[MUSIC]
Hey, Jeffrey here, and welcome back to Nightfall.
[MUSIC]
“The falls is especially calm tonight, and also is already asleep beside the fire.”
Breathing in that slow, even rhythm dogs seem to find so easily. [MUSIC] Sometimes when I sit out here this late, I find myself watching the water as it moves over the rocks and down into the pool below.
Up at the top of the falls, the water is lively, tumbling and rushing as it finds its way downward.
By the time it reaches the pool at the bottom, everything is smoothed out again. The surface calm and quiet beneath the nice guy.
“If your thoughts feel a bit like that rushing water tonight,”
still moving quickly long after the day is finished, you're not alone. The mind often takes a little time to settle before it finds that same quiet stillness. So, for the next few minutes, let's give those thoughts some space to soften with a short meditation. Bring your attention to your breath. Take a slow breath in through your nose.
And a long, easy breath out through your mouth. Again, breathe in calm.
“And breathe out the movement of the day.”
Let your breathing settle into a natural rhythm now. Nothing forced, nothing controlled. Just the quiet rise and fall of your breath. Feel your shoulders begin to soften. Your jaw loosening slightly.
The muscles around your eyes relaxing as your body settle more comfortably into the bed. There is nothing we need to solve right now. Nothing we need to figure out tonight. Now imagine the pool of the falls. The night sky stretched wide above it.
Stars scattered softly across the dark water. If a thought appears in your mind tonight, imagine it like a small ripple moving across the surface of the water. You don't need to stop the ripple. You don't need to chase it away.
Just watch it move gently across the water. And as it travels farther and farther outward, the movement becomes softer. Quieter until the lake grows still again. Another thought might appear.
Let that one drift across the surface too. Ripples come and ripples go.
But the lake always returns to its calm.
Your mind can do the same.
Repeat softly with me.
My thoughts can slow down.
“I don't have to follow every thought tonight.”
Calm is already beginning. Come back to the steady rhythm of your breath in and out. Slow. Easy. Notice how your body feels now.
Perhaps a little heavier.
A little quieter than before. Take one final slow inhale. And the long gentle exhale. The ripples on the lake are fading now. Your body is here resting.
“Your mind can continue settling from here.”
If sleep is already close, simply drift with it.
And if you'd like a little more company tonight, you're always welcome to switch to one of my stories,
whichever you choose. Sleep well. You know, there's that moment when you're lying in bed. Not quite asleep yet. But everything's starting to slow down.
And sometimes that's when things surface. Thoughts you didn't really have time for during the day. Things you push decide and it's easy to let them drift past and tell yourself you'll come back to them later. For me, mental health awareness month is about noticing these moments and not just letting them pass.
“That's why I want to tell you about Rula.”
Rula is a healthcare company that connects you with licensed in network therapists and mental health professionals all covered by your insurance. They partner with over 120 insurance plans, which means the average copay is about $15 per session. So getting real support actually feels within Rula helps you find someone who actually fits based on your needs and preferences. There are no wait lists and appointments can be available as soon as tomorrow. So with mental health awareness month here, it's a good moment to take that step.
This mental health awareness month, don't just think about your mental health, actually take the step to take care of it. Visit Rula.com/nightfalls to get started. That's RULA.com/nightfalls. You deserve mental health care that works with you, not against your budget. May is mental health awareness month, and it's a reminder that rest isn't just physical.
Your mind also needs somewhere to go at the end of the day. So from today until the 26th of May, you can try nightfalls premium free for 14 days, without free access to the full library of bedtime stories, and my subscriber only series. And this month you can step into the dream brewer, wander through the registry of small wonders, linger at the cafe between the seasons.
And for subscribers we arrive at the Seely Court as a song of two courts continues all uninterrupted. Tap "Try Free" to claim your free 14 days on Apple Podcasts or follow the link in the show notes. See you there.
