Difficulty sleeping impacts many people.
Oftentimes,
Having difficulty sleeping is similar to having difficulty meditating.
We think we should be having no thoughts or just get to it already,
Not realizing that sometimes these are the same habits that keep us from meditating or sleeping successfully.
So as we begin our practice to begin to relax our body,
I want you to keep in mind that our goal is not to put you to sleep,
But instead to put you in a position,
In a space,
Where sleep will come on its own.
So there will be no forcing and no trying.
As you find yourself a comfortable position,
Laying down,
Cozy,
Trying to give your joints the space they need to relax fully.
Make those little micro adjustments you need so that there's no lingering tension due to an awkward position.
And as we begin,
I'd invite you to bring your attention to where your body meets the bed or whatever surface you're on.
Try to notice every place your body touches and with a sense of exploration and curiosity,
Try to notice where you carry most of your weight.
Where does the majority of your weight press upon the bed?
What spot feels like it carries the most pressure laying upon the bed?
And when you feel like you've discovered that,
Try to notice what body part puts the least amount of weight or pressure on the bed.
Finding these contrasting surfaces,
These contrasting areas of the body can be helpful to see how you carry yourself as you sleep.
What is supported and what is not.
And we're going to begin by bringing our attention to the soles of the feet,
Noticing any tension in the soles of the feet,
Wiggling the toes just a little bit,
Feeling the muscles of the feet and moving up to the tops of the feet,
And noticing any tension there,
Moving up to the shins and the calves,
Relaxing them with each out breath.
Feel your muscles melt into the bed.
And with your next breath,
Move up to the upper legs,
The thighs and the hamstrings.
And notice if you're carrying any tension there.
Gently relaxing the legs and the hips with each exhale.
Take some time to notice them relaxing.
If it takes more than one breath,
That's okay.
There's no amount of breath or time that it should take to relax them.
Just take the time it needs.
And with each exhale,
Invite your legs and hips to relax.
And we're going to continue on with some silence to give you some time to send some breaths to the lower half of your body,
Relaxing it,
Letting the tension dissolve slowly at its own pace.
And as we continue up to the back and the belly,
I want you to pay extra special attention to relaxing the belly.
Sometimes we hold onto a lot of tension around our hips and belly area.
And now's the time to invite your body to just let go.
There's no need to hold on anymore.
Let yourself expand in every direction and around your midsection,
Just melting,
Melting into the earth below you.
Feeling all the dissolving muscle tension with each exhale,
Just as we've been doing.
Notice how your breath fills your belly.
Notice how it helps expand your midsection,
Gently pushing out,
Gently coming in.
Notice that pattern.
And as we continue up towards the chest and arms,
Keep in mind the relaxation of your belly.
Okay,
And as we continue on,
We send some exhalations,
Some rest and relaxation to our arms.
Feel your fingers.
Notice them.
How tense are your forearms?
How relaxed are your fingers?
Do you feel them limp,
Soft?
Or is there some gripping you can notice?
Even if your hands are open,
Just imagine them ungripping with each exhale,
A deeper relaxation of your hands.
Notice how your hands are relaxed,
Making them softer and softer,
Laying upon the bed and the earth.
And now we find ourselves at the neck and shoulders,
Another common spot of tension in the body.
And we give it the same treatment,
Feeling it relax beneath our exhale.
Inhaling the tension,
Exhaling the relaxation of our shoulders and neck.
Let yourself melt as your neck and shoulders relax.
Feel yourself getting heavier upon the mattress.
Feel your body relax further.
And finally,
Feel the muscles of your face,
Your brow,
Your cheeks,
Your lips,
And feel them relax.
Let go of the tension.
Relax your tongue.
Let it sit in your mouth in a restful way.
Relaxing the deep muscles of your face and neck,
Just letting the bed carry them.
Remember,
If at any moment you start to get tense,
That's okay.
You know what to do.
Bring your exhale to that spot.
And feel the tension melt away.
Feel the tension melt with each exhale,
However many breaths it may take.
And as we enter our next stage,
Remember we can always return to our body if at any time we feel lost or distracted.
I invite you to bring your attention to your breath.
Feel your whole body respond to your breath,
Inhaling and exhaling.
Feeling your body expand and contract.
Remembering that there's no right way to notice your breath or your body.
We're just attending to what is,
Not trying to make something new happen now.
If there is any relaxation or tension,
We're no longer interested in fixing it,
Just noticing it and how it sits with us today in this moment.
Take some time to notice your breath.
Notice the play between your breath and your body,
How it responds,
Where you notice it.
What does it feel like in your body right now to inhale and to exhale?
Does one feel like it brings you closer to sleep?
Does one feel like it calls you home a bit more?
Just keep in mind that there's no right or wrong way to notice these things.
Simply attend to what is happening with no sense of skin in the game.
Whether you're relaxed or tense,
Whether you feel comfortable or discomfort,
Simply notice it now.
As you notice your breath,
And as you follow your breath,
I will invite you to repeat something silently to yourself.
I am feeling the rest come to my body.
I am feeling my edges soften.
I am coming to rest and relaxation.
I am feeling my edges soften.
Breath by breath,
I invite rest.
Breath by breath,
I invite rest.
And slowly allow your mind to wander as it wants to.
Allow it the time and space it needs to relax.
Allow it to go where it wants,
Do what it will.
There's no right or wrong way.
Simply attend to what your mind does when you don't keep it leashed.
Notice it when you give it freedom and in your own time.
Allow yourself to drift off if you haven't already.
Let sleep and rest infuse your body.
May you sleep well and find rest.
