Welcome to tonight's meditation.
Sleep doesn't always come easily,
Especially after a day that's left you feeling drained or tightly wound.
Our minds can race,
Our body can hold on to tension and true rest can feel just out of reach.
But right now we've got a chance to press pause on all of that.
This is our time to unwind,
To let our thoughts fade into the background and to let our bodies find their natural rhythm of rest.
Think of this as a gentle reset,
A pathway to a deep,
Restorative sleep.
I'm Chibs Akerike and I'm here to guide you through tonight's meditation.
This session will help you sleep all through the night.
My voice will be with you for the next 40 minutes or so as I guide you through a gentle wind down.
By the end of the wind down,
If you haven't already drifted off,
You'll be ready to fall into a deep slumber.
We'll begin today's meditation first by connecting with the breath,
Using controlled breathing to stimulate the vagus nerve which is a powerful tool to engage the body's natural relaxation response.
Tonight we're not in any rush,
There's no pressure to fall asleep and no need to force sleep to happen.
We're allowing it to come in its own time.
Let's take some time now to find a comfortable position,
Lying in any way that works for you.
You might choose to lie on your back with your arms by your sides or you might want to place a pillow under your knees to support your lower back.
If you prefer,
You could lie on your side,
Whatever feels best for you,
It's all perfect.
Now it's lovely to be still as we allow the body and mind to unwind before sleep,
But if at any point you feel the need to shift or adjust your position,
That's perfectly okay.
If you do want to remain still,
You're more than welcome to make any last-minute adjustments,
Whether it's changing the position of your arms or adjusting a pillow.
Even if you can get 1 or 2% more comfortable,
I invite you to go ahead and do so now.
This is your time and tonight is about being as comfortable as possible.
There's no right or wrong way to experience this practice.
Okay,
Let's begin.
Resting our head on the pillow in a way that feels comfortable and supportive.
If it feels good,
We might soften our jaw or relax our shoulders.
And whenever we're ready,
Gently closing the eyes.
Feeling the support of the bed beneath us,
Holding us safely.
Seeing if we can allow ourselves to sink a little deeper into the mattress.
We're safe here,
We're held.
There's nothing we need to hold on to,
Nothing we need to do,
Just allowing our body to soften and relax.
So I invite you now to bring awareness to the breath.
Noticing your inhale and noticing your exhale.
When we bring our awareness to the breath,
We're helping to stimulate the vagus nerve,
Which shifts us out of the busyness of the mind and back into the body.
This simple act sends calming signals to the nervous system,
Preparing the mind and body for deep rest.
There's no need to change anything about the breath,
We're simply noticing how the body is naturally breathing.
Is it a slow breath or is it a rapid breath?
Is it a deep breath or a shallow breath?
Maybe we're breathing into the chest or perhaps into the stomach.
Is the inhale longer than the exhale or is the exhale longer than the inhale?
We're just noticing.
Perhaps as we lay here we can feel the cool air coming in through the nostrils as we breathe in,
As the lungs and the chest and the stomach expand.
And then we might notice the warm air softly leaving the nostrils as we breathe out,
As the body relaxes and softens and sinks deeper into the bed.
And if the mind starts to wander,
Gently bringing your awareness back to the breath.
Now the out-breath is the perfect opportunity to let go,
To let go of any tension or tightness we may be holding in the body.
Increasing the length of the out-breath stimulates the vagus nerve,
Slows down the heart rate and engages the body's relaxation response,
Signaling to the nervous system that it's safe to let go and rest.
It helps calm the mind and gently prepares the body for sleep.
So why don't we do some extended exhale breaths together.
Let's breathe in for a count of three and breathe out for a count of six.
Try following my count for a few breaths and then you can continue doing some more at your own pace in your own time.
Let's breathe in,
Two,
Three,
Breathing out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Breathing in,
Two,
Three,
Breathing out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Breathing in,
Two,
Three,
Breathing out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
So let me be quiet for a few moments so we can do this by ourselves.
Keeping the body relaxed as we breathe,
Checking to see if the forehead is relaxed,
The jaw,
The neck and shoulders,
The stomach and we might be beginning to notice changes as we continue this relaxing practice of lengthening the out-breath.
