Welcome to this calm your mind,
Open your heart meditation for sleep.
I'm Victoria and tonight we'll be taking the time we need to come into our bodies,
To ease and relax our minds and to gently drift into sleep.
I invite you now to find yourself laying in a comfortable position on your bed.
Perhaps you can try laying on your back with your arms resting gently on your abdomen or out to the sides.
You could put a pillow under your knees for support if you need it.
And whenever you're ready,
Just allow your eyes to close.
Noticing your body in your bed,
Feeling your sheets,
Noticing the weight of your head on your pillow,
Noticing the temperature of the room,
Noticing the weight of your blanket,
Allowing yourself to just feel a little bit more relaxed.
Bring your attention to your breath now,
Allowing it to naturally slow and soften as you relax.
Just notice the rhythmic movement of your breath,
Just being the observer of each inhale and each exhale.
That's okay.
Just notice what you hear,
Notice what you're thinking and just come back to observing your breath.
Just let your attention synchronize with the slow steady rhythm of your breath.
Allow yourself to just take comfort in the repetitive slow inhalations and exhalations.
Let your awareness move from your breath into your body now.
As we begin a body scan for sleep,
Just be willing to allow yourself to drift off into sleep whenever you're ready,
Not forcing yourself to stay awake,
Not trying to keep your attention on your body or on the sound of my voice,
But just simply resting in awareness until sleep takes over.
We'll begin by just noticing the feet,
Breathing in to both feet,
Starting with the toes,
Extending the breath into the bottoms of the feet,
Around to the top of the feet,
Really feeling any sensations and allow them to soften and feel at ease.
Let relaxation come over you more and more with each breath you take.
Let your focus move up your legs,
Breathing into your calves,
Around into your shins,
Moving your awareness up to your knees and your kneecaps,
Allowing your lower legs to soften,
Breathing,
Just allowing your breath to come up,
Up your thighs,
Drawing breath into both legs,
Releasing all tension,
All tightness as you sink down into your mattress.
Let your awareness come up to the region of your hips,
Your glutes,
And your pelvis,
Circling your awareness through this area,
Noticing any sensations that arise,
Staying with them for a moment and letting them pass,
Breathing slowly,
Evenly,
Allowing the breath to just permeate this region,
Noticing that your lower body feels heavy and weighted,
Noticing that each breath you take relaxes you a little bit more,
Letting your whole lower body feel heavy and relaxed and at ease.
Letting your focus now into your abdomen,
Noticing it filling up with air and rising,
Notice it releasing and falling,
Breath by breath,
Noticing the expansion and the contraction of your abdomen,
Noticing any sensations without judging or labeling them as pleasant or unpleasant,
As good or bad,
Noticing whatever is there,
Any tension,
Any discomfort,
Just allowing yourself to bring it ease as you breathe into that area,
Noticing moment by moment,
Breath by breath,
All the sensations,
Letting your awareness move up to your chest and torso,
Noticing the rise and fall of your chest,
Noticing your lungs as they expand and as they contract,
Feeling into your heart center,
Noticing past the physical sensations,
Noticing any emotions,
Any tension,
Any tightness or heaviness that might be weighing on your heart,
Just allow yourself to breathe in to your heart center,
Filling it up with relaxing,
Peaceful energy,
Giving yourself permission to let go,
To be at ease.
I'll let your attention come up to your shoulders and neck.
We often carry tension here.
If you feel any,
See if you can allow it to soften and relax,
Allowing yourself to sink deeper into your bed,
Drifting into sleep,
And let your awareness go down your right arm,
Past your elbow,
Toward the wrist,
Your palm,
Your fingers,
Coming back to the left arm,
Going down the arm past the elbow,
The wrist,
The palm,
The fingers,
Breathing into both arms,
Allowing them to soften,
To be still,
To be relaxed and at ease.
Let your awareness come up to your face,
Starting with your jaw,
Noticing if it's tight and clenched,
Allowing it to soften and rest,
Noticing the muscles around your mouth,
Your cheeks,
Your eyes,
Your forehead,
Being aware of any tightness or tension in any muscles,
Breathing into your face,
Allowing them to be at ease,
Giving yourself permission to rest peacefully and easefully.
Let your awareness come up to your head and scalp,
Noticing any sensations here,
The heaviness of your head on your pillow,
Tingling feet,
Throbbing,
Vibration,
Just tuning into this area,
Allowing yourself to relax even deeper into your bed,
Bringing even more ease into your body,
Allowing your body to be still,
Allowing your mind to be still,
Letting thoughts cease,
Just becoming more and more relaxed.
If you're still not ready to fall asleep,
Just come back to your breath,
Noticing yourself breathe in and so up with air and breathe out and release,
Scanning your body again part by part and with each part allowing the breath to bring relaxation,
Left foot relaxed,
Right foot relaxed,
Left leg heavy and weighted,
Right leg heavy and weighted,
Hips,
Glutes,
Pelvis at ease,
Abdomen,
Torso relaxed,
Breathing slowly and deeply,
Left arm heavy,
Still at ease,
Right arm heavy,
Still at ease,
Neck,
Shoulders relaxed,
Free of tension,
Face resting,
Thoughts at ease,
The whole body from the crown of the head to the tips of the toes is relaxed,
Heavy,
Warm and at ease,
Sinking deeper into your bed,
Continuing to let your body and your mind relax until you naturally drift off into a peaceful sleep.
Allow sleep to come to you effortlessly whenever your body,
Whenever your mind is ready,
Let go of any pressure to force yourself to fall asleep and just simply rest in awareness of the relaxation and ease that you feel in your body right here,
Right now.
May you sleep peacefully and may you sleep deeply.
May you have wonderful dreams.
