Restful sleep meditation.
Let's begin by shutting off all lights and finding a very comfortable position.
Taking a few deep belly breaths and blow out as you exhale as if you are blowing out birthday candles.
The next few exhalations envision letting go of the tension of the day,
Releasing,
Releasing all tension on the exhalation.
Now returning to normal breathing with just a gentle awareness of the out breath.
Experiencing the sensations of the body breathing,
Extending the incoming breath as it fills the chest and lungs,
Imagining opening to this breath of life.
Slowly breathing out,
Slowly releasing and letting be.
A slow deep breath in,
Perhaps counting to between four to six seconds,
Breathing out in equal time.
Receiving the in-breath,
Releasing the out-breath.
Bringing kind awareness to your body.
Begin with your head and notice sensations present here.
How is your forehead and temples?
Your jaw.
Imagine breathing in relaxation to these areas of tension.
Breathing in,
Breathing out and releasing.
Becoming aware of the facial muscles.
Breathing in and releasing tension as you breathe out.
Moving down to your neck and notice the sensations here.
Your shoulders softening and relaxing as you exhale.
Moving down to your arms and hands.
Explore deeply relaxing your hands.
Inviting your hands to soften and deeply let go as you exhale.
Breathing into your chest region,
Honoring the heart with gratitude for beating and sending nourishment throughout the body.
Breathing in life,
Releasing tensions.
Noting the movement of the belly as you breathe.
Imagining an infant fully expanding its belly as the air flows in and belly softly relaxing as the air flows out.
Gently turning your awareness to the entire torso.
The legs breathing deeply into the legs and feet.
Breathing in life,
Releasing tensions.
Breathing in,
Breathing out.
Perhaps noticing where you habitually hold tension in your body.
So invite these areas to relax and soften with each breath.
Now imagine feeling your body as a whole.
A whole breathing being.
Inviting the breath to flow in and tensions to flow out as you exhale.
Breath flowing in,
Breath flowing out.
When thoughts arise,
Just noting and imagine the thoughts as clouds in a breezy sky and watch them as they pass through your attention.
Returning to the sensation of the body breathing and being.
Being just as you are,
Gently and with compassion for whatever arises.
Now invite the idea of softening to be present.
With each out-breath silently say soften,
Soften.
Breathing out,
Soften.
Feeling yourself melting into the soft bed.
Softening,
Soft body,
Soft breath.
Soft mind,
Softening belly,
Soft mind,
Soft body,
Soft mind,
Soft body,
Soft mind,
Soft mind,
Soft mind,
Soft mind,
Soft belly,
Soft body,
Soft head.
Breathing with soft belly,
Softening your entire being,
Letting be,
Softening into receiving sleep,
Soften.
May you experience a peaceful and restorative sleep.
