If you are someone struggling with insomnia or if falling asleep feels impossible to you,
I want you to know you're not alone and this meditation is exactly designed specifically for you.
We're not going to force sleep,
We're going to create the perfect conditions for sleep to come naturally,
Gently and in its own time.
So let's get comfortable,
As comfortable as we can.
So if you need to adjust your pillows,
If you need to move your blanket around,
Now is the time to do that.
Once you found a comfortable place,
I want you to go ahead and close your eyes or soften your gaze when you feel ready to.
Now before we begin,
I want you to release the pressure of feeling like,
I have to sleep.
This feeling can actually keep you awake.
This feeling can actually hold you back from experiencing that deep sleep that you need.
So instead of doing this,
We're going to focus on rest.
Just rest,
Not sleep,
But rest.
If we can accomplish resting deeply,
Even without sleeping,
Your body can still heal and you can still recover and that's okay.
So take the pressure off of yourself.
Listen to my words.
Just be here,
Be present and just breathe.
There's nowhere you need to be.
Just focus on my voice and the music and let yourself unwind.
Bring your awareness to your body.
Don't judge it.
Don't be frustrated with it.
It's okay that it's not sleeping.
We're just here to notice it.
We're just here to be present.
While you're becoming aware of your body,
I want you to try and find where it is in your body that you may be holding tension.
Maybe in your jaw or maybe it's in your shoulders.
Maybe this tension is turning your stomach.
Wherever it may be,
We just want to notice it.
With each breath,
I want you to go to that place of tension or those places of tension and send softness to that place.
We're going to move through this slowly so focus on one area at a time.
Remember,
We're not forcing anything here.
We're just inviting peace and calmness.
We're just telling this place of our body it has permission to relax now and that it is completely safe.
I'm going to give you a couple moments to just breathe and go to those places in your body.
Now that you've had time to go to those places and relax them,
I want you to do one more scan of your body and see if there's any more places of tension that you still might be holding on to.
Take a deep breath and fully release with the exhale.
Feel your body sinking into the mattress.
Feel the gravity pulling you down because you don't have to hold yourself up.
You can fully let go.
Now,
I'm going to count you down from 10 to 1.
With each number,
You're going to sink deeper and deeper into rest.
10.
Your body is getting heavier.
9.
Your breath is slowing down.
8.
Your thoughts are quieting.
7.
You are drifting.
6.
Deeper and deeper.
7.
Nothing to do.
Nowhere to go.
4.
Just this moment.
Just this breath.
3.
Safe.
Held.
At peace.
2.
Letting go completely.
1.
Rest.
Even if sleep hasn't come yet,
You are doing beautifully.
You are resting.
You are releasing.
And you are creating a space for peace.
2.
Sleep will come when it's ready.
And until then,
You are safe.
3.
Your body knows how to sleep.
You do not have to teach it.
You just have to trust it.
4.
And if thoughts happen to come,
We're just going to let them pass by.
Like a fish in the water.
5.
We're aware of the fish,
But we don't have to engage with it.
You can just let it drift on by.
6.
You are safe in this place.
Rest is here for you whenever your body is ready.
7.
There's nothing to control.
We just need to breathe.
And fully be in this moment.
