Sleep Meditation: Relaxing Into Being

Shift from your busy day of doing and thinking into a relaxing state of being, sensing, and resting. You can practice this in bed, when you are traveling on a plane, bus, etc., and also at any time during the day when you'd like to feel more relaxed and at ease. 

Transcript

Hi, Welcome. My name is Ana Liss and tonight I am guiding you through a practice to support relaxation and deep rest. You can use this recording anywhere as long as you can be fully present moving away from all other activities. Many factors influence the quality of our sleep. Mental, Emotional and physical challenges can be hindrances to our ability to unplug. This meditation is designed to work on all these levels. Still, I also encourage you to reflect upon your habits and assess if any other factors are influencing your ability to rest. Together with meditation practice, Other measures that you can take to increase the quality of your sleep are limiting caffeine consumption, Going to bed at the same time every night, Moving away from screens at least an hour before bedtime, Eating lightly at night, And exercising regularly to release energy through the physical body. As with any practice, The more often you meditate, The more you will notice improvements. If tonight you feel that you could not relax and enjoy the benefits of this practice, Remember to be patient with both yourself and the practice. Come back again. With repetition, We are reprogramming our mental, Emotional and physical patterns. Creating more space for relaxation and rest, One breath at a time. When you are ready to begin, Fluff your pillow, Get comfy and let me help you shift from your busy day of doing and thinking into a relaxing state of being, Sensing and resting. Whether you are laying in bed or seated with your back, Neck and head supported, Gently close your eyes, Allowing the eyeballs to soften beneath the darkness of the eyelids. Take a deep breath in through the nose and a slow breath out through the mouth. And sense if there are any adjustments that you would like to do to help you feel just a little bit more comfortable now. It doesn't really matter what position you are in, As long as you feel comfy. Breathing deeply through the nose, Expanding the muscles in the abdomen, Breathe out through the mouth slowly and completely. Breathing deeply, Releasing the belly and breathe out through the mouth completely. As you continue breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth, Bring your attention to your abdomen, Letting it expand like a balloon with the inhalations and release naturally with the exhalations. And for the next few cycles of breath, See if you can lengthen the out-breaths so that they are at least as long and slow as the inhales. Breathing in, Letting the belly expand, Breathing out slowly, Releasing, Coming back to the center of the body. Letting the belly expand, Breathing out slowly, Releasing completely. Noticing the skin in your abdomen expanding with the inhalation and condensing with the exhalation, Following that movement, The rising and falling of the abdomen. The breathing in slowly through the nose and breathing out slowly through the mouth. You can release any effort and manipulation of the breathing, Allowing it to be natural. Sense how your body is breathing you alive. There is nothing that you need to do. Sensing the rising and falling of the belly. Sensing the rising and the falling of the chest. Sensing the expanding of the skin as you're breathing and the condensing of the skin as you breathe out. And for a moment, Reflect upon what you are grateful for today. What moment in your day brought you a sense of peace, Of ease, Of belonging? Let the memory of that moment enter your being. And as you continue to follow the breath, Soaking the warmth of that memory, We are so used to move from one task to another that we can easily overlook the subtle beauty that is all around us. So maybe make a commitment to pay attention tomorrow when you rise. To notice something delightful before you reach for your phone. To notice the sunlight touching the leaves in a tree. To savor the aroma of your coffee or tea before taking that first sip. To appreciate the feeling of the warm water touching your skin when you take a shower. And let that memory go as you continue to breathe in and out. The body continues to breathe in and out. Let it go as you continue to breathe in and out. The body continues to breathe in and the body continues to breathe out. There is nothing that needs to be done at this moment. There is nowhere else that you need to be. This is your time to rest, To release, To reset. Feel the air entering your nostrils. Feel the air entering your nostrils. Feel the air leaving your nostrils. Feeling the cold air entering your nostrils. Feeling the cold air leaving your nostrils. Feeling the warm air leaving your nostrils. Sense the temperature in the room. The air touching the bare parts of your skin. Feeling the subtle contact of your clothes with your skin. Sensing the weight of the blanket or the sheets resting over your body. Feeling the body keeping you safe and warm. Listen to the silence. Noticing the sounds of the silence. Noticing the quality of the sounds. No need to make sense of them. Listening to my voice. Allowing my words to enter your ears and wash through your consciousness. Allowing my voice to guide you deeper into relaxation. As your body continues to breathe. With each exhalation releasing a little deeper. With each exhalation melting down with gravity. Feeling your neck and your head supported by the pillow. Feeling your body supported by the surface beneath you. Softening the forehead. Relaxing the eyebrows and the eyes. Softening the cheeks. Letting the tongue rest inside of your mouth. Loose. Softening the lips. Softening the jaw. Inhaling. Exhaling. Releasing the tension into the darkness of the night. Your body is breathing. The belly rising and falling. Your body is breathing. The chest rising and falling. Feeling the air traveling down and up through your throat. The shoulders are releasing. Sensing your chest. Sensing your upper back. Sensing your spine and your lower back. Your body is breathing and you are relaxing. Sensing the belly rising with the inhale. And falling with the exhale. Sensing the abdomen releasing and relaxing. The arms are heavy and relaxed. The elbows are comfortable and the forearms are relaxed. The arms are comfortable and the forearms. Sensing your hands and your fingers as they rest. Sensing the spaces between your fingers. Your body is breathing and you are releasing deeper and deeper. You are following the natural movement of the breath in your body. The rising of the belly and the falling of the belly. The rising of the chest and the falling of the chest. The expanding of the skin and the condensing of the skin. Sensing your pelvis, Your hips, Your thighs. Your legs are heavy and relaxed. Releasing all tension from the day. Your knees are resting. The back of your knees are resting. Your calves and shins are resting. Your body is breathing and you are going deeper into relaxation. You are releasing and resting into the darkness of the night. Sensing your feet supported by the surface beneath them. Sensing the spaces between your toes. Following the natural movement of the breath, Gentle and steady as you relax deeper and deeper. Deeper and deeper, Shifting into sleep. Following the breath in your body. Sensing life within you as you surrender to this moment of rest and relaxation. The breath moving through you like the waters of a river. Ever flowing, Ever changing, Clearing you up, Purifying your body, Bringing you renewal and rejuvenation. Tonight you rest deep into the calmness of your own being. Tomorrow you will be reborn into yourself again. The new day bringing new light and renewed possibilities and energy. Open and ready for you.