Hello everyone,
My name's Emmeline and I'm going to be guiding you in your meditation this evening to aid sleep.
So sleep can be quite elusive for some,
And this might be due to physical or emotional reasons,
But when we find sleep,
Amazing things happen.
Our bodies begin to heal,
Our mind processes the day,
Unscrambling the monkey mind,
Allowing us to awake to a fresh start every morning.
I'm here to guide you in your practice to help induce an organic,
Natural sleep,
Allowing you to unplug and surrender as I hold the space for you.
So before we begin,
Just take a moment to make sure that you're as comfortable as you can be.
So making sure that you're warm enough and have enough pillows or bolsters that you might need,
Just so you feel fully supported for this practice.
You might ask yourself,
Is there any way I could be 10% more comfortable?
So just take a moment to check in and alter what you need to.
So laying in your sleep space is a really great time to start thinking about something good that has happened to you today.
So see if you can think of something now.
It could be as small as receiving a message from somebody,
Or perhaps a compliment that you've had.
It could even be a smile from somebody that you love.
So whatever you've chosen,
Just take a moment to give this small blessing your full attention,
Just allowing it to really fill your mind and know that tomorrow will bring many more blessings just like this one.
Reflecting on the happy moments from our day,
However small they are,
Plant seeds of gratitude and of peace into your mind.
And these seeds can bury deep while you're sleeping.
So gratitude and peace can flourish when you wake.
Today has come to a close and tomorrow you awake with renewed clarity and energy.
You do not need to be anywhere but here right now.
The world will carry on as it should while you sleep.
Sinking into your subconscious world is the right safe place for you to be.
Take a deep breath now,
Surrendering to your weariness,
Cocooned by your blanket or pillow,
Enveloped by the serenity of night.
I invite you now to become aware of your breath,
Entering the mindful sanctuary of breathing,
Allowing your awareness to rest with the inhale and the exhale,
Laying heavy in your sleep space,
Just breathing in and breathing out.
Breathe about 22,
000 times today.
And did you notice any of these breaths?
You can notice them now.
Allow the tide of the inhale and the exhale to sweep you deeper and deeper into relaxation.
We can deepen our breath with a small exercise together.
We're going to inhale for the count of six and exhale for the count of six.
Let's do this together now.
Inhale three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Exhale three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Inhale three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Exhale three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Continue with this breathing rhythm on your own for a few more moments.
If you're finding counting to six too challenging,
You can change it to four.
And now just allowing your breath to settle back into its own natural rhythm,
Whatever is most comfortable for you,
Feeling completely at ease.
Your mind is willing to surrender to sleep.
With each breath,
You find a little more heaviness,
A little more stillness,
Just breathing in and breathing out,
Becoming more and more peaceful as you sink further and further into a place of relaxation and calm.
Allowing the plume of thoughts and emotional energy received from others today just fall away.
I invite you now to repeat the following affirmations to yourself silently and peacefully.
May I relax.
May I feel at ease.
May I surrender to sleep.
I invite you now to turn your attention to the sensation of your body cradled by your bed and supported enough so that you can let go.
Let go of any tension from the tips of your toes to the top of your head.
If you are struggling to identify specific areas of tension,
It can help to squeeze the whole body tightly together for a few seconds,
Pulling everything together and then release,
Finding more ease and more space.
Bring your full attention now to your feet and your toes and feel a warm sense of deep relaxation,
Allowing the feet to feel heavy and loose.
Completely surrendered,
Feel this warm sense of relaxation spread up into your ankles.
Perhaps the feet drop to the side as they relax even more.
Feel the relaxation flow up into the calves,
The knees,
Releasing and relaxing every muscle as it goes further into the muscles in your thighs,
Knowing that your feet and legs are completely relaxed.
Now feel the warm relaxation spread up into your torso,
Past your pelvis,
Relaxing your abdomen,
Letting all tension go,
Not taking any effort to hold yourself in.
Relaxation flows into your chest,
Allow yourself to take a deep breath as your ribs rise and fall.
Your back relaxes as this warmth flows through your spinal cord,
Flooding your nervous system with calm.
You are supported,
You are completely safe to let go,
Knowing that your legs and torso are completely relaxed.
This relaxation flows into your shoulders,
Perhaps dropping them a little further away from the ears,
Letting go of the weight of the world that they carry.
It flows down the top of each arm,
The elbows,
The forearms,
Pooling into the palm of each hand and flowing to the tip of each finger.
As your hands lay heavy,
Knowing that your arms are completely relaxed.
Relaxation flows into your neck now,
As all the small muscles here release,
Flowing over the face,
The jaw loosens,
You feel the cheeks relax and all the little muscles around the eyes and the forehead smooth.
And now feel that warm sense of deep relaxation flow up over your scalp.
Feel now as the relaxation flows through your entire body,
A delicious wave of surrender.
Your inner strength does not fade,
It rejuvenates with the power of rest,
Knowing that your whole body is completely relaxed.
You are ready to give in to your weariness.
You have reached a deep level of relaxation.
Allow your mind to float and relax.
I now invite you to begin to count backwards from 10 to 1.
Begin from 10,
Slowly count to 9.
Continue on your own.
You are peaceful,
Comfortable,
You are completely safe to drift into a deep and restful sleep.
Good night.
