Welcome.
This audio is an opportunity for you to listen to your body and all of its messages.
To welcome them in and reset to a state of calm.
So take a moment to allow yourself to settle into the most comfortable position for you.
Breathing out all the busyness of the day with a long out breath.
And taking a moment to notice the parts of you that are already welcoming a state of comfort,
That are already beginning to sink into a relaxed position with a sense of release and relief.
And perhaps you can take that same level of relaxation that flows with each exhale to all the muscles around your eyes,
Your cheeks and your scalp.
Allowing the forehead to smooth and soften.
The eyelids relax and the tiny muscles around the eyes begin to soften.
Your jaw unclenches,
Your tongue can rest gently and your lips might part slightly,
Soft and easy.
And as your face begins to soften,
Imagine that relaxation is like cool,
Clear water flowing over smooth stones,
Moving gently,
Naturally,
Without force.
It begins at the crown of your head and trickles downwards,
Like the beginning of a quiet river high in the mountains.
A river that knows exactly where to go.
A river that simply follows its path with ease.
And you do not need to make anything happen here.
You do not need to fix or figure anything out.
This is simply a time for listening,
A time for allowing,
A time for noticing your body's messages while inviting it little by little back towards calm.
So I invite you to take a slow breath in and a longer,
Gentler breath out.
Feeling that river of relaxation flowing down now into the neck.
As the front of the throat softens,
The back of the neck unwinds,
Releasing as though any weight you've been carrying can be released now.
And that river continues to flow down across the shoulders.
And perhaps you can begin to notice the shoulders drop just slightly.
Not by forcing them,
But by giving them permission to stop holding.
And it may even feel as though the water is washing through them,
Releasing and loosening knots,
Untangling effort,
Carrying away all the thoughts of the day that no longer serve you.
And that river flows down through the arms now,
The elbows,
Forearms and wrists,
Flowing through each finger,
Softening,
Lengthening and relaxing.
You might even notice if one hand feels warmer or heavier,
Or perhaps more at ease than the other.
Whatever you notice is welcome.
There is no right way to relax.
It's just a gentle invitation to soften your focus.
Relax the breath and the body follows.
And maybe you'll notice that the chest can soften around the breath,
Making a little more room.
You can allow your attention to drift towards your stomach,
A place that does so much for you.
And this is a place of sensation,
Communication,
Feeling,
Rhythm and intelligence.
And whatever is present here,
Whether it's ease or tightness,
Warmth or discomfort,
Quiet or movement,
You're simply invited to listen without judgment,
Without resistance.
And I invite you to silently communicate to your stomach,
I'm here to listen.
You do not need to shout.
You are safe to soften.
And if any thoughts or images come as you tune into your belly,
Your stomach's wisdom,
Just allow them to be present,
Accepting all that is and inviting it to soften.
And you can allow that gentle river to flow warmly through the stomach,
Releasing any tightness or tension.
Every place that has been trying hard,
The river does not rush.
It moves with patience,
With wisdom and trust.
And perhaps you can begin to imagine yourself beside this river at dusk,
Where the air is mild and pleasant,
The sky is soft and a silver blue as it fades into a gentle evening.
And beside you,
The river moves in a steady,
Peaceful flow,
Not too fast,
Not too slow,
Just enough to remind you that flow is natural.
And as you contemplate the river,
Your eyes beginning to close,
Feeling safe and comfortable,
You can begin to notice how you're supported by the earth beneath you.
As you listen to that quiet sound of water passing over stone.
And as you listen,
Your body begins to remember something ancient.
That it was made not only for effort,
But for rest.
Not only for alertness,
But for repair.
Your body was made not only for holding on,
But for letting go.
And anything that your body no longer needs to carry can be gently offered to this river.
Any worries from the day,
The need to control,
Fear around sensations,
Frustration.
You don't have to throw it all in at once,
You might place it gently on a leaf,
One piece at a time,
Watching the river carry it away.
Perhaps one leaf carries tension,
Another carries overthinking,
One might carry urgency,
Another discomfort.
And that river receives each one without question.
It knows how to hold what you release,
How to move it onward.
And as you place each one of those discomforts,
Those unnecessary thoughts into the flow of the river,
You notice a cooling sensation on your fingers,
Your hands,
And place them on your belly.
Feeling that coolness,
That gentle movement flowing through you,
Releasing.
And you might imagine that river flowing through the back and around the pelvis,
Warm and comforting,
Untangling,
Unwinding.
Allowing the hips to grow heavy and soften,
And allowing your full body to sink into comfort,
Sink into support.
And as the river continues,
It travels down through the thighs,
Softening the front of the thighs and the back.
Releasing the hips and legs,
The knees and calves,
Letting the ankles begin to loosen,
All the way down to the soles of the feet,
Each toe feeling comfortable.
And as you rest in that river of calm,
From the top of your head to the tips of your toes,
Cradled by your warm breath in the sounds of the river,
Held by Mother Earth.
And if there's any sensations in your body still asking for attention,
Perhaps you can meet them the way you would meet ripples on the river.
Not a problem or a threat,
Just information and movement passing through your awareness.
And I wonder if you can soften around this,
Allowing it to move in its own time,
Giving it permission to unclench and settle,
Permission to be loved and supported.
And I wonder if you could imagine a beautiful healing light flowing in with that river of relaxation,
Filling your belly and all your digestive system.
As it travels to every muscle,
Every cell,
Every part of you,
Bathed in light.
And if emotions arise,
They can float away in that light,
Like gentle clouds drifting away,
Welcomed and gently passing.
You might imagine the river becoming quieter now,
The water smoother,
The evening deeper,
The stars begin to appear overhead,
Small lights flickering in a darkening sky.
And the river now moves with a sound so soft,
It's almost silent.
And in this quiet,
Your body can let go of even more.
You don't have to make it happen,
This deep relaxation,
You only have to receive it.
Breathing in,
Receiving calm.
Breathing out,
Releasing effort.
Breathing in,
Receiving support.
Breathing out,
Letting go.
And if sleep is ready to come,
These words can drift further and further away.
Knowing that rest is already happening.
Repair is beginning.
Your body understands these quiet instructions.
So once again,
Picture that river,
Steady and calm,
Moonlight now.
Noticing the way water flows around every stone without struggle.
Nothing in the river needs to be removed for the water to keep flowing,
It simply finds its own way.
And this can be true for you tonight and every night.
You're allowed to soften now,
To feel comforted and supported.
This is a safe time to drift into sleep.
And allow the river to take you on a new journey.
To arrive at a safe destination in the morning.
Where your body feels trusting of all you're ready to experience.
And tonight the river carries you,
Softly,
Steadily,
Peacefully into deep sleep.
