I have to be honest, March, it's not my favorite month. Mostly because of the weather, the puddles, the mud. The world seems stuck in that messy transition where winter won't leave, but spring can't fully arrive.Don't even get me started on daylight savings time. And this winter has seemed especially dark and long for some reason. But tonight, I invite you to look upward instead of around you. Above all this earthly messiness shines the magnificent March moon. Full, luminous, and brimming with promise. While we trudge through these final weeks of winter, the moon quietly heralds what's coming.Light returning minute by minute. Warmth that will eventually reach even the coldest corners. Darkness, no matter how deep or how long, is never permanent. Not for our world. Not for our collective hopes. And certainly not for you. Tonight, we'll bask in the beauty and power of this special March moon. Allowing its gentle radiance to guide us into deep, restorative sleep. But before we begin, this episode uses relaxation and hypnotherapy techniques designed to help you fall asleep. So please make sure you're somewhere safe and comfortable, where drifting off won't be dangerous. And if you'd like more information, you'll find a detailed disclaimer in the show notes. And if this podcast helps you find peaceful sleep, I'd be very grateful if you'd follow or subscribe to our show. Hypnotherapy works a lot like meditation. The more consistently you practice, the deeper and more effective the results become. Plus, if you don't follow the show, I honestly have no way of knowing if anyone is listening at all. Or if it's just me and the moon on this long March night. They call this the worm moon. As the ground begins to thaw, and earthworms start to stir, bringing life back to the soil. Some Native American tribes knew it as the eagle moon, the sugar moon, or the crow comes back moon. All marking this time of awakening and return. And this year, this March moon brings something special. It will pass through earth's shadow in a total lunar eclipse, transforming for a time into what we call a blood moon. Its silvery light will shift to a deep burnished copper red as our planet's atmosphere bends the sunlight around its curved edge. Filtering out all but the red wavelengths. Even in shadow, the moon finds a way to shine. Sometimes we forget to look up, don't we? We become so focused on the muddy path beneath our feet that we miss the extraordinary spectacles unfolding in the sky. Nature offers these gentle reminders. These quiet miracles every single day. If only we pause to notice them. The delicate unfurling of a leaf bud on a barren branch. The return of birds in the early morning hours. Changing pattern of clouds across the evening sky. When life feels heavy, or when we feel stuck. These small miracles can lift our spirits and remind us that the world is constantly renewing itself. So right now, let's make sure you're completely comfortable. Take a moment to adjust your position. Your pillow, your blankets. Find that perfect spot where your body feels supported and at ease. And when you're ready, we'll begin. Let's start by bringing awareness to your breath. Just notice the natural rhythm of your inhale and your exhale. Observe how your breath is moving right now. Is it shallow or deep? Is it fast or slow? Are you breathing more into your chest or your belly? Many of us have developed a habit of chest breathing, where only the upper part of our lungs expands with each breath. But tonight, we're going to invite your body to remember its natural deeper way of breathing. On your next inhale, imagine the breath flowing all the way down into your belly. And feel your abdomen gently expand as you breathe in. And then contract as you breathe out. This is what we call diaphragmatic breathing. And it's the way we naturally breathed as infants. It activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which prepares your body for sleep. Now, let's extend your exhale just slightly longer than your inhale. We'll breathe in for a count of four and out for a count of six. There's no need to force it. It's just a gentle lengthening of that out breath. This longer exhale sends a signal of safety to your nervous system, letting your body know it's time to relax. As you breathe, begin to notice the temperature of the air. Feel its coolness as it enters your body and its warmth as it leaves. With each breath, you're bringing fresh oxygen into your body, nourishing every cell. And now, as you continue this soothing breathing pattern, bring awareness to the feeling of being held, completely supported by the surface beneath you. How fortunate you are to have this safe, comfortable place to rest tonight. Feel the gentle weight of your head against your pillow. Notice how it cradles you, supporting your head and neck perfectly. Maybe you can feel the softness of the pillowcase against your skin. And the way your head makes a small, perfect impression in the pillow's surface. Feel the support of your mattress beneath your entire body. With each exhale, allow your body to sink a little deeper into this embrace, surrendering more of your weight. Now, become aware of the blankets that cover you, their gentle, comforting weight. Feel their softness against your skin, the way they create a cocoon of warmth around you. In this protective nest, you are completely safe to let go, to release the tensions of the day, to drift towards sleep. Continue breathing deeply and slowly. With each inhale, feel your belly rise. With each exhale, feel your body soften and release. Notice how your breath naturally slows as you relax more fully. There's a beautiful wisdom in your body that knows exactly how to transition from wakefulness to sleep. In a moment, I'm going to count down from 10 to 1. Guiding you into an even deeper state of relaxation, you may hear other sounds, perhaps from elsewhere in your home. Simply notice these sounds without judgment, and then gently return your attention to my voice. My words will be your guide, leading you toward deep, restful sleep. The more you follow my voice, the more comfortable and peaceful you'll become. 