Settle yourself into a comfortable position and let your body be supported.
Nothing to hold and nothing to fix.
Whether you're sitting or lying,
Allow yourself to arrive here.
Become aware of your physical presence and the space you're taking up.
And take some slow,
Steady breaths in and out.
Breathe naturally at your own rate.
Let your breathing find its own rhythm.
Allow your attention to soften into your body.
Noticing the simple fact that you are here,
Breathing and being carried by this body that has carried you all day.
Tonight,
We're not asking anything of the body.
We're simply offering gratitude.
Begin by bringing awareness to your feet.
Those parts of you that carry you through the world.
Through days of effort,
Steps or hills,
Heels or flats,
Running or walking,
Moments of joy and strain alike.
Become conscious of your heels and the ball of your foot,
The arch,
The toes,
Your ankles,
And all the tiny bones and muscles and ligaments.
And silently or out loud,
Say thank you.
Move your awareness slowly up through your legs,
Through those bigger muscles that work so hard,
Through your calves and thighs,
And the long bones of your body that support you even when you're tired.
Even when you're moving imperfectly.
Thank the joints of your knees.
Thank your hips and pelvis.
That ball of bone that supports your torso.
And if anything feels stiff or uncomfortable,
Send it some extra energy and an extra nod of appreciation.
And carry on upwards,
Up your spine,
All the vertebrae,
All those long columnar muscles that support your back,
Your torso,
Your whole body.
They all carry so much weight.
And see if there are places there that feel uncomfortable or tense or sore and allow them to relax.
You don't have to force anything.
You can just notice the strain there.
And reassure your body it's time to rest now.
Offer extra kindness and no judgment.
You may have moved awkwardly today.
You may have carried heavy things.
You may have not thought about how much strain your body might be under.
That's okay.
We do that every day.
There's no judgment here.
This is just awareness and gratitude.
Now let that gratitude rise into your belly,
A place of digestion and intuition often,
And your life force.
Sometimes that's where we notice our gut feelings.
And we hold tension to allow it to relax now,
Allow your whole tummy to soften.
And thank your body for all the unseen work it does,
Day and night,
To all the digestion,
All the nutrition it pulls out of the food,
All the steady rhythms of your life.
And now bring awareness to your chest and your heart.
Notice that steady rhythm that keeps you alive.
Notice the breath that arrives without being summoned.
And thank your lungs for breathing you.
Thank your heart for continuing.
And let your shoulders soften now.
All the muscles around your shoulders and your collarbone,
Your shoulder blades and the base of your neck,
Your joints,
Your elbows,
The muscles of your arms and hands,
Your wrists,
And all the tiny joints and bones and muscles of your hands.
And think of all the ways your hands have helped you today.
Think of all the things your fingers have done,
Holding or creating,
Comforting,
Working.
Let them rest and relax now.
And finally,
Bring attention to your face and your head.
Feel your skull,
Your jaw,
Your eyes in their sockets,
Ears that have heard so many things today,
Eyes that take in the world around them,
Mouth,
Tongue,
Lips,
And all the ways that you've communicated,
Your mind,
Your brain,
And all the work it's done today,
Thinking and processing,
Feeling and imagining.
And acknowledge your body as one whole,
And let that gratitude and appreciation rise up in you and fill every cell.
And thank your body,
Not because it's perfect,
But because it's yours and no one else's.
And rest here now for a few more quiet breaths,
And let gratitude settle like a warm blanket.
And when you're ready,
Allow yourself to drift gently towards rest,
Held by a body that is doing its best.
Thank you so much for sharing your precious space with me today.
Have a wonderful rest.
