Self-Meditation

It never hurts to take a moment to relax.

A quiet strain of music begins. It’s smooth and unobtrusive, and you begin to feel a calm settle over you just from hearing it. Before long, a pleasant voice interjects. You listen serenely to what it has to say.

Voice: Find a comfortable place to lie down. Try to insure that all is quiet and will not be disturbed for a reasonable period of time. Lie down, and position yourself in the way you find most comfortable. Close your eyes.

The music shifts to a more repetitious but still pleasant melody. The voice pauses for a time to allow you to adjust to the new music before beginning again.

Voice: Visualize a comfortable warmth spreading through your body, beginning with your toes. Begin to breathe in time with the music.  Every time the melody begins, breathe in; every time it ends, breathe out. Feel the warmth begin to proceed up your body every time you inhale. Everywhere the warmth touches is immediately and fully relaxed. Allow this warmth to proceed first through your legs, then your hips, then your torso, your arms, and finally your face and head.

The voice once again falls silent. Following its instructions, you allow the warmth to spread through your entire body and find yourself fully and completely at ease. The music continues for a time before transitioning back to the initial melody, but for how long exactly you couldn't quite say. Soon, the voice speaks once more.

Voice: Picture yourself at the top of a flight of stairs. The staircase goes down and down and down " so far down, in fact, that you cannot see the bottom. You know, though, that at the bottom of this staircase is a safe, comforting place. It’s time to reach that place. Place your toes at the edge of the very first step.

A brief pause. The music shifts back to the repetitive melody. You wrap your toes around the top, ready to descend.

Voice: Once again, allow your breathing to fall in time with the music. When you have accomplished this, breathe in and take one step down the stairs. Breathe out and take another. In this manner, begin to proceed down the stairs. As you spiral further and further down, feel your worries, concerns, and stress begin to float away.

You continue down the staircase for a very long time. With each step it feels as though a weight is being lifted from your shoulders. After some time, though, you arrive at your destination.

Voice: You take your final step down and find yourself in luxurious bedroom. In front of you is the softest, most welcoming bed you can possibly imagine. Lie down in that bed now. When I snap my fingers, you will fall immediately into a deep, dreamless, restful sleep, and awaken only when you are fully ready to.

Music stops. Everything is quiet and soft. A quiet snap of the fingers, and you fall immediately asleep. When you do eventually wake up, you feel renewed and at peace with the world.