Deep Serene Slumber

This meditation is just over nineteen minutes in total, and will prepare you for a deep, serene sleep. We first acknowledge our natural breath cycle, and then deepen and control it. Then, we scan our body from toes to scalp, sequentially relaxing each area and dissolving any source of tension or stress. We end by casting any residual thoughts adrift onto a meandering river, clearing our mind of clutter and getting ready for a deep, serene, rejuvenating sleep. Background music track credit: Chris Collins at Indie Music Box.

Transcript

Welcome to this meditation which will help relax you and dissolve the worries from the day as you prepare for a deep,

Restful,

Rejuvenating sleep.

It's important to begin with the right physical position,

So find one that is comfortable for you,

Ideally lying down in your bed or perhaps sitting upright in a comfortable chair.

Choose whichever one feels better for you in this particular moment.

Ensure that your body is well supported and that you are comfortable,

And when you're ready,

Gently close your eyes as we begin our journey together.

Take a moment to adjust anything you need to feel completely at ease.

Roll your shoulders to let them soften,

Relax your jaw muscles to unclench,

And allow it to drop if it feels natural.

Let your arms and hands rest gently by your sides or on your abdomen.

This is your time to unwind,

To release the stress of the day,

And to prepare your mind and body for deep,

Restorative sleep.

Now,

We'll do some controlled breathing,

Followed by a full body scan to sequentially relax our muscles and dissolve any tension.

Let's begin by first bringing our awareness to our breath.

Without trying to change anything,

Simply notice the natural rhythm of your inhalation and exhalation.

Feel the gentle rise and fall of your chest or abdomen as you breathe.

For a few cycles,

Don't alter your breath's rhythm.

Allow it to be exactly as it is,

Natural and comfortable.

Now,

Let's focus more mindfully on your breath and consciously deepen each inhalation.

I'll be asking you to inhale slowly and deeply through your nose,

Filling your lungs completely and feeling your belly expand.

Then hold the breath and exhale slowly through your mouth,

Letting go of any tension you might be holding.

When you do,

Imagine expelling anything that no longer serves you,

Anything that brings negative feelings or energy,

Any source of tension or worry or anxiety.

So let's repeat this a few times as I count.

Inhale deeply through the nose,

Hold,

Exhale through the mouth,

Fully releasing what your lungs contained,

And breathe normally.

Let's do this again as I count.

Inhale deeply,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Hold,

Two,

Three,

Four,

And exhale,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Breathe normally.

Two more cycles to go.

Inhale deeply,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Hold,

Two,

Three,

Four,

And exhale,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Breathe normally.

And one last time.

Inhale deeply,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Hold,

Two,

Three,

Four,

And exhale,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Fully releasing the air in your lungs,

And return to breathing normally and comfortably.

As you continue this gentle,

Natural breathing,

Let's do a quick scan of your body in your mind's eye or your imagination.

As we do,

We'll sequentially relax each muscle group and dissolve any stress or tension that might have accumulated.

Let's start by bringing your awareness to your feet.

Notice any sensations there.

Stretch and wiggle your toes,

And then relax them.

On your next exhale,

Imagine any tension in your feet simply melting away.

Now move your awareness up to your calves and your shins.

Release any tightness you might feel.

Allow any knots to dissolve.

Now move up to your knees and thighs.

Note how they feel,

And let them soften.

Up to your hips and pelvis,

Both so important for support and movement.

Allow them to sink heavily into your bed or chair as they relax.

And now bring your attention to your lower back,

Often where the tension and stresses of the day tend to settle.

Mindfully and intentionally release any strain or ache or other discomfort you might feel there.

Move your focus now to your abdomen and chest,

The places where our breaths are most tangibly seen and evident.

Feel and acknowledge the gentle movement of your breath here,

Releasing stress and replacing it with serenity.

Upward to your shoulders,

As you gently rotate them and let them drop away from your ears.

Then down your arms,

Relaxing the biceps.

Then the forearms and wrists and hands.

Wiggle your fingers and stretch them gently.

