Welcome to this time,
Just for you.
A time to rest,
To unwind,
To let your body and mind remember how to slow down.
And the beautiful thing about rest is that it's something your brain can learn to do more easily over time.
So the more you practice this,
The more familiar rest becomes,
The more your body recognises this moment as safe,
And the more quickly you begin to soften into it.
So I invite you to come back to this meditation every day for the next 30 days,
Not as something you have to do,
But as a gift you get to give yourself.
Each night becoming a little easier,
A little deeper,
As your brain learns that this is your cue to rest.
So now,
Just take a moment to settle yourself down,
Close your eyes,
Get yourself comfortable,
Feel your body where it rests,
The softness beneath you supporting your weight,
The stillness beginning to spread through your limbs.
And take a slow,
Nourishing breath in,
And a long,
Gentle breath out.
Now bring your attention to the top of your head,
And imagine a soft wave of calm moving slowly down,
A gentle blanket of ease that melts through your forehead,
Smoothing away any lines of thought or tension.
Then,
Down through the eyes,
The tiny muscles softening,
Eyelids becoming heavier,
Down through the cheeks and jaw,
Letting the tongue rest softly,
Unclenching the teeth,
Releasing the space behind the ears,
And as this softness continues to flow downwards,
It moves through your neck,
Melting any weight you've been carrying through the day,
Allowing your shoulders to drop,
Your arms to rest heavy and warm by your side,
Perhaps feeling pleasantly still.
Each finger growing quieter,
Notice the rhythm of your breath,
Like waves on the shore,
Rolling in,
Each breath reminding your body,
Now feel that calm flowing through your chest,
Your hips rising,
Down into your stomach,
Softening the belly,
Releasing any held emotion or tightness,
Letting it all settle with the breath.
Now your attention moves down through your hips,
The place that carries you through the world,
Inviting softness there,
Into your eyes,
And finally down into your feet,
Right to the tips of your toes,
And as your whole body rests here,
Bathed in stillness,
You might imagine yourself gently sinking into the surface beneath you,
As though the bed or floor or earth itself is holding you,
Breathing with you,
Supporting you in this quiet space of restoration,
As you rest here in this soft,
Quiet space,
You might imagine yourself holding a small seed in your hand,
Just a tiny seed,
Perfectly formed,
Holding everything it needs to grow into something beautiful,
This seed is your intention,
Maybe your intention is simply to rest deeply tonight,
Or to wake feeling calm,
Or perhaps it's something gentle for your life,
A wish for peace,
Or clarity,
Whatever comes to mind first,
Let's be your seed,
No need to force it,
Or think too much,
Just noticing what feels right,
And trusting that,
Now imagine yourself planting that seed in soft fertile earth,
Covering it gently with soil,
And watering it with your breath,
Each inhale nourishing it,
Each exhale settling it into place,
And as it rests in the earth,
You might imagine a faint warmth around it,
The quiet energy of growth,
Already beginning,
Even in the stillness of night,
Because even when nothing seems to be happening on the surface,
The most beautiful changes are already taking root,
And as your body continues to relax,
Your mind can wander now,
Drifting into a story that feels as calm and familiar as a dream,
Imagine you are walking along a winding path through a soft moonlit garden,
The air is cool and gentle against your skin,
The scent of night flowers drifting all around,
With each step you take,
The world grows quieter,
The sounds of the day are fading into the background,
You find a small wooden gate,
At the end of the path,
You push it open,
And step into a meadow bathed in silver light,
The grass moves like waves in the breeze,
And somewhere nearby,
Of water,
A stream flowing steadily,
You walk towards the stream,
Feeling the soft ground beneath your feet,
And sit down,
Watching the moonlight shimmer across the surface,
Everything feels so peaceful,
And just beside you,
You notice the same seed,
Now beginning to sprout,
A tiny green shoot reaching up towards the stars,
It doesn't rush,
It simply grows,
And somewhere,
You can feel that same truth,
Your mind knows,
Beside the flowing stream,
You might imagine your breath sinking with the rhythm of the water,
And soon,
You might find yourself become soft,
And you don't need to try to sleep,
Sleep will find you,
Because that's what it knows,
So as this story fades,
Of night,
Exactly as it is,
Each time you come back here,
You're teaching your brain,
Is what rest feels like,
It becomes easier than sleep,
