This sleep meditation is intended to help those of us who tend to have a lot of bedtime thoughts as you're trying to fall asleep.
So get yourself prepared for sleep,
Your body as comfortable as humanly possible.
And when you have everything arranged just right,
I invite you to just begin by noticing the room around you,
The bed that you're in,
Where you are in the room in relation to the walls and the ceiling,
Signaling to your body and your brain where you are.
Let your eyes close when you're ready.
Take a slow,
Smooth inhale.
Pause at the top of your inhale for 3.
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2.
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1.
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And then exhale out slowly,
Smoothly,
Completely.
And then again,
Take a nice smooth breath in for the count of 4.
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1.
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2.
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3.
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4.
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Hold your breath in for 4.
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3.
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2.
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1.
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And then let it all the way out slowly,
Smoothly,
Completely.
And then take one more nice,
Smooth,
Deep inhale in,
In your own timing,
And then let your exhale out slowly,
Smoothly,
And completely in your own timing.
And then let your breathing return to its natural rhythm,
Whatever that is for your breath this evening.
And then I invite you to notice any thoughts that are present.
Just take stock,
Take note of thoughts.
Like you can look at leaves floating on a stream.
Just look at the thoughts that are present.
Notice any themes of thoughts.
Are they about a particular topic?
Are they more random and jumbled up?
Are they future-orientated?
Are they past-orientated?
Are they a combination of the two?
Just like you can observe content in a stream.
Observe the content of your thoughts,
But without getting involved.
Just letting them come and go as you notice themes,
Patterns.
And then rather than trying to make them go away,
Resisting them,
Analyzing them,
Let them be there and turn your attention down to your feet.
You might have to do this a hundred times and that's okay.
Just return your attention down to your feet.
It might help you to wriggle your toes and start to notice all of the subtle sensations present here in your feet.
Maybe temperature is something you can notice.
Maybe where your feet are making contact with the bed is something you can notice.
And each time your attention wanders away from your feet,
Kindly redirect it down to your feet.
Feeling the sensations that are already here in your feet.
So there's nothing to make happen.
Just sensing what's here in your feet.
And can you sense all across the sole of your left foot?
Perhaps feeling a subtle tingling,
Warmth here across the sole of your left foot.
Can you sense your left big toe?
The top of your left foot and ankle.
Really sensing your left foot and letting everything else just fade into the background.
Sensing your left foot.
Nothing else to do.
There's nothing to make happen.
Nothing to achieve.
Just simply feeling the sensations that are already here in your left foot.
And then let's shift attention to your right foot.
And can you sense sensations all across the sole of your right foot?
Maybe a warmth or a tingling across the sole of your right foot.
Maybe sensing your right big toe,
The top of your right foot,
Your right ankle.
No need to make anything happen.
Just sensing what's already here in your right foot.
And then sense both feet again.
And all the subtle sensations here in your feet.
Sensing both your left and your right foot.
And welcoming all the sensations already here.
And then sensing your lower legs as well.
Your knees,
Your upper legs and hips.
And then really sensing the whole field of sensation throughout your legs and your feet.
Nothing to make happen.
Just sensing what's already here in your legs and your feet.
Letting them be heavy,
Warm and completely supported by what they're resting on.
Welcoming all the sensations already here through your legs and feet.
And then begin to sense your hands.
Welcoming the sensations already here throughout your hands.
Sensing the palms of your hands.
Sensing your fingers.
Sensing your toes.
Welcoming sensations that are already here throughout your hands.
And then sense your arms as well.
Welcoming all the sensations throughout your arms and hands.
And then begin to sense your torso.
Maybe feeling how your torso softens with each exhale without you needing to do anything.
Your exhale naturally softening your torso.
And then let your attention spread out to sense your shoulders.
Your face and head.
Sensing all the sensations already here throughout your face and hand.
And then sense your body as a whole.
All the places you feel warm,
At ease.
And just let your attention really rest here with the sensations of warmth and ease throughout your body.
Nothing to make happen.
Sensing warmth and ease that is already here throughout your body.
Sensing warmth and ease throughout your body.
