Welcome to the happiness meditation.
My name is Charlotte and I'll be guiding you through a 25 minute sit.
Today's meditation intention is to stimulate the relaxation response to provide a sound night's sleep.
Feel free to adopt this same meditation intention or to set your own as we enter in.
If you have not already,
Gently close down your eyes.
Beginning to find your comfortable position.
If you're getting ready for bed this evening you may be lying down under your covers comfortably lying on your back.
You can place your arms out beside you,
Palms facing up towards the roof and just beginning to settle into this practice.
Landing here in this moment.
You may have already noticed the quality of your thoughts arising inside your mind.
Just observing the pace of your thoughts.
The quality of your thoughts.
And most interestingly observing the content of your thoughts.
Are there particular people,
Memories or plans that you would like to share with others?
Are there particular people,
Memories or plans that are seemingly taking over your mind in this moment,
In this time?
Simply allowing this time to watch,
To observe or to perhaps listen to that inner voice.
Meeting you where you are right now.
Beginning to narrow this focus to your breath.
And observing your inhales and exhales in this moment.
Feeling the rise and fall of your chest.
Feeling into the expansion and contraction of your belly and your rib cage as you breathe.
And perhaps noticing and becoming aware of the cool air entering your nostrils.
And the perhaps slightly warmer air leaving your nostrils as you exhale.
Continuing to land your focus on your breath.
And the movements it's making to your physical body.
And your next inhale,
Shift your focus to the crown of your head.
And visualise a bright warming,
Iridescent light.
The very crown of your head,
Illuminating it as you breathe in.
And allowing it to soften as you breathe out.
And begin to spread this bright,
Iridescent light.
Allowing it to soften down the front of your forehead.
Spreading over your brows,
Behind your cheeks,
Your nose.
Softening your ears,
Your jaw.
Allowing your tongue to soften at the bottom of your mouth.
Releasing any tension or clenching.
Visualising your whole head warm and soft.
As you continue to visualise this warming and supportive light down your neck.
Softening your left shoulder.
Down your left arm,
Elbow and all the way into each fingertip.
One at a time,
Until your left hand is completely soft and relaxed.
Bringing your attention back to your right shoulder.
Allowing your right shoulder to soften down the back of your back.
To fall into the support beneath you.
And begin to send this warming and supportive light down your right arm.
Your right forearm,
Your elbow,
Your right forearm and into each finger on your right hand.
Until your hand becomes completely soft.
Melts into the bed beneath you.
Bringing your awareness,
This iridescent light to the very centre of your chest,
Your heart space.
Expanding this light over your whole chest.
With every inhale brighten this light and with every exhale soften your chest.
And again,
With every inhale brighten this light and with every exhale soften your chest.
And again,
With every exhale soften your chest.
Flowing this light into your left hip.
Allowing this light to pour through every crevice of your left hip.
Softening and relaxing your left hip.
Flowing it down your left upper thigh,
Your knee,
Your lower leg,
Your ankle and into your left foot.
Every toe in your left foot.
Softening and releasing.
Bringing your attention back to your right hip.
And allowing this light to soften and ooze any tension in your right hip.
Flowing it down your right upper thigh,
Your knee,
Your lower leg,
Past your ankles into your right foot.
And every toe individually on your right foot.
Lying here and basking in this light that you've created in your body.
Continuing to breathe.
Illuminating this light with every breath and softening with every exhale.
Relaxing your body.
Noticing any sensations perhaps in your fingertips.
In your toes.
Perhaps you're experiencing some tingling in your scalp.
Continue to lie here.
And bask in this relaxation.
Scanning your body with your mind's eye.
Until you fall asleep.
Good night.
Good night.
