A warm welcome to this guided meditation designed to help you unwind after work or school,
To help you let go of the day and give yourself permission to relax this evening.
Find yourself a comfortable position to sit now and try to find a place where you will not be disturbed for a few minutes.
And as you wriggle away any tension and get yourself comfortable,
You can just allow your eyes to close when you are ready.
First of all,
I'd like you to just acknowledge the fact that you are here tonight.
You have shown up and I believe that this is evidence of self-love and a desire to live a more balanced,
Positive life,
So I think it's an important thing to note.
It might seem small,
But this act of showing up can compound so wonderfully.
Now,
Place one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach and just check in with your breath tonight.
Right now,
We are not changing,
We are simply observing how our breath is feeling and where it is lying.
It might be rising up into your chest or it could be in your belly.
You might feel a tightness or a shallowness or perhaps you feel quite open tonight.
Remember there is no right or wrong here,
But our breath can give us an insight into how our whole day has been.
So just observe now for a few moments in your own time.
And as we go deeper into this practice,
I want you to exhale any remaining breath that you have all the way out through your mouth.
And when you feel ready to inhale,
Allow the belly to expand as you breathe in slowly through your nose,
And through your mouth for as long as you can until you are ready to breathe in again.
This longer out-breath will help to calm your nervous system,
Which will gradually take your body away from any stress response and away from a fight or flight feeling.
Continue to breathe in this way,
Allowing your exhale to be as long as you can.
And when you breathe in,
Allow your breath to drop deep into the belly before then expanding up into the chest.
And as you breathe in,
Just imagine you are inhaling peace and welcoming relaxation tonight.
And as you breathe out,
You are casting away the day.
You are releasing worries,
To-do lists,
Emails,
Tension and stress,
And you are giving permission for these to dissolve now.
Gradually,
Now,
Just allow your breath to fall back to its natural rhythm,
And try to observe any changes so far in your breath,
Your body or your mind,
And slowly you can let your focus just drift around your body,
Checking in with each part of you,
Giving permission for all your muscles to relax and to soften tonight.
The time for being alert and awake is over,
And now it is time to relax.
Give permission for your brows and your forehead to soften,
Allow your jaw to loosen,
And let the muscles of your face just relax.
Allow your neck and shoulders to slowly unravel and to let go of the day.
Let your arms and your hands be heavy.
Allow your legs to soften and prepare for a night of relaxation.
Keep scanning your body now and acknowledge any other areas of tension,
And gradually give permission for these parts to let go,
To soften and to find peace.
And if your mind starts to wander at all,
That is completely normal.
If or when you notice it,
Just bring your focus back to your body or to your breath without any judgment tonight.
And it's worth noting that anything that is worth remembering will always find its way back to us at the right time.
But for now,
In this moment,
Nothing else matters.
And now,
We will finish our practice with a few affirmations.
As you hear these,
You can repeat them out loud to yourself or in your mind,
Whatever works best for you.
But first,
Let's take one final deep breath in and gently shrug your shoulders if you can.
Hold it for a moment and release everything with a big sigh.
I am letting go of the day.
My work is done and I am allowed to rest.
I am focusing on the here and now.
I am letting go of that which I cannot control.
I am relaxing my body,
My mind and my soul.
I am releasing the past.
I am not worrying about the future.
My thoughts are clear.
I am giving myself permission to let go.
I am choosing peace.
I am welcoming stillness.
I am trusting myself more and more.
I am allowing myself to slow down.
I am deserving of rest.
I am free to relax.
I am letting go of perfection.
I am living in the present moment.
I am releasing everything.
I am embracing peace and relaxation.
I am ready for a lovely evening.
And now,
If you like,
You can just sit with these affirmations and these feelings for a moment.
The music will continue for a few minutes more,
Allowing you to emerge from this practice in your own time and at your own pace.
Thank you for joining me tonight.
I hope that you feel calm and relaxed and ready for a quiet evening of rest.
Take care,
And I'll see you next time.
