This meditation is designed to help you quiet your mind and relax your body for a peaceful and restful sleep.
So take your time getting into a comfortable position in your bed.
You can lie on your back if you like,
But don't feel like there's any right or wrong way to do this meditation.
If you feel more comfortable in a different position,
Feel free to lay down in that way.
The intention here is not to have a perfect meditation practice,
But to help you relax,
Wind down,
And fall asleep.
And remember that there's no rush.
You don't have to rush to get into a certain position.
You don't have to rush to become calm.
Allow yourself to slow down.
Let go of any feelings of urgency.
Let go of the need to rush.
Let go of the need to accomplish anything.
Your day is over now and it's time to rest.
Of course there are things that you will need to do tomorrow.
And it may be that there are things that happened today that are still weighing on your mind.
But now is the time to let go of all of those things.
You may feel like you have to create a mental to-do list for tomorrow,
Or a thorough reflection on what has already happened today,
But now is not the time.
Now is the time to let all of that go,
And enjoy the fact that there's literally nothing that you have to do right now.
There are no tasks.
There are no requirements.
There are no expectations.
Nothing to accomplish.
And as we go through this meditation,
You may realize that thoughts start to pop up and you start worrying about things that have happened,
Or things that need to be done.
And that's okay.
Just remind yourself that your day is over and it's time to rest.
And trust that your future self will handle all of those things when the time comes.
But now is not the time.
Now is the time to rest.
Start to notice your breath.
Take a deep breath in through your nose and feel the air filling up your torso.
Allow the breath to fill up your belly and your whole upper body.
And as you exhale,
Allow your body to relax.
Bring your attention to your face and notice if you feel any tightness.
Soften the skin of your face.
Relax the space between your eyebrows.
Let your forehead,
Your cheeks,
And your jaw relax.
Feel the heaviness of your head on your pillow.
Allow your shoulders to be heavy.
Allow your whole body to be heavy.
Notice if there are any areas in your body where you feel like you're holding on.
Notice if there is any tension.
And with every exhale,
Just allow yourself to relax and let go further.
We're going to be using the 4-7-8 breathing technique to help us slow down.
You'll inhale for 4 seconds,
Hold the breath for 7 seconds,
And exhale for 8 seconds.
Using the elongated exhale to calm and regulate the nervous system.
We're going to do 3 rounds of 4 breaths.
So take a deep breath into your belly and exhale to let it out completely.
Emptying it all out.
And then we'll begin.
Inhale for 4,
3,
2,
1.
Hold for 7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Exhale for 8,
7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Inhale for 4,
3,
2,
1.
Hold for 7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
And exhale for 8,
7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Inhale for 4.
Hold for 7.
Exhale for 8.
Inhale for 4.
Hold for 7.
And exhale for 8.
Return to your regular breath.
And notice how you feel.
Notice if you feel any discomfort or tension.
Scan your body and allow yourself to relax again.
Feel the heaviness of your body in your bed.
Remind yourself that your day is over and it's time to rest.
There is nothing to do now.
And again,
Take a deep breath in and let it all go with a big exhale as we prepare for our second round.
Inhale for 4,
3,
2,
1.
Hold for 7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Exhale for 8,
7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Inhale for 4,
3,
2,
1.
Hold for 7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
And exhale for 8,
7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Inhale for 4.
Hold for 7.
Exhale for 8.
Inhale for 4.
Hold for 7.
And exhale for 8.
Inhale deep into your belly.
Feel your side body expand with your breath.
And exhale to let your body fully soften.
Now bring your attention to something you feel grateful for.
Maybe it's the comfort of your bed,
The safety of your home,
Or just your ability to take nice deep breaths.
Now let that go as you exhale to empty everything out and fully relax for our final round of controlled breathing.
Inhale for 4.
Hold for 7.
Exhale for 8.
Inhale for 4.
Hold for 7.
Exhale for 8.
Inhale for 4.
Hold for 7.
Exhale for 8.
Inhale for 4.
Hold for 7.
And exhale for 8.
Let go of any control of the breath.
Let go of any need to pay attention to any particular part of your body.
Enjoy the feeling of heaviness and having absolutely nothing to do.
Because your day is over and it's time to rest.
Good night.
