Twilight Beach

Hi, and welcome to tonight's wind down. In this exercise, we'll be using sound and imagery to create a scene in the mind to help you relax and connect to a greater sense of ease, and hopefully help you get some rest. First, I'll narrate the scene to set the location, and then we'll move into a breathing exercise, where you'll be guided by the gentle sounds of the waves to breathe in and breathe out. At the end, you'll have space to continue imagining this peaceful environment with the help of different sounds and prompts. By shifting our focus from our thoughts to the sounds in the space, we'll help the mind unwind and settle into a state of relaxation. The fullness of the moon glows softly on the beach at twilight. As you lie on the cool, sandy shore, you notice the shorelines of the ocean merging with sand. On your skin, the gentle summer evening breeze, with the wind creating soft, slow waves. In the distance, the dusk intersects with the pristine waters as the sun goes down and the beach empties. The palm trees sway and dance as the clouds in the moonlit sky begin to clear, revealing a tapestry of countless stars and galaxies. And as we settle in, we'll use the gentle rhythm of the waves to guide our body and mind to a place of relaxation and rest. So as we notice the ocean waves roll in, we inhale, and as the waves roll out, we exhale. If you haven't already, take a moment to get comfortable. Eyes can be left open to a soft, gentle gaze, or closed. Body in a relaxed, resting position on our backs, arms by the side, legs outwards. Now, gently bringing the focus to the breath. Finding the gentle rhythm of the breath in the body and seeing where you can feel the breath the most. Perhaps in the nose, chest, or stomach. And just resting the attention there. Feeling that natural rising and falling of the breath and body, similar to the ocean tide, allowing the body to be carried by the breath, by the waves, gently being rocked back and forth with each inhale and each exhale. Knowing that, if, at any time, the breath becomes uncomfortable, simply letting that breath go and continue to notice the sounds around you. As you lay here, connected to your breath, gently extend your awareness to the sounds around you, connecting to the space beyond your body. Listen to the gentle churn of the waves as they recede back into the ocean. The quiet creak of the palm trees as a sway in the wind, the flutter of their dry frons. Down the shoreline, you can hear the dull roar of waves crashing against a bed of rock and coral. The tide laps over the edge and swirls into a collection of small pools before rolling back into the ocean. A small gaggle of seagulls chase each other...