Welcome to this guided sleep meditation where we will incorporate a simple breathing technique and then I will guide you through a deeply relaxing visualization journey through a vast lush meadow.
Find a comfortable position lying down on your bed.
Gently close your eyes,
Allow your body to relax,
Noticing any areas of tension and letting them soften.
Feel the soft comforting sensations of your pillows and blankets as they nestle against your body.
You are already so relaxed as you begin your journey into a deep restful sleep.
The pressures of your day begin to melt away leaving you floating in a soft expansive universe of peaceful tranquility.
Take one more moment to make sure that you are in your most comfortable sleep position.
Now let's start with a simple calming breathing exercise.
Take a deep breath in through your nose filling your lungs completely,
Hold it for a moment,
And now slowly exhale through your mouth releasing all the air.
As you breathe,
Allow yourself to fully focus on the sensation of your in-breath and out-breath,
Whether it's the feeling of air moving through your nose and out through your mouth,
Or the rising and falling of your chest.
Inhale deeply,
Hold,
And exhale slowly.
Inhale deeply,
Hold,
And exhale slowly.
Feel your body becoming lighter and lighter with each breath out.
Continue this pattern at your own pace.
With each breath,
Imagine tension slowly melting away.
Inhale calmness,
And exhale tension.
Inhale peace,
And exhale worry.
On your inhale,
Allow cool radiant energy into your lungs,
Filling every cell in your body with loving kindness and tranquility.
On the exhale,
Visualize hot,
Heavy tension leaving your body as a puff of clouds dissipating into the great beyond.
Keep breathing deeply and evenly,
Allowing yourself to relax more and more with each breath cycle.
Now bring your awareness to the top of your head.
Feel any sensations on the tip of your scalp,
Whether it be tingling or warmth.
Whatever it may be,
Just notice it and allow it to be whatever it is.
As you continue to breathe,
Feel a warm wave of relaxation washing over you,
Moving down from the crown of your head through your forehead,
Allowing the muscles in your brow to relax.
Noticing any sensations in your eyes,
Feel the warmth or cool on the bridge of your nose as you notice the air moving in and out of your nostrils.
Let your cheeks soften,
And now feel any tension in the back of your neck begin to unravel,
Giving way to warm relaxation as you melt into your pillow.
Feel your arms and allow them to rest comfortably wherever they may be hanging.
You begin to notice any sensations in your hands and fingertips.
Are they warm?
Are they cool?
Whatever they may be,
Allow them to be exactly that.
Move your attention back up your arms,
Through your shoulders,
And down to your upper back.
Whatever weight you've been carrying throughout your day,
Just let it go.
It no longer matters.
All that matters now is the calming sensation of the here and now.
Just know that whatever soreness or tightness you've been carrying with you will be better after a good night's sleep.
Your body is an incredible self-healer if you allow it the time to do so.
Feel the rise and fall of your chest.
The rhythmic harmony of your breath connects you more and more deeply to the rest of the universe.
Move your attention to your lower back and your abdomen.
Let them relax as you sink deeper and deeper into your soft bed.
Deeper and deeper.
Whatever aches and pains you may be feeling will surely pass as you allow your body the time to heal.
Let your hips relax.
Your legs may be feeling weary from a long day.
This is perfectly okay.
Allow them to be just as they are.
And finally,
Feel the sensation of your feet and into your toes.
Allow your entire body to sink into relaxation,
Feeling heavy on your bed and perfectly serene.
Now that you are deeply relaxed,
I invite you to visualize yourself walking easily,
Floating on your feet through a beautiful,
Peaceful forest meadow.
The trees on either side of the path are as old as time itself.
Their thick trunks safely nestled into the earth that lies beneath them.
The branches lush with green leaves and hanging vines hang over the path,
Shielding you from whatever the world above may have to bring.
You feel perfectly safe and your heart is overflowing with love as you take in the beauty of this lush forest that surrounds you.
You hear the gentle birdsong as the breeze playfully wisps through the leaves and vines of the outstretched branches of the trees above.
Ahead in the distance,
You begin to notice a beautiful waterfall sweeping its way downward from a red mountain face.
The extravagance of the scenery is breathtakingly beautiful as you float ever closer to the mountain in the distance.
You're nearing the end of the path as the forest gives way to a clearing just before the waterfall.
The dirt path beneath your feet has ended and you stand now upon a lush bed of soft,
Warm grass.
The sun,
Warm on your face,
Is now beginning to set behind the beautiful mountain that stands before you.
You decide to lie down on the soft grass,
Taking in the pinks,
Blues,
And deep oranges of the sunset,
Knowing that nothing and no one will disturb you as you rest.
The sound of the waterfall is majestic,
Yet soft and soothing to your ears.
You begin to notice the gentle chirping of crickets in the meadow as the sun sinks behind the foggy mountaintop.
The sky is a beautiful shade of purple as you enjoy the waning moments of the twilight hour.
You imagine your troubles as being the water from the waterfall,
Making its way out to the stream below and washing away out to sea.
The air continues to be warm on your skin as the sun is now fully set.
The sky is clear but for a few tiny wisps of clouds slowly dissipating in front of an expansive sea of stars.
You can see clearly now all of the constellations that you know and love.
The majesty and mystery of the universe is such that you can't help but lie in awe of its splendor and beauty.
The light from the full moon is just enough to faintly light the scene around you as you take it all in.
Breathe in hope and wonder.
Breathe out heat and tension.
You begin to sink deeper into the earth,
Almost feeling as though you're becoming one with the grass and the soil beneath it.
The universe breathes with you and you with the universe.
Everything is in its perfect place.
All that you have to think about in this moment are the sights,
The sounds,
And the sensations of this beautiful forest meadow and the dark sky beyond.
The moonlight flickers off the stream as it carries away the waters of your thoughts into the sea.
The leaves of the trees and the blades of the grass rustle gently in the soft breeze.
The light from the stars reflects from your eyes,
Connecting you to the infinite cosmos.
Allow yourself to sink into this moment,
Feeling perfectly safe and at peace.
As you lie there,
Let all of this majestic beauty fill your heart with calm as you breathe in serenity.
Know that you can return to this peaceful meadow whenever you close your eyes.
You are now ready for the deepest,
Most regenerative sleep of your entire life.
Sleep well,
Dear friend.
