Hello,
My name is Kerry Bethan.
My friend David asked me to record a meditation to guide you to sleep.
I have found that sleep can,
At times,
Be a vulnerable experience.
Fully surrendering and allowing the body to relax can feel impossible.
Can we resist this comfort through stress,
Anxiety,
Or because we don't feel safe at home in our bodies to be able to let go?
Part of our practice this evening will be around embodying the present moment to find peace and safety.
To create the trust that for tonight,
All is well,
So that you can feel comforted to let go of the day and drift into the night.
So join me now in finding comfort and safety in the warmth of your bed,
Embraced by the softness of your sheets,
Settling into the support beneath you and gently closing your eyes.
Begin to take in a few long,
Deep breaths,
As deeply as possible,
As you release and let go of the day.
Inhale and exhale,
Releasing stress and worries with each exhale and surrendering them to the night.
Letting go of trying and moving gently into rest.
As you let the body relax more and more with each breath,
All that you have been holding onto,
All that you have been carrying in body and mind,
Let it float out and away,
Breath by breath.
And feel yourself sink deeper and deeper into the bed with each breath,
As you imagine being held by the night.
Even as the natural flow of the breath returns,
Allow your body and mind to begin to soften and settle into stillness.
As you begin to sense the space around you and breathe with the space,
Become aware of your breath,
Noticing its coming and going,
The sensation,
The sound,
The temperature.
Begin finding stillness within yourself as you arrive in this moment.
And sense the sky above you,
The moon,
The stars,
All present,
All here with you now.
Sense them watching over you,
Adding a layer of security,
A blanket of safety,
A deeper promise that all is well.
And as you move your awareness through the body now,
Observe your experience without judgment,
Simply notice.
As you place the attention at the top of your head,
Feel your head embraced by your pillow,
Feel all the sensations there and allow your head to rest.
As the attention moves down,
Feel the sensations on the back of the head,
Your ears.
Notice the sensations through the forehead.
Raise the eyebrows and soften the brow as you release,
Softening the muscles around the eyes,
Nose,
Cheeks.
Release the jaw.
Release the mouth.
Thoughts may naturally arise,
Notice them passing without judging and return your attention to the sensations of your body.
The rest is found in the space between thoughts.
So let go,
Breathe out into the quiet of the room.
As you soften the mind,
Return to the quiet of your being,
The quiet within you,
Finding peace,
Finding rest.
And coming down now to your neck,
Throat,
Shoulders,
Releasing all that you have been carrying,
Sending your breath here and letting go with each exhale.
Letting go and letting be.
And with each breath,
A feeling of comfort and warmth wraps around you.
As you let your attention slowly move down through the arms,
Hands and fingers,
Ensure that they are resting in an easy and effortless way.
Feel each of your fingers,
Your palms,
The back of your hands.
Breathe deeply in your body now and come home to the heart.
Feel the heart beating deep within your chest,
The gentle rhythm,
The pulse.
Connect to the beauty and the support within,
Exploring all of the sensations in this area,
The expansion,
The release.
And send love to your heart for allowing life to be possible,
Always there for you day and night.
Your heart has been beating for you and caring for you since before you were born.
As you breathe here,
Know your heart loves you and allow your heart to soften.
Slowly moving your attention down to your stomach and releasing,
Relaxing the belly on each breath.
Take a moment here to feel the sensations with a soft awareness.
Rising and falling.
As you place your awareness on your back,
Take a moment to feel your connection to your bed once again.
As you move down through the shoulder blades,
The mid back,
The lower back,
Feel how you are held and supported.
And relax now.
It is safe to rest.
And continue to let your relaxed awareness sweep through your body.
Feel the sensations within the hips,
Down through the legs.
Notice the weight,
The stillness,
As you allow them to rest and just be.
Feeling heavier as you drift deeper,
Releasing any tension breath by breath.
Coming down into the feet and toes.
Feel all the sensations here.
The temperature.
And allow the feet to relax.
Finally coming home to the whole body,
Feel yourself at peace,
Relaxed and easy.
One with the night.
Feeling the safety of this moment as you return to the rhythm of your breath.
Releasing and falling.
As you drift deeper,
Deeper.
Softly.
Gently.
