This guided practice is specifically geared towards relaxation,
Letting go,
Resting with ease into a deep sleep.
Just taking a moment to lay in a comfortable position on your back with your spine straight and your pillow just softly cradling your head,
Gently closing down your eyes,
Turning your gaze inward.
To begin,
We're going to do six slow diaphragmatic breaths to soften your body,
Close down from the day and bring you into a state of relaxation.
Just placing your hands gently here on your diaphragm,
Just above your stomach and below your rib cage so you can feel the movement of your breath,
Filling every cell with energy and vitality.
On the inhale,
Your diaphragm expands.
On the exhale,
Your diaphragm softens.
Inhale,
Your diaphragm expands.
Exhale,
Your diaphragm softens.
Inhale,
Expand.
Exhale,
Soften.
Inhale,
Exploring the edge of your lungs.
Exhale through the mouth,
An audible sigh.
Inhale,
Relax,
Soften,
Letting go.
As your breath returns to the natural ebb and flow,
Easy and effortless,
Just tuck in your fingers and palm of your right hand under your left armpit with your thumb resting on your chest.
Take your fingers and palm of your left hand under your right armpit with your thumb resting on your chest.
Holding yourself in this position,
One of comfort and gratitude,
Let's close down the day with a gratitude ritual.
Inhaling slowly,
Exhaling slowly,
Allowing three things to come to mind that you are grateful for that happened today.
These could be,
I am grateful for the comfort of the pillow that cradles my head.
I am grateful for the food that nourished my body.
I am grateful for the mindful moments shared with a friend.
Just noticing what comes up for you,
Accepting gratitude to flow throughout your whole body.
Embedding into every cell of your being,
Allowing your mattress to hold you while you rest here in this lightness of gratefulness.
Allowing your arms now to relax down by the sides of your body.
Continue to breathe slowly and fully in and out.
Knowing that the breath is allowing all the small muscles in your face to soften,
Relax.
Allowing the tongue to feel the lower palate.
Relaxing and softening the jaw.
Release,
Release,
Release.
Relaxing more at the shoulders with the in-breath.
Feeling the space inside the shoulders and with the out-breath,
Release and letting go.
Bringing the breath and the air tension to the hands.
Letting the palms be soft,
Relaxing your fingers and letting go.
Feeling the breath deep here in the torso.
Letting it feel the tummy with the in-breath and with the out-breath,
Release and letting go.
If the mind gets lost in thoughts,
Let your practice simply be to focus on the breath,
Release tension and let go.
Sinking deeper and deeper into your bed and into relaxation.
Opening your heart,
Relaxing your face.
Peace,
Love and ease as you drift off into sleep.
If your mind is still active,
Gently counting backwards from a thousand to zero.
A thousand,
Nine hundred and ninety-nine,
Nine hundred and ninety-eight,
Nine hundred and ninety-seven,
Nine hundred and ninety-six,
Nine hundred and ninety five,
Nine hundred 193.
.
.
I know what you need to do.