Feel the arms and hands becoming heavy and relaxed.

Now back up each arm and over to your neck and throat.

Soften any constriction.

Your jaw letting it hang loose,

Relaxing your tongue.

And now the muscles of your cheeks and around your eyes,

Ears and forehead.

Smooth out any lines of worry.

And finally,

Up to your scalp,

The very top of your head.

Feel your entire body softening,

Relaxing and becoming heavier with each breath as it prepares for slumber.

By now you should be so much more relaxed than when our journey together began.

But there's still room to reach even deeper tranquility.

So let's turn our attention to any thoughts,

Worries or anxiety from the day that might still be lingering.

There is no need to push them away or judge them,

Simply to acknowledge them.

And as you do,

Imagine yourself standing on the bank of a gentle flowing river on a warm summer day under a pristine deep blue sky.

This river is a river of release.

As you stand there,

Notice any thoughts,

Any concerns,

Any anxieties that arise in your mind.

Some might be important and some less so.

But in this moment,

They are all nothing but clutter in your mind.

And we need to remove that clutter to sit in the stillness.

As each thought arises,

See them as leaves and cast them gently onto the surface of the meandering river.

As each thought or worry appears,

Gently place it onto one of these leaves.

There's no need to analyze it,

Dwell on it or to solve it right now.

Simply acknowledge it,

Place it on a leaf and watch as the current of the river carries that leaf and that thought gently downstream,

Away from you,

Out of your mind for the moment,

Clearing the clutter.

One by one,

Let go of the to-do lists,

The difficult conversations,

The bills or finances,

The arguments,

The worries about tomorrow.

Place each one on a leaf and watch it drift away.

The river is vast and there's plenty of space for everything that you need to discard.

Take a few moments to set these leaves adrift and you might notice a feeling of lightness as these thoughts are carried away.

You are creating space within your mind,

Space for peace and calm.

As you continue to breathe naturally and comfortably,

Begin now to shift your awareness to the very center of your chest,

To your heart space,

The ultimate source of love,

Empathy and compassion.

And as you do,

Imagine a small,

Warm,

Golden light beginning to glow there.

This light represents your inner peace,

Your inherent calm.

With each slow,

Deep inhalation,

Imagine this golden light growing brighter,

Warmer,

Expanding with every breath.

Feel this warm,

Golden light spreading throughout your chest,

Down into your abdomen,

Through your arms and hands,

Down into your legs and feet.

It fills your entire body,

From the tips of your toes to the crown of your head.

And this light is soothing,

Comforting and deeply peaceful.

As it expands in every direction,

It washes away any remaining traces of tension,

Of worry,

Of agitation.

And it fills you with a sense of deep tranquility.

Rest in this feeling of warm,

Golden light.

Allow it to envelop you completely,

Making you feel safe,

Secure and utterly at peace.

Take a few moments now in the stillness and say to yourself,

I am safe,

I am at peace and I am ready for deep,

Restful sleep.

Now,

Allow this warm,

Golden light to gently soften,

Becoming a comforting glow.

And as it does,

Feel your body becoming heavier,

Sinking deeper into your bed or chair.

Imagine yourself drifting downwards,

With each exhalation sinking a little deeper,

Your muscles becoming more relaxed,

Your mind becoming quieter.

Visualize your bed as a safe,

Soft haven.

A sanctuary of peace and tranquility.

Feel the comfort of the mattress or the pillows beneath you.

The warmth of the blankets over you.

You are completely supported and safe.

In a place of absolute serenity.

Your breath continues to be soft and natural.

Your thoughts are quiet.

You are in a state of profound relaxation.

Trust that your body knows how to rest,

How to heal,

How to rejuvenate itself during sleep.

And as we gently bring this meditation to a close,

Know that you can carry this feeling of peace and tranquility with you as you drift off to sleep.

There is nothing left to do,

Nowhere left to be.

Just allow yourself to surrender to the peaceful embrace of slumber.

May your sleep be deep,

Restorative,

And filled with peace.

Pleasant dreams.