Jungle Ruins

(insects chirping) (water burbling) Near a stretch of low stone ruins where water moves gently over a thin bed of rock, an archeologist works close to the ground, the soft beam from her headlamp guiding her hands. In some places, the ancient markings in the stone are easy to follow, while in others, the lines fade into the warm surface around them. Details are emerging gradually, one small section at a time. As we prepare for our visit, let's take a moment for a brief wind-down exercise. Tonight's wind down is a visualization. So when you're ready, let's begin. So, just take a moment to get comfortable. Letting go of the day. (insects chirping continues) (water burbling continues) 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. (insects chirping continues) (water burbling continues) So, starting down at the toes and just a sense of the muscles switching off. The feet, the arches, all those muscles switching off. Same in the lower half of the legs. So 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 adrift. Everything from the waist downward is heavy. At ease. The muscles in the lower back and the stomach 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. (insects chirping continues) (water burbling continues) And allowing thoughts to come and go. Allowing the mind and body the space they need to rest. (insects chirping continues) (water burbling continues) At night, an archeological site is never completely still. Not silent, but held in a kind of steady attention. The ground has been cleared just enough to move through without much effort. Weathered limestone rises around the camp in low, uneven edges loosely enclosing the space. The stone here shifts in tone. Pale gray gives way to soft beige with faint darker lines tracing where water has passed, marking its path over time. Above, thick emerald-colored leaves overlap and settle into one another, forming a living ceiling. It softens the night around it. Somewhere close by, water is moving gently over a bed of rock. Not loud, just a continuous passing....