Welcome to this meditation for sleep.
I'm Victoria and I'll be your guide tonight.
Begin by setting your phone down and letting yourself find a comfortable,
Easy position that invites in rest and relaxation into your body.
Let your head move around on your pillow until you find exactly the right place.
Tuck in the covers around you and when you're ready,
Gently allow your eyes to close.
We'll begin tonight's practice with a passage from the book,
How to Relax by Thich Nhat Hanh.
This passage is about peaceful breathing,
Which we'll be practicing together.
When we begin practicing awareness of our breath,
The breathing may not be very peaceful.
It may be rushed,
Uneven,
Or shallow.
This is because of the tensions in our body and the sadness and other preoccupations in our mind.
Therefore,
Our breathing isn't peaceful.
Breathing in and out.
Breathing in and out.
We concentrate just on our breathing.
If we continue to practice awareness of breathing,
Our breathing becomes gentle,
Deeper,
More peaceful,
And the state of dispersion in our mind ceases.
Here are three exercises to bring peace to the breath.
The first is to recognize that the in-breath is an in-breath and to recognize the out-breath as an out-breath.
The second is to recognize the length of the in-breath and the out-breath.
And the third is to focus on the breath all the way through.
This is concentration.
We just observe the breath.
We never force it.
We allow it to be natural.
With awareness of breathing,
Our breath naturally becomes deeper,
Slower,
And more peaceful.
You can silently repeat these phrases along with your breath.
Breathing in,
I know I'm breathing in.
Breathing out,
I know I'm breathing out.
Breathing in,
I know I am breathing in.
Breathing out,
I know I am breathing out.
Breathing in,
I know I am breathing in.
Breathing out,
I know I am breathing out.
Breathing in,
I know I am breathing in.
Breathing out,
I know I am breathing in.
Breathing out,
I know I am breathing in.
Breathing in,
I know I am breathing out.
Breathing in,
I know I am breathing in.
Breathing out,
I know I am breathing out.
Breathing in,
I know I am breathing in.
Breathing out,
I know I am breathing out.
Breathing in,
I know I am breathing in.
Breathing out,
I know I am breathing out.
Taking a few moments to silently repeat those phrases.
Breathing in,
I know I am breathing in.
Breathing out,
I know I am breathing in.
Breathing out,
I know I am breathing in.
Changing phrases if you'd like.
Breathing in,
I see my breath is long or short.
Breathing out,
I see my breath is long or short.
Saying the phrase like that or just saying short or long,
Depending on how this breath is.
Recognizing that each breath is unique and with each breath you allow yourself to relax a little more.
Breathing in,
I see my breath is long or short.
Breathing out,
I see my breath is long or short.
Breathing in,
I see my breath is long or short.
Breathing out,
I see my breath is long or short.
Breathing in,
I see my breath is long or short.
Breathing out,
I see my breath is long or short.
Staying with the breath on your own for a few moments.
Breathing in,
I see my breath is long or short.
Breathing out,
I see my breath is long or short.
And if you'd like,
Beginning this new phrase,
Breathing in,
I follow my breath.
Breathing out,
I follow my in-breath all the way through.
Breathing out,
I follow my out-breath all the way through.
Breathing in,
I follow my out-breath all the way through.
Breathing in,
I follow my in-breath all the way through.
Breathing out,
I follow my out-breath all the way through.
Breathing in,
I follow my in-breath all the way through.
Breathing out,
I follow my out-breath all the way through.
Breathing in,
I follow my in-breath all the way through.
Breathing out,
I follow my out-breath all the way through.
Breathing out,
I follow my in-breath all the way through.
Breathing out,
I follow my in-breath all the way through.
And as you're drifting off,
Letting the awareness move from the breath into the body,
Inviting in relaxation into the top of the head and letting the whole head be heavy and weighted,
Held up,
Cradled gently by your pillow.
Relaxing the forehead and the eyebrows,
Letting all the little muscles in the face relax.
Unclenching the jaw,
Letting the tongue be heavy.
Letting the ease into the neck,
Into the throat.
Relaxing the shoulders.
Relaxing the shoulders.
Sending ease down the length of your right arm,
Right wrist,
Hand,
And the head.
Relaxing the shoulders and fingers.
And then letting it come down the length of the left arm,
Wrist,
And then the right arm.
And then the left hand and fingers.
Inviting in peace into the heart center.
Inviting peace,
Relaxation.
Drawing it down into your abdomen.
Inviting relaxation into this whole area.
And then shifting around into the back body.
Inviting in a softening into the back.
Letting yourself feel heavy and weighted on your bed.
Dropping your awareness into your hips,
Glutes,
And pelvis.
Inviting in ease.
And letting that ease trickle down your right thigh,
Your right knee,
Right calf,
Right ankle,
Right foot,
And all of your right toes.
Shift over and drift down your left thigh,
Knee,
Calf,
Ankle,
Foot,
And toes.
Fades out Inviting in relaxation all the way from the top of your head to the bottoms of your toes.
Knowing that you are loved and you are safe.
You are abundant.
You are supported.
You are nourished.
You are so provided for.
Your life has meaning and purpose.
You rest in loving awareness.
Remembering the essence of who you are.
Feeling the goodness in your heart center.
And letting that beautiful goodness and love expand into every cell of your body.
As you drift sweetly to sleep.
