This is a deep relaxation to be done lying down.
Breathe in by closing your eyes.
Then inhale deeply through the nose.
When you think you can't take in any more breath,
Breathe in just a little bit more.
Really feel your lungs expand against your rib cage.
Feel your belly expand as your diaphragm moves downward.
Letting it go when you're ready.
And then repeating that nice deep breath in.
Feeling fully.
And pause with that breath for a moment before letting it go.
Now begin to bring your awareness to your heart.
Imagine a beautiful pink tinged lotus flower right there in the center of your heart.
Let each breath be the water that nourishes this beautiful flower.
This symbol of enlightenment.
With every soft breath in and out,
See its petals quiver with your breath.
Let its tranquility and its strength infuse your entire body.
Let it fill your spirit with softness.
Breathe its petals open.
See the lotus springing into full bloom.
And now see the lotus now floating on the surface of the water.
Let its beauty soothe your spirit and wash away any stress,
Tension,
Or grief.
And now with this image of the flower in your mind.
As you maintain long,
Deep,
Easy breathing,
Feel the sensation of relaxation envelop your body.
Keep in this sensation by relaxing the muscles around your eyes.
And around your eyebrows.
And your forehead.
Relax the crown of your head.
And now bring this feeling of relaxation down to your neck.
Relax all the muscles along the back of your neck.
Down into your shoulders.
Let them feel as though they were falling into the arms of gravity.
Let this softness expand down into each arm.
And then relax your chest.
Relax your belly.
And bring this feeling of relaxation down to your legs.
Letting each leg melt as if blending into the water like droplets of ink.
Coloring the water completely.
And as you breathe yourself into a deeper state of relaxation,
Let your whole body begin to dissolve.
You're totally unencumbered now by the body.
To continue to become lighter and freer.
So light.
All that remains now is the lotus flower of your heart with its blushing pink petals.
And the lotus floats gently on the water.
Its petals fluttering with your breath.
Your breath soft and gentle like the breeze.
Blowing warm,
Soothing air over the water.
You're just a floating lotus flower in the middle of the pond.
Feel the water move beneath you.
You feel supported by the water.
Totally relaxed.
Totally at ease.
Let the natural movement of the water continue to soothe you.
Feel how it sways ever so gently here and there.
And you're one with the natural rhythm of the water with no resistance to anything.
Just floating.
Resting on the water.
Feeling light.
And buoyant and free.
And now you can either let yourself drift off into a nice deep sleep.
Or you can return to your day.
And in that case,
Begin to gradually bring the image of the lotus flower back to your mind.
As you slowly bring yourself back to your body.
With eyes still closed,
Not rushing at all.
Slowly begin to become aware of solid ground beneath you.
And now begin to roll your wrists and your ankles.
And raise your arms overhead and inhale deeply as you stretch from your fingers all the way down to your toes.
Letting the stretch go whenever you're ready.
Letting go of the image of the lotus.
Taking as long as you need before returning to your day.
Feeling relaxed and restored.
And ready to start again.
