Welcome to this evening wind down.
You don't need to be in bed for this,
But you're welcome to be.
This is simply the moment where you set the day down.
And the evening becomes yours.
Let's begin.
Start by finding a position where you feel comfortable and supported.
Letting your body rest into whatever is beneath you.
And when you're ready,
You're welcome to close your eyes.
Or lower your gaze in front of you.
Taking a slow breath in through the nose.
Letting the exhale out through the mouth.
And again,
Breathing in through the nose.
And the sighing all the way out.
Noticing how the exhale is longer than the inhale.
This is the signal your body has been waiting for all day.
Telling your nervous system that the effort is over.
And that it's safe to slow down.
Letting the breath return to its own natural rhythm now.
Let's release the places the day tends to gather.
Starting with the face.
Letting the forehead smooth.
Letting the space between the eyebrows widen.
And the jaw.
So much of the day is held right there.
Letting your teeth part a little bit.
Letting the tongue rest at the roof of the mouth.
Letting the tongue rest heavy in the mouth.
And the shoulders.
Letting them drop away from your ears.
You might roll them back once,
Slowly.
And let them settle lower than before.
And the hands,
Letting the fingers uncurl.
Letting the palms open.
Nothing to hold on to now.
And if it feels good,
You might bring one hand to rest over your heart.
And the other to rest on your belly.
Feeling the warmth of your hands.
Feeling the gentle rise and fall beneath them.
The simple touch tells your body it's cared for.
You might stay here for a few breaths.
And now a moment to close the day properly.
What is one thing you're setting down tonight?
Something that belongs to today.
And doesn't need to come with you into the evening.
Something you may want to surrender and let go.
You might picture yourself placing it on a table by the door.
Or inside a drawer you can close.
It will still be there in the morning if you need it.
And tonight,
You don't.
And what is one thing from today you're glad about.
It doesn't have to be big.
Something that went well.
Something you enjoyed.
Something you are proud of.
Something you tried.
Let yourself feel it for a moment longer than usual.
This is the part of the day worth carrying forward.
Breathing in,
The day is complete.
Breathing out,
I am allowed to rest.
Notice how your body feels compared to 10 minutes ago.
Maybe a little slower.
Maybe a little more here,
A little more now.
This is your body remembering how to rest.
It knows the way.
It just needed an invitation.
And as we come to the end of this practice,
You might set a gentle intention for your evening.
What would you like the rest of the night to feel like?
Soft,
Slow,
Unhurried.
Completely yours.
And when you're ready,
As slowly as you like,
Letting your awareness come back to the room around you,
And gently opening your eyes or lifting your gaze.
The work of the day is behind you and is finished.
May you move gently through the rest of this evening,
And may sleep find you easily when you're ready for it.
Take care,
And I'll see you again soon.
