A warm welcome to this guided body scan sleep meditation designed to help you check in with your entire body and to let go of any harboring tension or stress,
Allowing you to completely relax and drift off to sleep.
Before we begin,
We will do a short relaxation session,
Preparing you for a good night's sleep.
Please remember that there is no right or wrong here and there is no particular way that you should feel in these moments.
Each experience is as unique as us all,
So try to let go of any pressure you might be putting on yourself to feel certain things or perhaps fall asleep quickly tonight.
It doesn't matter if you do or you don't.
If you simply follow my voice and allow this meditation to wash over you,
Then you will enter a world of deep relaxation where you can rest and recover.
So,
When you are ready,
Just feel your eyelids becoming heavier and heavier with each passing blink until they gently close.
Remind yourself that this is your time to relax.
There is nothing left to do and nothing left to think.
The day is done now.
Whatever has happened is already in the past,
And here,
In this moment,
In this moment,
The future is beyond our reach.
So,
If thoughts arise about the day or the week that has been or the days ahead of you,
Then acknowledge that these thoughts are completely normal and valid.
They are part of what makes us human,
Which is a wonderful thing.
But also,
Kindly remind yourself that these thoughts or concerns are of no use to us now,
And tonight there is no need to engage with them.
They are simply thoughts as fleeting as shooting stars across the night sky.
You are safe tonight and you are protected.
You can be reassured by the fact that my voice and this meditation will never take you anywhere that is unpleasant.
Your sleepy cat is simply here to guide you on your own twilight adventures and to help you enter a world of magic and peace where you can be completely free.
And now,
We will do a short guided breathing pattern called 3-4-5.
This will allow you to slow down and relax,
Preparing your body and your mind for a wonderful,
Peaceful rest.
When you are ready,
Breathe in through the nose for 3,
Hold for 4,
And breathe out for 5.
Let all of it go now.
Again,
That's in for 3,
Hold for 4,
And release,
Blowing away the thoughts of yesterday,
Today,
And tomorrow.
Again,
In for 3,
Hold,
And let it go.
Continue to breathe in this way in your own time and with each breath out,
Allow your body to sink just that bit deeper into your mattress.
And now,
Allow the breath to fall back into a natural rhythm.
Enjoy this new peace flowing through your body.
As we begin our body scan,
Remember that you do not need to physically do anything for this.
We will simply shift your attention to different areas of the body,
And then we will use strong visual images to help you imagine these areas completely softening.
This practice works differently for everyone,
So try not to over-worry about doing things correctly or if you are feeling the right thing.
Try to lead with curiosity and the idea that you are simply noticing any tension and then allowing yourself to let it go.
Start by bringing your attention to your forehead.
Notice how this area feels without any judgment.
Is your forehead carrying any tension?
Are your eyebrows relaxed or slightly raised?
Now,
Imagine the muscles in your forehead slowly melting away,
Like a knot unravelling or butter melting.
Give permission for your forehead to soften.
There is nothing you need to control right now.
On your next out-breath,
Bring your attention to your neck.
Notice how your neck is feeling today.
Is one side perhaps more tense than the other?
Now,
Imagine the muscles in your neck are a tight fist that is slowly unclenching.
Keep breathing as you allow your neck to release bit by bit.
Keep breathing as you allow your neck to release bit by bit.
You might find that you notice a slight tingling or warm sensation,
Or you might simply feel more calm and relaxed.
There is no right or wrong,
Only comfort.
On the next out-breath,
Bring your attention to your shoulders and check in with how they are feeling.
Imagine now a new warmth slowly heating up your shoulders,
As any tension from the day gradually falls away.
Take this moment to acknowledge that feeling tense is not always a negative thing.
It reminds us that we are human,
That we are passionate and that we care.
But right now,
It's important to acknowledge that this tension is not useful for us,
And so we can calmly release it and let it go.
As we go deeper,
Feel free to use whatever image or metaphor that works for you,
And if it helps,
You can use your out-breath to further aid the release of each muscle.
Now,
As you exhale,
Shift the focus to your left arm.
Check in again with this area and notice any tension that might be there.
Imagine this tension unravelling and falling away from your arm.
Your arm is heavy now and filled with warmth.
And now,
Slowly shift your attention to your left hand and notice how it is positioned.
Is it resting on your stomach,
Your mattress,
Or perhaps on your other hand?
And now,
Welcome in a new softness and warmth.
Let it trickle through your fingers as you breathe and release.
Bring your focus over to your right hand and again just check in.
Allow this new warmth to run through the back of your hand and along your fingers,
Melting away all tension.
And now,
Bring your attention to your right arm.
Imagine any tension in your arm melting away.
Your elbow joint is loose and your wrist is soft.
All of your muscles are becoming completely relaxed.
Bit by bit,
Your whole body is sinking deeper into the surface beneath you.
Slowly shift your focus to your chest now.
Feel a new freedom with each breath in and as you breathe out,
Blow away any remaining thoughts or tension.
Release everything now and feel a new freedom in your chest.
And now,
Bring your attention to your stomach.
Allow your next breath to drop deep and fill the lowest part of your chest.
And as you release that breath,
Your stomach softens with you.
There is no need to hold in anymore.
You are safe here to let go.
Shift your focus now to your glutes or buttocks muscles.
Notice how your weight is distributed and acknowledge any holding that might be here.
Imagine a gentle heat warming your glutes.
Allow them to soften as your body becomes heavier.
Let's move to the legs now,
Focusing on both together.
Just check in and notice the feelings.
Imagine all these muscles unravelling,
Relaxing and softening.
A beautiful warmth moves through your legs,
Across your knees and down your spine.
Across your knees and into your ankles.
It is okay to surrender to this beautiful moment and to relish all of these wonderful sensations.
Finally now,
Bring your attention to your feet and toes.
We are often on our feet for a large part of the day,
So they can carry more tension than we realize.
With a kind heart,
Imagine a new warmth travelling slowly from your heel,
Up the sole of your feet and in to your toes.
The arches of your feet are soft and relaxed.
The tops of your feet are loose and heavy.
Your mind and your body are relaxed now,
Free from any holding on.
You are welcome back here any time and together we can help you find peace,
Comfort and tranquility.
Allow yourself to enjoy this new feeling.
Allow yourself to enjoy this new feeling of total relaxation as you give yourself permission to sink into a deep,
Peaceful sleep.
