Welcome to this evening meditation,
A moment for you to gently transition from the busyness of your day to the restful peace of the night.
Find a comfortable position,
Preferably lying down,
And allow yourself to begin settling in.
Take a deep breath in,
Filling your lungs,
Expanding them fully.
Hold it gently for a moment,
And now slowly exhale,
Releasing the air as if you're setting down the day.
Do this two more times,
Inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly,
Letting the rhythm of your breath signal to your body and your mind that it is time to rest.
Now allow your breathing to settle into its natural rhythm.
Notice the rise and fall of your chest.
With each exhale,
Imagine releasing any tension you're holding in your body.
You might feel your shoulders drop,
Your jaw soften,
Or your hands unclench.
Let your body feel a little heavier,
As if it's sinking into the support beneath you.
As you rest here,
Gently bring your awareness to the events of your day.
Let them pass through your mind like a slideshow.
No need to linger too long on any single moment.
What went well today?
Let's pause and let any small or big moment of goodness come to mind.
It could be a kind word,
A task completed,
Or even a simple small pleasure like a warm cup of coffee or a crisp diet Coke.
Allow yourself to feel gratitude for these moments,
However small.
Now consider what didn't go as planned.
Remember,
Shame,
Guilt,
Or judgment only get in the way of us learning from and moving on from any mistakes we may have made.
So do your best to hold these moments,
Without judgment or blame,
And simply acknowledge them.
They are part of your human experience.
Take a moment to offer yourself understanding and compassion.
I did the best I could with what I had today,
And that is enough.
Now let your thoughts shift towards tomorrow.
What is one intention you'd like to carry into the new day?
It might be a simple word like presence,
Patience,
Or joy.
Hold this intention lightly in your mind like a soft glow you'll take with you.
Before we close,
Take a moment to offer yourself kindness and self-compassion.
Place a hand on your heart or another part of your body that may need to feel some comfort and say to yourself,
I am worthy of rest,
I am worthy of peace,
And I am worthy of care.
As you sink deeper into relaxation,
Know that this is the time for you to recharge.
You've done enough for today.
There is nothing more to do,
And now it's simply time to be.
Let the weight of the day melt away.
With each breath,
Feel yourself drifting closer to sleep.
There is nothing else you need to do,
Nowhere else you need to be.
Rest is here,
Waiting for you.
Good night.
May your dreams be peaceful and your heart at ease.
Take care.
