Welcome to this meditation for sleep.
This meditation is here to support and guide you into a peaceful and deep sleep.
Make your body as comfortable as you possibly can,
Making any final adjustments that you need to.
As you lie here quietly,
Notice that your body is breathing and begin to let your breath deepen.
Taking a few really slow and low breaths,
Inhaling right down into your belly and exhaling with a long and soft sigh.
Really take your time,
No rush.
Inhaling like you have forever and exhaling just letting it all go.
Breathing in and breathing out.
Inhaling and exhaling.
Breathing in slow and low.
Breathing out,
Just giving it all up.
Deep breath in,
Long breath out.
Inhaling,
Belly rises.
Inhaling,
Belly drops.
And now let your breath be natural.
Not controlling it.
Just quietly noticing as your body breathes all by itself.
Not thinking about your breath,
But feeling it directly.
The sensation in the inner passageways of your nostrils.
The touch of air on the throat.
The slightly cooler air entering.
The slightly warmer air leaving.
Breath by breath by breath.
Moment by moment by moment.
Body breathing.
Noticing the momentary pause between each breath.
Just before inhalation becomes exhalation.
And right before exhalation becomes inhalation.
Falling into the soft space between each breath.
Feeling the sensation inside the mouth.
Tongue resting in the mouth.
The inner walls of the mouth.
Just noticing the natural taste inside the mouth.
Let the sensations come to you.
Hinges of the jaw loosening.
Lower jaw surrendering to gravity.
Throat settling down.
Less and less effort.
Whole face softening.
Skin releasing its weight.
None of this is to be done.
Allowing everything to be done for you.
Just words arising.
Body responding.
Awareness.
Noticing.
A softening of the outer ears.
A softening of the inner ears.
Let the words come to you.
An effortless listening.
Right eyebrow.
Left eyebrow.
Space between eyebrows.
Softening open.
Giving up the weight of the eyes.
Eyes softening right back.
The feeling behind eyes.
Releasing and letting go.
Back of the head.
Whole head.
Pure sensation.
Contents of the head.
Pouring like liquid.
Into the space all around.
Brain deeply at rest.
As you completely give up.
Trying to figure anything out.
Nothing to understand.
Whole right arm.
Just the feeling.
Handing over the weight.
Back of right arm.
The immediate feeling.
Whole right hand.
Palm of right hand.
The current sensation.
Palm of right hand.
Palm of right hand.
Just the feeling.
Right now in this moment.
Palm of right hand.
Thumb.
Second finger.
Third.
Fourth.
Little finger.
Wrist.
Forearm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Whole right arm.
Pure sensation.
A simple experience.
Whole left arm.
Giving up the weight.
Back of left arm.
Whole left hand.
Palm of left hand.
The actual feeling in this moment.
Palm of left hand.
Don't try to keep it.
Let the sensation be free.
Palm of left hand.
Thumb.
Second finger.
Third.
Fourth.
Little finger.
Wrist.
Forearm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Whole left arm.
Pure sensation.
Shoulders emptying out.
The whole back of the body.
The whole front of the body.
Right side of chest.
Left side of chest.
Heart beating.
A softening deep down in the belly.
Hips releasing their weight.
Whole right leg.
Thigh.
Knee.
Chin.
Cough.
Ankle.
Heel.
Soul of right foot.
Big toe.
Second.
Third.
Fourth.
Little toe.
Releasing and letting go.
Whole left leg.
Thigh.
Knee.
Chin.
Cough.
Ankle.
Heel.
Soul of left foot.
Big toe.
Second.
Third.
Fourth.
Little toe.
Releasing and letting go.
Whole body.
Softening.
Just a little more.
Waves of vibration.
A pulsation as heart beats.
Giving up.
That last bit of trying.
Handing over.
That last bit of clinging.
And just giving it all up.
Welcome the feeling of the breath.
Just a whisper of sensation now.
The momentary pause between each breath.
Breath.
By breath.
By breath.
Dear friend,
Right now nothing is being asked of you.
Absolutely nothing to do.
Life is taking care of itself.
Tomorrow will take care of itself.
Trust that your body knows how to sleep.
I invite you right now to give up that last trace of holding.
And to just let yourself drop into a peaceful,
Deep,
Nourishing sleep.
Sleep well.
Dear friend.
Sleep well.
