Winter Solstice

(water sputtering) In the hush of the evening, Snowville looks as though it's been tucked inside a glass snow globe. The snow is sparkling like an open geode across the ground and the sky is covered with tiny points of starlight that seem to twinkle against the coal. Every so often, the winds sighs through the evergreens, sweeping past doorways and windows. Tonight, the town is gathering for stories, the warming of the hearth and the quiet wonder that follows the turning of the year. Before we wander around, let's take a moment for a brief 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. (water sputtering) Enjoying that feeling of having stopped, of having nothing left to do. (water sputtering) 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. (water sputtering) The path to Snowville meanders through the foothills, where towering evergreens guide the way. The stars are winking through the gaps between the branches, like scattered whispers of light keeping watch on the hills. It's the longest night of the ear and the town is glowing a little brighter because of it. Lanterns are shining as if to stretch the light just a little farther into the dark, holding back the deep winter in a warm, quiet way. Their amber reflections sliding across window panes and the brushed metal sconces along the shop fronts. A faint trail of footprints winds through the snow on the cobblestones. And these aren't from boots, but the...