Hello and welcome.
Take a moment to settle in.
Let your body find whatever position feels most supportive right now.
You don't have to get it perfect.
You don't have to force anything.
Just arrive exactly as you are.
And if your mind is busy tonight,
If it's replaying conversations,
Planning for tomorrow or jumping between thoughts,
Know that you're not doing anything wrong.
This is simply what a human mind does,
Especially at the end of a long day.
So let's begin gently.
Slow inhale,
Soft exhale.
Let your breath be unhurried like it's moving through warm water.
You don't need to quiet your mind.
You don't need to make the thought stop.
You're just giving yourself a softer place to land while they move through.
If your mind feels loud or restless,
It's not a sign of failure.
It's a sign that you've carried an awful lot today.
Your brain is trying to make sense of things,
Tie up loose ends,
Keep you safe.
You can whisper to yourself,
It's okay that my mind is active.
I'm allowed to rest anyway.
Let that be your permission slip.
Bring your attention to the weight of your body.
Notice the points of contact,
Your head,
Your shoulders,
Your back,
Your legs.
Let gravity hold you.
Let the surface beneath you take some of the work.
You don't have to hold everything up right now.
You can let yourself be supported.
Slow inhale,
Soft exhale.
If thoughts are tugging and pulling you away,
That's okay.
Just return to the feeling of your body settling.
Imagine the day as a stack of papers you've been carrying,
Not heavy,
Just present.
And with each breath,
You're placing one page down.
You don't have to sort them.
You don't have to solve them.
You're simply setting them down for now.
Your mind doesn't have to clock out perfectly.
It just needs a moment to feel safe enough to rest.
Picture a small warm light in the center of your chest,
Not bright,
Just steady.
A place inside you that isn't overwhelmed by the noise of the mind.
Let that light expand just a little,
Enough to soften the edges of your thoughts,
Enough to remind your nervous system that you're here and you're okay.
Your thoughts are not overwhelmed by the noise of the mind.
Thoughts can keep moving.
You don't have to chase after them.
You don't have to fix them.
You can let them drift like clouds across the night sky.
Say quietly to yourself,
I don't have to figure anything out right now.
I can rest even if my mind is busy.
I am allowed to slow down.
Feel how your body responds.
There might be a softening in your jaw,
A small release in the shoulders or a deepening in your breath.
Your mind doesn't have to be silent.
For you to sleep,
It just needs to feel held.
As we come to the end of this practice,
Imagine your thoughts dimming like lights on a dimmer switch,
Not turning off,
Just lowering to a gentle glow.
Your breath becomes slower.
Your body heavier.
Your mind a little more spacious.
You've done enough for today.
You've carried enough today.
You've tried enough.
Let yourself drift towards rest,
Knowing that nothing needs to be done in this moment.
You are safe to let go.
You are safe to soften.
You are safe to rest.
You are safe to relax.
Take care,
My friend,
And good night.
