Bedtime, Quiet-Time

A gentle 'special breath' coping and calming technique to help quieten and steady a child's mind using simple breathing and relaxation techniques. The meditation is a useful tool to help children discover their own coping strategy and a simple step-by-step relaxation of the body follows to settle and relax toward rest, recovery or sleep. A gentle, low volume background music to play throughout, and continue after the meditation ceases may be useful.

Transcript

It's time to relax now and get comfortable. Not talking, Not fidgeting, Just settling down. Trying not to do anything at all but listen to my voice as we move into this quiet time. This time that is just for you. Gently closing your eyes. And as you get comfortable in a minute, I'm going to ask you to take a few deep breaths. Not yet. First, Let me explain how we're going to make these breaths really special. Our whole body is special really. When we breathe in air through our lungs sending oxygen into the cells of our body, It keeps us healthy, Alive and well. When we breathe out, We breathe out all the rubbish really, Things we don't need, Things that are not healthy for us, Are breathed out with the air, Out and away. So the special breath is to imagine all those good healthy things going into your body when you breathe in. And then when you breathe out, To let all the things that you don't need and all the things that happened during the day that bother you, That you're sad about or fed up about, We just let them all float out and away with that breath. Just breathe it out. And it's okay to make a noise as you blow. So let's do that now. Keeping your eyes gently closed. Slowly take a big breath and letting your chest and belly fill up just like a balloon and then hold it and then when you let it go, Letting go of all those things that you don't need right now. Letting your chest and belly collapse as it all flows out and away. And again, More slowly this time. Take a breath in, Hold it and then let everything go as you breathe out. And one more time. Breathing in slowly, Belly blowing up, Hold it, Breathe out, Let it down, Let everything go. Good. Let's now settle down then and let your breath return to normal. Remembering that you can do this special breath anytime. Just take a few breaths, Breathing out anything that's bothering you, Annoying you, That you're sad about or angry about. Just breathing out anything that's bothering you, Out and away, Every time you let your breath out. Okay, So breathing normally and naturally, Not trying to change your breath anymore, Just allowing your breath to happen naturally as it wants to. Good. See if you can let yourself completely relax. Just flop, Flop, Sink. Let your body be heavy. If you like, You can do that with your out-breath. So you breathe in and then as you breathe out, You just let your body get completely heavy, Relaxing, Easy. Just breathing, Feeling really comfortable and easy. Everything's fine. There's nowhere else that you have to be but right here and resting and spending this quiet time. So now, With your eyes still gently closed, Your body relaxed, Feeling comfortable, Notice how everything feels a little calmer, A little quieter. See if you can allow your body to go all soft and flop a bit more, Allowing it to sink down. You're safe here, Comfortable and really peaceful. Be aware of your shoulders if you can and can you let them drop a little more? Yes. Notice how your arms are feeling heavy. Try not to move as we go through this. Try and keep your body completely relaxed. Just notice with your mind how they feel. Notice your hands. Can you feel any tingles in the hands and the fingers as they release energy and relax? Your body's feeling warm and heavy and so comfortable. Noticing your chest and your belly as it moves just a little bit with your breath. Don't try and move it. Just allow the chest and the belly to lift up when you breathe in and notice how it falls down when you breathe out. Notice how soft your belly feels. How relaxed your belly feels as you breathe out. It's almost like there's a melting. Noticing too all the muscles in your back, Letting them go soft inside. And your hips. Open, Relaxed, So easy, So calm. The legs falling apart as they get a little heavier, Relaxing deeper, Letting the legs go soft too as you lay there. Feeling the looseness of your whole body, Letting it get even looser, Softer every time you breathe out. All the tensions flowing out of the body and the mind as you breathe out gently, Relaxing even more, So easily. Letting your whole face relax, The muscles of the face softening around the eyes, Soft, The cheeks, The nose, Mouth. Good, So calm now, Sleepy, Almost like a soft blue cover around you, So comfortable, So safe. Your whole body gently resting, Feeling safe, Soft and comfortable. So relaxed, All is well.

Reviews

Lovely. She fell asleep. Thank you 🙏🏻

Excellent

Love it!

So relaxing me and my 12 year both fell asleep 😴

This is divine. I am a child therapist and right now many of my clients are having trouble sleeping. This is so gentle and effective. Thank you Grace!