Welcome to this meditation.
This session is designed to guide you into a deep state of relaxation,
Preparing your mind and your body for peaceful,
Restorative sleep.
Find a comfortable place to lie down,
Ideally on your bed,
With your body fully supported.
Allow your arms to rest gently at your sides and let your feet fall naturally outward.
Close your eyes and take a deep breath in,
And slowly exhale.
Let your body begin to settle.
Now take a moment to set your intention for this practice.
Your intention or your sankalpa can be a simple,
Positive statement such as,
I welcome deep restorative sleep,
Or I am calm,
Peaceful and relaxed.
Mentally repeat your intention three times,
With full awareness and belief.
Let this intention settle into your subconscious mind.
Now,
Bring your awareness to different parts of your body.
As I name each part,
Simply focus your attention there and allow it to relax completely.
There is nothing to do but notice and relax.
Start with the tips of your toes,
Feel your awareness moving through your toes,
Then to the soles of your feet,
The tops of your feet,
Your ankles,
Move your attention to your calves,
Your shins,
Your knees and your thighs,
Feel the relaxation spreading into your buttocks,
Your hips,
Your lower abdomen,
Shift your awareness to your lower back,
Your upper abdomen and your middle back.
Now bring focus to your chest,
Your shoulder blades.
Now take your attention down to your hands,
Feel your fingers,
Your palms,
The backs of your hands,
Relax your wrists,
Feel your forearms,
Your elbows,
Your upper arms and your shoulders,
Bring your awareness to your neck,
Then to your chin,
Your jaw and your lips,
Notice sensations around your nose,
Your cheeks,
Your ears and your eyes,
Feel the relaxation in your temples,
Your forehead,
The back of your head and finally the top of your head.
Now feel your entire body all as one,
Feel your whole body.
Now bring your awareness to your breath,
Simply observe the natural rhythm of your exhale,
Notice the rise and fall of your abdomen with each breath,
Allow your breath to become slower and softer with each exhale.
With every breath out,
Feel yourself sinking deeper into the surface beneath you,
Let go of any remaining tension,
Letting your body grow heavier and more relaxed.
Now I will guide you through a simple visualisation to deepen your relaxation,
Imagine yourself lying on a soft,
Warm beach,
The air around you is calm and peaceful,
You feel the gentle warmth of the sun on your skin,
The soft sound of the waves lapping against the shore and the soothing rhythm of the ocean,
Feel the cool sand beneath you,
Supporting your body.
With every wave you hear,
Imagine your worries and tension being washed away,
Imagine them being carried far out to sea,
As the waves recede they leave behind a sense of calm and stillness,
You are completely at ease.
As you continue to rest,
Silently repeat to yourself,
I am calm,
I am safe,
I am ready for deep sleep,
Let these words guide you into a restful state,
Trust that your body knows how to relax,
How to restore and how to prepare for sleep.
If you are ready to drift off to sleep,
Let go of this guidance and allow your body to sink deeper into rest.
