Hello,
This is Joanna for your bedtime meditation.
You may have woven mindfulness practice into your day,
But as soon as you lie down in bed,
You notice the mind beginning to race.
And as you settle down for the evening,
The mind may not always read the situation accurately.
With the stimuli of the daily life over,
The mind can seem louder than usual.
So this exercise can be used in these moments to help settle the mind and body as you prepare for sleep.
Let's get started.
Standing next to your bed,
Take a few deep breaths.
Anchor your feet into the ground,
Hip-width distance apart.
Relax your shoulders,
Close your eyes and relax the point between your eyebrows.
Take a nice,
Slow,
Deep inhale down in your belly,
And exhale.
A few more times.
Inhale,
And exhale.
Last one,
Inhale,
And exhale.
Keep on breathing at your own rhythm.
Center yourself in the present moment,
Bringing your awareness to the body as it is right now.
And when you climb into bed,
Remain aware of what is occurring in the body.
Now,
As you lie down,
Feel the body assume a resting position.
Use your breath to bring mindfulness to the body and cultivate the sense of relaxation.
As you breathe in,
Feel the lungs fill with air.
And when you exhale,
Feel the body soften into your mattress.
Picture yourself falling deeper into the mattress as the body relaxes with each exhale.
And start a body scan at the top of the head,
Moving down the body to the toes.
As your attention rests on each part,
Relax it and soften into the bed with every exhale.
When you reach your toes,
Return to the body as a whole and the practice of breathing deeply.
Continue softening at your own rhythm.
Continue softening while I'll mind the time for this meditation.
Enjoy.
Allow yourself to drift and to sleep.
Good night.
