Night Train

The night train hums softly as it rounds the curves of this snow capped mountainside. The cabins rock peacefully back and forth allowing the tired guests to sink deeply into their soft cushion seats, gently swaying them like a cradle. A steaming mug of tea sits on the windowsill vibrating with the movement of the train. Its surface dances with subtle ripples and patterns. The light rattle of porcelain sounds almost like the purr of a dozing cat, perhaps resting by a warm fire. Though the train is in motion, the inside of the cabin feels remarkably still and peaceful. Now, as we cozy up for the rest of our journey let's deepen this state of relaxation with a brief wind down exercise. Tonight's wind down is a visualization. When you are 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 are 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. The railroad tracks weave through a quiet peaceful forest of oak and ash trees. The branches arch over the tracks and form a tunnel of leaves, a natural ceiling under which the train chugs along slowly. The leaves sway back and forth in the gentle midnight breeze, flickering like candlelight. Here in the forest, the trees form a protective canopy for the nocturnal life that passes outside the window. The buttery yellow eyes of an old owl, the long, pointed ears of a curious rabbit, the furry antlers of a noble stag....