Windswept Lighthouse

At the end of a long coastal road, where the ocean wears away at the land, visitors can witness the life and rituals of a small white lighthouse with a grand emerald door. Surrounded by the coastal flora and agaves that have made the sandy cliff side its home. The lighthouse has protected the harbor for decades with its strong beacon. It's rare that visitors get a peak into the lighthouse at this hour, but tonight is special. The lighthouse keeper slowly makes his way through the lighthouse. As he complete his last few tasks before a night's sleep, he goes window by window making sure each is secured and locked, so as not to let in the night breeze. He pauses to take in the view. The strong beam of light illuminating the peaceful scenery beyond him every few moments like clockwork. The lighthouse keeper closes the last window and heads down to his quarters where a warm cup of camomile tea awaits him. The cup steams in his hands. As he feeds a few bits of wood into the fireplace, he relaxes into a well-worn inviting armchair and watches the fire crackle as he finishes his tea. I've been to this lighthouse many times and know its details well. But before we explore them together, let's begin with a short wind down exercise. Tonight's wind down is a visualization. So when you're ready, let's begin. So no matter what's been going on today, whether it's been a busy day or calm one, this is an opportunity to put everything down. To let go of any inner chatter and find a place of rest in both the body and the mind. So first, get yourself comfortable in bed just taking a moment to pause and be still. And when you're ready, taking a big deep breath, breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. And as you breathe out, allowing the body to sink down into your bed. Feeling the weight of the body, allowing thoughts to come and go. Now imagining a steady flow of warm sunlight flowing down through the body, dissolving any tension, any discomfort as it begins to fill the body. Starting with the toes, moving up through the feet, and the legs being filled with sunlight. The qualities of warmth, space, and ease as it continues to travel up through the body. Up past the waist, through the back and the stomach. It's as though it washes away any discomfort. It continues up through the chest and the upper back into the shoulders and down the arms, all the way down to the hands and fingers. A sense of relief in the body and stillness in the mind, as it continues to travel up through the neck and the throat, into the head and face. All the way to the very top of the body until there's nothing other than that sense of stillness remaining. And now, just gently bringing the attention...