This is your time.
A gentle invitation to step away from the demands of the day,
To set down what you've been carrying,
And to allow your body and your mind to melt into deep,
Effortless sleep.
You do not need to try and sleep.
You only need to be here right now,
Listening,
Breathing,
And allowing.
Sleep will come when it's ready.
Find a comfortable position,
Lying down,
On your bed,
A couch,
Or even on a yoga mat with a blanket.
Let your arms rest loosely by your sides,
Palms turned upward.
Let your legs be long,
Your feet gently falling away from one another.
Allow yourself to rest.
Close your eyes if that feels comfortable,
And take a slow,
Deep breath in through your nose,
And a soft sigh through your mouth.
Let's do that again.
Breathing in deeply,
Filling your belly and your chest,
And exhaling slowly,
Releasing all tension.
We begin with awareness.
Bring your attention to the crown of your head.
Notice any subtle sensations there,
Warmth,
Coolness,
Tingling,
And as you exhale,
Imagine a soft wave of relaxation flowing downward.
Move your awareness now to your forehead.
Smooth out any lines,
Any holding,
And allow the space between your eyebrows to widen and soften.
Let this softness drift down to your eyes.
Feel your eyelids heavy,
Your gaze turn inward,
And your eyes resting deeply in their sockets.
Notice your jaw.
If there's any gripping,
Let it loosen.
Allow your tongue to rest gently behind your teeth,
The mouth relaxed.
Now your shoulders.
Let them drop away from your ears,
As if sinking into the surface beneath you.
Let that wave of release travel down your arms,
Past your elbows,
To your wrists,
Into the palms of your hands,
All the way to your fingertips.
Bring awareness to your chest.
Feel it rise and fall naturally with your breath,
And to your belly.
Let it be soft,
Expansive,
Unhurried.
Awareness moves now to your hips,
Heavy,
Supported,
Safe.
Your thighs,
Your knees,
Your calves,
Your ankles,
And your feet.
Feel them release completely,
The toes curling slightly in relaxation.
Your whole body is now resting in stillness.
Your whole body in stillness.
Whole body relaxed.
Gently bring your attention to your breathing.
Without changing your breath,
Simply notice the rhythm.
Where in your body do you feel your breath most clearly?
Your nostrils?
Your chest?
Your belly?
Just observe for a few breaths,
As though you are watching waves rise and fall on a calm shore.
Now allow your breath to expand naturally in your belly.
Feel your belly rise as you inhale,
And fall as you exhale.
Place one hand on your belly if you'd like,
And feel the gentle movement in your body.
Let's take five slow breaths this way,
Each one softer,
Slower,
And deeper than the last.
Let's lengthen your exhale to deepen your relaxation.
Inhale for a count of four.
Hold gently for a count of two.
Exhale for a count of six.
Do this for five rounds.
Let's inhale for four.
Hold for two.
Exhale for six.
Inhale.
Hold.
Exhale.
Inhale.
Hold.
Hold.
Exhale.
Last time.
Inhale.
Hold.
Exhale.
Bring your breath back to a natural rhythm.
Feel how relaxed your body is.
Imagine now that you can breathe into different parts of your body.
On each inhale,
Send your breath and awareness to a different area.
Crown of your head.
Your forehead.
Your throat.
Your heart.
Your belly.
Your hips.
Your feet.
And each exhale,
Imagine releasing all heaviness from that part of your body.
Take a deep breath in,
Full body breath,
And sigh it out through your mouth.
Let it feel like the sound of relief.
Repeat this three times,
Each time allowing you to sink a little deeper into relaxation.
Pause for a moment.
Notice the quiet inside you.
Your body is heavy.
Your breath is slow.
Your mind is soft and spacious.
Imagine you are lying in a meadow at twilight.
The sky above you is painted with the last brush strokes of the day.
Soft pink fading into deep indigo.
A warm breeze moves gently across your skin,
Carrying the scent of earth and wildflowers.
Somewhere nearby,
You hear the rhythmic chirp of crickets,
The occasional rustle of leaves.
In this meadow,
There is nothing to do,
Nowhere to be.
You are simply here,
Held by the earth,
Safe under the quiet sky.
With each exhale,
Imagine the colors deepening,
The light dimming,
The air cooling just enough to be comfortable.
Your body feels heavier,
As though you are sinking into the earth beneath you.
Your thoughts grow slower,
Softer,
Until they dissolve into the stillness.
In your mind,
Repeat these truths after me,
Or simply let them wash over you.
I am safe.
I am supported.
I am allowed to rest.
I give myself permission to let go.
Sleep will come on its own time.
I am safe.
I am supported.
I am allowed to rest.
I give myself permission to let go.
Sleep will come on its own time.
I am safe.
I am supported.
I am allowed to rest.
I give myself permission to let go.
Sleep will come on its own time.
From here you can drift.
You don't need to listen anymore.
Your breath will guide you.
Your body will guide you.
And your mind can dissolve into dreams.
If you're still awake,
Remain in this calm awareness.
Simply breathing and resting.
Until sleep arrives naturally.
Good night.
May you be held in peace.
May you wake refreshed,
Renewed,
And at ease.