Maybe we can feel warm sensations or tingles in the body,
Perhaps vibrations running up and down the spine.
Okay,
Good.
Now you can let go of the counting and allow your breath to return to its natural rhythm.
Take a moment to notice how the body's breathing now.
Is the breath a little slower?
Perhaps a little deeper?
Try not to purposely slow down or deepen the breath but if the breath is naturally slowed and relaxed that's okay.
We're allowing the body to breathe however it wants to breathe.
Allowing the breath to be soft,
Inviting the body to unwind.
Allowing the breath to settle,
Inviting the body to find ease.
There's nothing to do but relax.
Allowing the calmness of sleep to gently wash over us.
And if the mind wanders as soon as you catch yourself lost in thought,
Try not to give yourself a hard time and see if you can notice the thought and simply let it go.
Sometimes I find it helpful to imagine that our thoughts are like leaves floating on the surface of a slow,
Gently flowing river.
Each time a thought comes to mind,
Whether it's a worry,
A memory or just a random thought,
We can place it gently on a leaf and watch it float by.
We can continue watching as the leaf drifts down the river,
Out of sight,
So you can be right here,
Right now.
And if the thoughts stay,
That's okay too.
Just come back to the breath and allow the thoughts to be in the background.
With each breath in,
We're welcoming calm.
With each breath out,
We're sinking a little deeper.
Settling into this moment,
This restful space.
There's nowhere else to be,
Nothing else to do.
We're letting go of any pressure and we're allowing sleep to happen.
And now,
Let's gently shift our attention to the body,
Scanning the body from head to toe,
Releasing any tension wherever we find it.
As we relax each area,
Feel the gentle stimulation of the vagus nerve supporting this release,
Guiding the body and mind into deeper rest.
You're welcome to drift off whenever and wherever it feels right for you.
Let's begin with the feet and then gradually work our way up towards the head.
Let's move our awareness down to the feet,
Allowing them to relax completely.
Letting them fall naturally to the sides,
Feeling soft and loose.
Perhaps you can sense the weight of your feet on the mattress or the gentle touch of the sheets against them.
We're simply noticing and releasing.
Now,
Shifting our awareness to the left foot.
Gently focusing in on the toes of the left foot,
Allowing the toes to soften,
Allowing the sole of the left foot to relax.
Then becoming aware of any sensations down there.
We might notice warmth,
Tingling or subtle pulses or perhaps there's no sensation at all and that's perfectly fine too.
There's no need for judgment,
No expectations,
Just allowing ourselves to be present with what is.
And now,
Moving our awareness up into the left lower leg,
The calf,
The shin,
Allowing any tightness to release as we exhale.
Moving our awareness up into the left lower leg,
The calf,
The shin,
Allowing any tightness to release as we exhale.
Bringing gentle awareness around the left knee,
Letting the knees soften and relax.
And now moving up to the left upper leg,
The thigh,
The hamstring.
Breathing into the whole left leg now.
Heavy,
Relaxed,
At ease after a long day.
We're noticing what's present and allowing the sensations to come and go.
And now shifting our attention to the right side of the body,
Moving our awareness to the right foot,
Relaxing the right foot.
Breathing in and as we exhale,
Allowing the foot to soften and find stillness.
Gently focusing in on the toes of the right foot,
Letting them soften,
Letting the sole of the foot relax.
Tuning into any sensations without judgment,
Without expectation,
Simply noticing and letting go.
Bringing awareness into the right lower leg,
The right calf,
The shin,
Allowing any tension to melt away as we rest into stillness.
Softening the right knee with each exhale,
Releasing any tightness that might still be there.
Breathing in and as we breathe out,
Letting go even further.
Allowing this relaxation to spread into the right upper leg,
The thigh,
The hamstring.
Perhaps the leg feels heavy,
Maybe light.
Whatever we're experiencing is perfectly fine.
And now breathing into the whole right leg,
Letting go of any effort,
Allowing the entire leg to fully relax.
Bringing awareness to both legs now,
Our entire lower body resting heavy and at ease.
And now bringing our awareness to the hips,
Allowing gravity to settle here,
Inviting the hips to release.
This area often carries a lot,
So see if we can let go of a little tightness here.
Breathing in and as we breathe out,
Feeling the hips and the body sinking deeper into the bed.
