. One of the delights that the campground provides this time of year is the abundance of wildflowers that dot the landscape. The hillside path leading to the campground is blanketed in wild mustard, highlighter yellow and willowy in the wind. Towards the cove inlet there's a patch of cottage yarrow in a variety of muted colors, mauve, goldenrod, and off-white. Delicate areas of crimson columbine, an alien-looking lily-like flower with fire engine red petals pop out against the contrast of all the surrounding green....