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Nighttime at the circus…
Needless to say, you’ve had one hell of a day. Old Caine really put you through the wringer this time… Literally. Who thought “turning into socks on washing day” was a good idea for an adventure?
Regardless, you’re safe in your room for the night. But, damn, do you ever feel drained. Despite this, however, you can’t seem to get to sleep. Your mind is too full of noise. You’re almost wondering if the day-to-day is worth it anymore.
All of a sudden, you hear a gentle knock at the door.
“Can I come in? I just wanted to check in on you, and see if you needed help relaxing. I know today was a real doozy.”
That was the recognizably hospitable voice of Ragatha. Just what you needed to hear right now.
You get up out of bed and open the door for her. She stands smiling on the other side, with a patchwork bag draped over her shoulder. She immediately greets you.
“Hey, there! You doing okay?”
You look down at the ground with a sullen expression. You don’t need to say anything. Ragatha can tell you’re out of sorts.
“Not so great, huh? It’s okay. I had an idea for something we could try together tonight!”
You gesture for Ragatha to come in, and then close the door behind her.
“So… I was wondering if you’d be up to try some meditation with me. You looked particularly stressed today. I figured maybe you could use a little ‘quiet time,’ am I right?”
Your head perks up a bit. A nice, quiet meditation session sounds like just what the doctor ordered. You enthusiastically nod your head with a smile.
“Great! Just give me a minute to set up. In the meantime, why don’t you find a nice comfy position to sit in for our session?”
You grab a couple pillows from your bed to use as meditation cushions. You place them adjacent to each other, so that you can face one another during the session.
Ragatha removes a few objects from her bag: a scented candle, a book of matches, and a small speaker. She presses a button on the speaker, and gentle ambient piano music begins to play. She then sets the candle between the two of you and lights it up, filling the room with a soothing lavender scent.
She shifts into a cross-legged position on the pillow you provided for her, her hands resting on her knees with thumbs and forefingers touching together. She smiles sweetly and assuringly at you.
“Now, normally we’d close our eyes during meditation. But this time, I think we should keep them half-open. It’ll be a nice way to help us connect to each other. And I think we could both use a little human connection right now. Don’t you think so?”
Her voice becomes whispery as she begins the induction.
“I’d like for us both to take some slow, deep breaths together. In through the nose… Out through the mouth. Just like this… In… and out.
“In…
“...and out.
“That’s it. Just feel the tension melt out of your body and mind with every breath. Inhaling peace and love… Exhaling stress and worry…
“Keep going… just like this. Feel all your stress just fade away.
“Good. You’re doing great. I can already see you starting to relax. Now let’s relax even further, okay?
“I want you to imagine warm, tingling, calming energy… slowly pouring over your body.
“Starting at the very top of your head… you feel it slowly pouring down, like warm bathwater. You can feel it soaking through your skin, into your mind… washing away all thoughts… all worry and negativity… bringing you pure calm. Just breathe in this feeling. In… and out.
“As this warm, calming energy slowly continues downward… you can feel the muscles in your face begin to relax. Your forehead… your eyes… your jaw… your mouth…
“At this point, maybe you can allow yourself to smile a little. Can you do that for me?
“...There you go. That feels nice, doesn’t it? You have a really nice smile, y’know? Seeing it always makes me happy.”
Ragatha gives a soft, loving giggle as she gazes upon your smile. Deeply endeared, you can’t help but chuckle a little yourself.
“Hehehe… Breathe… Breathe in this feeling of peace and joy… You deserve it.
“The warm energy flows down even more… Into your neck… down to your shoulders… into your arms, right through to the tips of your fingers.
“And at this point, you can feel your shoulders start to shrug down a bit on their own, as the tension melts out of them. Your arms are becoming just a bit heavier, but in a comfy and pleasant way… Hehehe… Feels nice, doesn’t it?
“Now, feel the energy flowing into your chest… and into your heart. It washes away any sadness, any heartache… leaving you feeling calm and happy inside. Breathe it all in… Observe your emotions…
“From here, the calming energy flows through your torso… down your spine… into your legs… right down to your feet, to the tip of each toe.
“At this point, your entire body should feel warm, soft, and pleasantly heavy. It’s kinda like you’re wrapped up in a big, warm hug, isn’t it? This is because you’re in a deep, meditative state. Just take a moment to concentrate on how this feels, okay?”
As Ragatha said, you do indeed feel warm, soft, and heavy. It’s as if a warm weighted blanket has been draped over your shoulders. You have no desire to move. Just like a ragdoll, all you can do is sit there, smiling blissfully back at Ragatha.
“Isn’t this a nice feeling? No need to move… No need to think… No need to do anything except be with yourself… and smile.”
Your smile grows a bit, and you chuckle calmly. This makes Ragatha smile a bit more as well.
“You did a great job getting to this point. I’m so happy to see you looking this relaxed. Now, if it’s okay, I’d like for us to try something else.
