Cozy Farmhouse

(no audio) (no audio) (no audio) The last of the evening's light fades from the sky, leaving the windows of a boxy farmhouse to glow under the canopy of stars. This humble structure has been home to many tired travelers who seek a quiet respite from their busy days. The house is one with its surroundings, covered in leafy vines of ivy that embrace the brick chimney and frame a beautiful oak front door. Each guest is greeted by a well-aged metal lantern. And tonight, another glow surrounds the house. Tiny blips of lazy yellow light appear in midair, signifying the presence of fireflies. They swirl about in graceful circles, unaware that their usual audience is fast asleep. Anyone who happens upon this home feels pulled in by its welcoming presence. As night falls, drip irrigation comes to life, surrounding the house with a cool wave of moisture, floating on the otherwise warm breeze. The gentle hum of the irrigation and the smell of nearby Pendula pines and orange trees that grow out back and fill up this home and all who rest here. Before we explore more of the farmhouse's wonderful features, let's take a brief moment for a relaxing wind-down exercise. Tonight's wind-down is visualization. When you're ready, let's begin. So just take a moment to get comfortable, letting go of the day. (no audio) 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 areas 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. (no audio) 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. (no audio) 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. On warm nights, windows are left open to welcome wind....