Welcome to this meditation on releasing tension for deep sleep.
Our body is like an enormous library.
It stores all of our emotions,
Every single reaction you have to an interaction in your life.
An email,
A text message or a comment to your face gets saved,
Memorized by your body.
Your body remembers everything that has happened in your entire life.
Your subconscious is responsible for 90% of all your body's processes,
All your memories.
This is important to know because we are living mostly in our minds in that other 10% and we don't really pay attention to the remaining 90%.
This can result in tension,
Pain,
Tightness in different areas in your body and it's almost impossible to know every single one of our emotions and where they come from.
It's impossible to know and be aware of every single situation that stressed you out and that therefore you are holding tension in your shoulders right now.
We are not here to unravel all of that.
We are here to really sink in the body and to release any stored trauma,
Stress or tension from your body.
This practice is designed to be done right before bed but you can come back to this meditation over and over again whenever you need to release tension from your body.
So let's start by getting into a comfortable position.
You can definitely lay down for this one as we are really focused on letting go and surrendering.
Once you've found your comfortable position,
Become aware of which position you chose and whether you can make yourself 10% even more comfortable right now.
The gateway into our body is our breath.
Let's start with some deep belly breathing.
This automatically drops you into your body and sends signals to your nervous system that it's safe to relax.
With your next inhale fill up your lower back and lower belly.
Then fill up your stomach area.
Lastly finish up your inhale by filling up your lungs.
Now release and relax as you exhale.
We'll do that two more times.
Take a deep breath in.
Expand your lower belly and lower back.
Fill up your stomach.
And lastly your chest.
And then release and relax as you exhale.
And one last time.
Take a big three part breath starting from your belly,
Your stomach,
Lungs.
And now release and relax.
Feel how your natural breathing pattern is beginning to slow down.
Maybe you feel the need to yawn.
This is a release from your body.
Feel the support beneath you.
You are held.
You are carried.
You are supported by the surface below you.
Bring your awareness now to your right arm.
As you inhale make a fist with your right hand.
Tense your upper arm and lower arm.
Hold this tension while you hold your breath.
Squeeze even harder now.
And now release the tension and exhale.
Feel how your right arm has become more soft.
Bring your awareness now to your left leg.
With your next inhale curl your toes.
Tense your left calf,
Your left thigh,
Your whole left leg up until your buttocks.
Squeeze every muscle in your left leg a bit harder as you hold your breath now.
And now exhale and release any tension.
Allow your left leg to melt into the surface below you like an ice cube melting in warm water.
With your next inhalation move your awareness to your left arm.
Make a fist with your left hand.
Squeeze every muscle in your whole left arm.
Hold your breath as you squeeze even harder and hold this tension.
Maybe it feels good to sigh as you exhale.
Feel both your arms heavy and relaxed.
Move your awareness now into your shoulders and your neck.
We often carry the world on our shoulders.
It's time to put that weight down.
With your next inhale tense and squeeze your shoulders,
Shoulder blades and neck.
Move your shoulders up.
Squeeze them even harder as you hold your breath.
Now drop your shoulders.
Sigh as you exhale and imagine you are taking a big weight off your shoulders.
Now shift your focus to your right leg.
As you inhale curl up the toes of your right foot.
Squeeze your calf.
Tense your thigh,
Your thighs all the way up to your buttocks.
Hold your breath and tense your whole right leg just a little bit more.
And then release and relax as you exhale.
Feel both your legs and both your arms.
Surrendering to gravity.
Letting go.
Now shift your focus to your chest all the way down into your pelvis area.
As you inhale tense your chest,
Your stomach,
Your belly,
Your hips.
Hold your breath and keep this tension.
And now release and relax.
Wrap around to your back.
As you inhale tense every vertebrae,
Every inch of your back.
Your lower back,
Middle back and your upper back.
Hold your breath as you hold this tension.
And now release and relax with your exhale.
Now travel your awareness up into your face and your head.
With your next inhale squeeze all the muscles in your face.
Frown,
Clench your jaw.
Hold this tension as you hold your breath.
As you exhale give your face permission to release and relax.
Imagine that your scalp is being gently massaged.
Feel the relief of a peaceful facial expression.
Feel how your body finally is able to let go.
To return back to safety.
Every cell in your body is at peace.
Now sometimes your mind is not in sync with your body.
So as you take one last big breath in,
Send this breath into your mind.
Sending relaxation and as you exhale releasing out any remaining mental tension that you are still carrying in your mind.
Your mind at peace.
Your body at peace.
Notice the sweetness of stillness.
Notice how your breath is reaching all the way to your belly.
Gently and slowly ebbing and flowing.
Your body is preparing itself to fall asleep now.
Surrender to this state of deep rest and sleep.
Allow your body to activate its natural processes that will help you to process your day,
Store memories,
To save all the new things you've learned.
And to filter out all the positive things about your life.
So that when you wake up tomorrow you will already be filled with lightness,
Joy and gratitude.
Sweet dreams.