“When you’re in a meditative state, your mind becomes more receptive to positive suggestions. That’s why I like to repeat affirmations to myself whenever I meditate.
“Now, let’s take a deep breath… And repeat these affirmations together:
“I am strong.
“I am brave.
“I am enough.
“I am worthy of love and kindness.
“Good. Just keep repeating them, okay? You can say them silently in your head, or you can repeat them out loud to yourself. Sometimes it’s helpful to hear your own voice saying them, but you should do whatever makes you feel comfortable.
“In any case, just keep repeating them. Feel every word sink deeply into your mind… into your heart… The more you repeat them, the easier it is for you to accept them as truth. Because they are the truth.
“Great. Keep going. I’ll repeat them with you, okay?”
Ragatha spends a few minutes repeating the affirmations in a soothing, whispery voice. Your mind latches on to her voice as you repeat them along with her. Your body feels warm and heavy, while your mind feels quiet and happy. Your mind accepts the affirmations without any resistance. They’re simply the truth. You smile in this trance state, being able to fully comprehend your own worth.
Ragatha begins to blush a bit, as she softly addresses you.
“H-Hey… I just want you to know… I’m really, really proud of you. I know things have been difficult since you arrived here. But even on the toughest days, you’ve managed to make it through.
“You should be proud of yourself, too. You’re a lot stronger than you might realize. And you’re an incredible friend. I’m… I’m really glad to know you. I’m happy I’m able to be your friend.
“Just remember to keep taking care of yourself, too, okay? You deserve it. You deserve every bit of kindness you can extend to yourself. Don’t ever doubt that.
“Anyway… Just feel free to spend as long as you need in this state. Keep breathing. Keep repeating your affirmations. Keep focusing on the warm and calm feelings you’re experiencing. I’ll be right here, experiencing all of it with you. Just let me know whenever you’re ready to wake up, and I’ll bring us both back.”
You allow yourself to remain in this trance state for a while. You focus on your breath, your affirmations, and the warm, soothing heaviness of your body. You’re absolutely submerged in inner peace, as if it’s warm water in a bath.
All the while, Ragatha sits quietly watching. You can see the peacefulness of a meditative trance in her half-lidded eye and her serene smile. The two of you are simply existing together, your minds and souls united in this mystical zen state.
…
…
…
…
When you’ve finally had your fill, you give Ragatha a slow nod and a blink, signifying that you’re ready to awaken.
“Oh. You’re ready to come out of it? Okay. I’ll lead us back to normal consciousness.
“I’d like us both to take some more deep breaths, imagining energy and wakefulness slowly entering into us with each inhale.
“Gradually, you feel a new, tingling energy rising through you, starting at your toes. I’m going to count us up from five to one, and as I do, the energy will rise even more.
“Five… That wakeful energy is flowing from our toes, to our feet, to our legs…
“Four… The energy now flows into our torsos…
“Three… Into our shoulders and neck, and into our arms… We’re finding it much easier to move our bodies, but we still need to reach total wakefulness…
“Two… Into our faces… and to the tops of our heads… The energy gently awakens our brains, like sunshine peeking in through the window…
“And, one… Wide awake together…”
...
...
...
...
You take in one more deep breath, soaking in the refreshing afterglow of a very peaceful meditation session. You feel lighter, calmer, and more confident. Most of all, you feel a deep sense of gratitude.
You place your hands together and bow your head to Ragatha in a manner that’s both respectful and a bit playful. She returns the gesture with a giggle.
“Hehehe… Namaste. You look like you’re feeling a lot better, huh?”
You nod your head with a smile, thanking Ragatha for a lovely meditation lesson.
Ragatha blushes a bit.
“Heh… Shucks! Thank you for agreeing to meditate with me! I really enjoyed spending this time with you!”
Ragatha extinguishes the candle, and the two of you rise up from your seats.
Ragatha begins to extend her arms for a hug, but then stops herself. She rubs her arm, feeling a bit embarrassed and wondering if she came off too strong.
You smile and reassuringly extend your own arms toward her, as if to say ‘bring it in!’
Ragatha’s smile positively beams, and she enthusiastically throws herself into your arms with a great big hug.
After the two of you pull back apart, you let out a contented yawn.
“Heh, looks like you’re ready for a good night’s sleep, huh? That’s good to see. I’ll leave you to it, then.”
Ragatha begins to head towards the door, but she looks back at you with a shy smile.
“Hey… I meant what I said earlier, by the way. I’m really, really glad to be your friend. Thanks again… for everything. A-And just know that… I’m always here if you need anything!”
You smile and nod again, silently thanking her.
“Heh. No problem at all! You get some sleep, okay? I’ll see you tomorrow, and we’ll face whatever comes at us together, okay?”
Ragatha walks out of the doorway, peeking in at you as she slowly closes the door.
She whispers soothingly.
“Good night… Sweet dreams…”