We're not judging any sensations that arise,
We're simply noticing with a sense of gentle curiosity,
Allowing the body to be just as it is.
Keeping our breathing soft and easy as we continue to let go,
Allowing the body to surrender into this moment.
Inviting sleep to come naturally,
No need to force anything.
The mind calming,
The body relaxing.
And now,
Let's gently shift our attention to the lower back,
Allowing any tension there to soften and release.
Feeling the gentle support of the bed beneath us,
As the lower back unwinds and lets go.
Bringing awareness now to the spine,
Allowing it to soften and release.
As we breathe,
Imagining the vagus nerve gently wandering its way down the spine,
Helping to calm the body from the inside out.
With each inhale,
Imagining the breath gently massaging the spine,
And with each exhale,
Feeling the tension dissolve a little more as the vagus nerve supports this deep relaxation.
Expanding our awareness now to include the whole back,
Noticing how it feels to allow the back to soften and surrender to gravity.
Enjoying the support of the bed beneath us,
Allowing the back to unwind,
Fully at ease.
Our back works hard for us,
Keeping us upright throughout the day,
But now it's time for it to rest,
To let go,
To fully relax.
We're safe here,
Held,
Supported.
And shifting our awareness to the belly,
Softening this area as we continue to breathe.
Noticing the gentle rise and fall of the stomach with each breath,
Inhaling as the belly expands,
Then exhaling as the belly softens and releases.
Expanding,
Softening,
Rising,
Falling,
Soft and effortless.
Now bringing our awareness to the chest,
Noticing the chest expanding gently with each inhale,
And softening with each exhale.
Noticing how each breath helps us settle more into the body,
Perhaps even sensing feelings of warmth or gentle tingles spreading as the body continues to relax.
Shifting our attention now to the shoulders,
This is a place where many of us hold stress,
So let's invite the shoulders to soften,
Letting them melt away from the ears,
Sliding gently down the back,
Releasing any tension and allowing them to rest.
And now moving to the left arm,
Inviting the arm to rest gently at our side or maybe placing the hand on the belly,
Noticing if the arm feels light or heavy,
Simply observing.
Bringing awareness now to the left hand,
Allowing the hand to soften and relax,
Letting the fingers rest,
The thumb,
Nothing to do here,
Simply unwinding.
Now shifting our attention to the right arm,
Letting it rest by our side or on the belly,
Feeling the weight of the arm.
Moving our awareness to the right hand,
Noticing any sensations,
Warmth,
Tingles,
Or maybe nothing at all,
And whatever we notice is perfectly fine,
Just allowing the hand to relax and rest.
Bringing awareness to the neck and throat now,
Breathing into this area,
Relaxing the back of the head now,
Letting it rest heavy,
Sinking deeper into the pillow,
Allowing any lingering thoughts or worries to fall away as we surrender into this moment.
Moving our awareness into the jaw,
Unclenching and releasing any tightness there,
Fully letting go,
Dropping into this present moment,
And now,
Softening the tongue inside the mouth,
Relaxing the cheeks,
The forehead,
The temples,
Allowing our body and mind to fully relax,
Drifting effortlessly towards a peaceful slumber.
And now,
Let's expand our awareness,
Gently sweeping our attention through the entire length of the body,
From the top of the head to the tips of the fingers and tips of the toes,
Noticing the sensations of relaxation spreading throughout the body,
Allowing this relaxation to settle deeper and deeper with each breath.
We are ready for rest,
We are ready for deep,
Restorative sleep.
Let's take a moment to enjoy this feeling of relaxation,
Allowing it to sink deep into the body,
Soaking in this sense of ease.
Coming back now to the gentle,
Steady flow of the breath,
The breath breathing the body,
Calming the mind,
Breathing in and breathing out,
Slowly,
Gently,
Gently,
The body feeling more and more peaceful with each breath,
Calm,
Deeply relaxed,
We are resting,
Letting go,
Inviting the body and mind to unwind,
Completely releasing into this state of deep rest,
A gentle drifting into sleep.
There is nothing left to do,
Nowhere else to be,
We are simply here,
In this moment,
Drifting into a deep and peaceful slumber,
Sinking into a deep and restful sleep.