10. Take a full, deep breath in. And as you exhale, feel a wave of relaxation washing over you from head to toe. 9. With each number, you're drifting deeper and deeper, allowing your body to become heavier and more comfortable. 8. 7. 6. Your shoulders are softening now, moving away from your ears. 5. We're halfway there. 4. Your arms and hands are growing heavier. Your fingers are relaxed. 4. 3. Any remaining tension dissolves with each breath. 2. 1. You've arrived at a place of deep relaxation, as we continue our journey under this beautiful March moon. I want you to imagine that the ceiling of your bedroom begins to change. It gently dissolves, fading away like mist. The solid barrier above you, the ceiling, is no longer there. What you see now is the vast night sky above you, a deep, velvety expanse of midnight blue scattered with countless stars. Some twinkle softly, while others shine with steady brilliance. The sky feels impossibly deep and vast, yet somehow intimate and close, as if you could reach up and touch it. And above you hangs the magnificent full moon. From your bed, you have the perfect view. Its luminous face seems so much larger, so much more present without any barriers between you. Notice its perfect roundness and the subtle patterns on its surface. The luminous glow. The moonlight pours downward in a silent waterfall of silver light that flows directly into your room. It bathes everything in a soft, ethereal glow. The furniture, the walls, the floor, but most particularly, it flows toward you. Feel this moonlight as it reaches you, touching your skin with its cool radiance. Wherever it touches, you feel a wonderful sensation, cool yet somehow warming, light but comforting. The moonlight blows down to your face, softening any tension in your forehead, your eyes, your jaw. It continues down your neck, across your shoulders, where we so often carry the weight of our responsibilities. Feel those shoulders softening, releasing as the moonlight soothes away the tightness. This celestial light seems intelligent, seeking out any areas of tension or discomfort in your body. When it finds such places, it lingers there, its gentle radiance dissolving knots of stress, soothing aches, and bringing deep relief. The light continues down your arms to your hands and fingertips, which have worked so hard today. Let them rest now. Bathe in gentle moonlight. Feel the light flowing through your chest, your abdomen, bringing calm to all your internal organs, which continue their quiet work without any conscious effort from you. The moonlight flows down through your hips, your legs, all the way to your feet and toes. Your entire body is now filled with this peaceful lunar energy. Every cell in your body begins to glow with this peaceful energy. Let's turn our attention to the season we're entering. Imagine you can see beneath the surface of the earth right now. In soil that was frozen solid just weeks ago, countless seeds are absorbing moisture and preparing to unfurl their first tentative roots. Bulbs planted in autumn are sending delicate shoots upward, through the darkness, reaching for light they somehow know is there. All of this happens in darkness, in silence. Nature understands something that we often forget, that periods of rest and apparent stillness are not empty or wasted time, but essential preparation for new growth. Your sleep works the same way. In the quiet darkness of night, your body and mind are doing their own essential work of renewal. Memories are being processed and stored. Cells are being repaired. Your immune system is being strengthened. All of this invisible yet vital work happens while you rest, as your body grows heavier and your mind quieter. Imagine yourself as part of this great seasonal turning, the same force that summons life from the earth, that calls the sap to rise in the trees, that draws the first spring flowers. That same ancient rhythm is at work in you too. You are a part of this awakening, this gentle unfurling of new possibilities. Maybe there are dreams or hopes within you that have been dormant through your own personal winter, ideas or wishes. With the energy of the spring moon, now they're beginning to stir. There's no need to force this process or rush it. Each thing emerges in its own perfect time. The birds know when to return. The buds know when to open. Your dreams and hopes have their own wisdom as well. Trust in their timing, just as you trust in the return of spring, even after the longest winter. As you drift closer to sleep, feel the gentle pull of the full moon above, drawing out new possibilities just as it draws the tides. Sleep itself is a form of rejuvenation, a necessary cycle of rest that prepares you for new growth. Your body knows exactly what it needs, and your mind knows when to be still. The moon above continues its silent journey across the night sky, sometimes in light, sometimes in shadow, sometimes silver, and sometimes copper red. Always changing, yet always itself, like you. It moves through many phases, but remains whole, complete, perfectly itself in each moment. Rest now, beneath this special moon. Let its gentle light guide you to a deep, peaceful sleep. Your body knows exactly what to do. Your mind knows exactly how to rest. Everything is settling into perfect peace, perfect stillness, perfect sleep. I'm Suzanne, and this is your ticket to Snoozeville. Wishing you the deepest, most peaceful sleep. Sleep now. Sleep deeply. Sleep well.