All right,
So wherever you are,
Go ahead and take a nice deep breath in to get started.
If it's possible to sit or lie down in a place where you can rest your head and neck,
Not have to support them,
Or just put yourself in a nice comfortable position where for the next few moments you won't be disturbed.
And go ahead and take a nice deep belly breath in.
On the exhale,
You can allow your eyes to close on down if you haven't already done so.
And right now as you continue to settle,
Just know that you can move any time you need to to be as comfortable as possible,
Recognizing,
Acknowledging that for this next little while,
No one needs anything from you.
Isn't that nice?
For this next little while,
No one has any expectations or demands.
This is your time.
And I will keep track of the time for you.
And so you can allow yourself,
Give yourself permission to relax.
Setting down,
Setting aside any tasks.
I'll be there waiting for you in the future,
But right now they're not important.
The only thing that you need to focus on is allowing yourself to enjoy this relaxation.
And just know that random thoughts will pop into your mind and try to interrupt.
And whenever that happens,
Which is completely normal,
Just bring your attention back to following along to the sound of my voice.
When I'd like to draw your attention to your breath,
No need to change it,
Just becoming aware.
Maybe noticing how on the inhale,
There's that slight shift in your clothing.
On the exhale,
Temperature of the air changes slightly.
Allow that to bring you into this state of relaxation.
Nowhere else you need to be.
Nothing else you need to do.
I'd like to invite you to just use that creative imagination of yours.
To take yourself in your mind's eye somewhere beautiful and safe.
And begin to use as many of your senses as possible.
To imagine,
To see,
Feel,
Sense,
Smell that you're there right now.
I don't know if you find yourself on a beautiful beach on a perfect day.
The sun gently shining down on the top of your head.
And the temperature of the air is just perfect.
Maybe you're in a garden full of your favorite flowers.
And you can notice or imagine those colors and scents in the air.
Wherever you find yourself in your mind's eye.
I wonder if you can imagine there's a beautiful light shining down on the top of your head.
This might be in the form of sunlight or shade on a hot day.
Some people even imagine a beautiful color choosing a very specific color just for you.
That represents calm,
Safe,
And relaxed.
As you notice,
Imagine,
See,
Sense that light or color like a beautiful wave of relaxation.
It moves down across the top of your head.
And as it makes its way across your forehead,
It softens the space between your eyebrows.
And that feels so good.
If you could imagine yourself feeling even more relaxed than you did just a moment ago.
Allowing that wave of relaxation to move down your face.
That color or light spreading.
That wave of relaxation.
Allowing the jaw to soften.
Maybe the tongue to drift up towards the roof of your mouth.
And enjoying that relaxation.
And any time those random thoughts try to interrupt,
Acknowledge that.
Let it go.
Imagine,
In fact,
That you could breathe in actual molecules of comfort.
Breathe those in and allow them to travel throughout your body.
Comfort in and on the exhale,
Let it go.
Letting go of any tightness or tension.
Maybe even imagining or seeing in your mind's eye those words.
Let it go.
Whatever that means for you.
As you bring your attention back to imagining,
Seeing,
Sensing that beautiful,
Healing,
Calming,
Colorful light.
Maybe it's a warmth or a coolness spreading across the base of your skull and softening the muscles in the sides of your neck.
And as it makes its way down across your throat,
You might notice that relaxation continuing to spread down across each of your shoulders.
And as it makes its way down your arms,
Just noticing if your body feels pleasantly heavy.
As though you're safely sinking down deeper into this beautiful relaxation.
Allowing that relaxation to continue to spread and grow past your elbows,
Down into your wrists,
And all the way to your fingertips.
And I wonder how good that would feel if you allow,
Imagine,
See,
Or sense that wave of relaxation.
Relaxing your chest and upper back.
And as it makes its way down the length of your spine,
Connecting to your nervous system,
Shifting you into that rest,
Repair,
Digest mode.
Any random thoughts that try to interrupt,
Acknowledge,
Bring your attention back to imagining,
Seeing,
Feeling,
Sensing that beautiful relaxation.
Like a beautiful tapestry.
All the colors,
That velvety softness.
Your own breath,
Allowing it to spread and grow as that wave of relaxation moves across your belly,
Softening the muscles in the small of your back.
And as it moves down across your pelvis,
You can notice if your body becomes more relaxed,
Feeling pleasantly heavy,
As though you're safely sinking down deeper.
Or maybe a little bit lightened,
A little bit floaty.
Maybe simply just being.
That's just perfect.
As that relaxation moves down your hips,
Relaxing the legs,
Knees,
Calves,
Ankles,
And feet.
And wherever you find yourself in your mind's eye,
Using your imagination,
Whatever you might imagine seeing or sensing,
Feeling,
Maybe remembering favorite fragrance in the air,
Allowing all of that to bring you into this beautiful state of relaxation,
These few moments of calm.
Knowing you can return to this calm any time you need to.
And I wonder if you could imagine noticing,
Seeing in your mind's eye,
Sensing,
Feeling one specific object in this space,
Wherever you are.
If you're somewhere in nature,
Maybe in your own bed at home,
Your favorite chair with your favorite drink,
Whatever that might look or feel like for you.
Choosing an object that comes to mind doesn't even have to make sense.
Allowing this object today to represent your innate ability to relax,
To calm down your nervous system,
To enjoy and give yourself permission to move into this restorative state so you can be more fully present.
When you return to your everyday life,
Taking with you,
Building this inner resource.
And in a moment,
I'll simply just count you from one to 10.
Go ahead and take a nice deep breath in at one,
Two,
Three,
Beginning to feel yourself in that space,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Becoming aware of the palms of your hand.
Allowing the breath to bring your focus to the bottom seven of your feet and imagining a nice refreshing energy coming through the bottom of those feet at eight,
All the way up to the top of your head at nine,
Coming all the way back to this moment in time.
Feeling refreshed as though you've had a nice rest and you're ready for the rest of your day 10.
Coming all the way back now,
Eyes open,
Feeling wonderful.
Welcome back.
