Hello and welcome.
My name is Jake and tonight I'll be guiding you through a gentle breathwork practice designed to help you sink into a deep restorative sleep.
Sleep is the elixir of life.
It nourishes the body,
Replenishes our life force and restores our clarity and emotional balance.
And just like anything in nature there are levels to sleep.
There's the basic sleep we drift into and then there is quality sleep.
The kind that heals you from the inside out.
The kind that lets you wake up feeling clear,
Energized and renewed.
And tonight we're going to be using breath as our medicine,
Breath as our guide,
Breath as the key that unlocks the deeper layers of rest.
And before we begin let's take a moment to prepare your space.
Lie down somewhere comfortable,
Either your bed,
A soft mat or a cosy spot on the floor.
You might place a blanket over the body,
A pillow under the knees or bring something meaningful into the space like a candle or a calming scent.
This is your time,
Your sanctuary,
Your opportunity to return to yourself.
Once you're ready let your eyes close gently and invite your awareness to shift from your outer world inward,
Toward your breath,
Your body and your inner landscape.
And before we begin with any structured breathing we're going to soften the body slowly and intentionally.
Bring your attention to your forehead,
Allow the space between your eyebrows to soften.
Let go of any gripping or frowning and let the softness ripple down the face,
Relaxing the eyes,
The jaw,
The cheeks.
And if the jaw holds any tension let it loosen just slightly.
Allow the wave of relaxation to move down the neck,
Melting away tightness,
Releasing any knots or effort.
Feel the shoulders gently drop,
As if the weight you've been carrying all day begins to dissolve.
The softness travels down the arms,
The hands,
The chest,
The belly and into the hips,
The legs and the feet.
Let the entire body become soft,
Heavy and still,
As though the physical body is resting deeply while the mind remains quiet,
Calm and aware.
Feel yourself sinking into the surface beneath you,
Held,
Supported,
Safe.
Take a slow breath in and sigh out through the mouth,
Letting the exhale wash tension from the system like a gentle wave.
We'll now begin the 4,
7,
8 breath.
A powerful pattern for calming the nervous system and preparing the body for sleep.
When you're ready,
Inhale through the nose for 4,
3,
2,
1.
Hold for 7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Exhale now for 8,
7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Keep going,
Inhaling for 4,
3,
2,
1.
Hold for 7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
And exhaling slowly for 8,
7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Continuing at your own pace.
Let each inhale fill the body with fresh,
Restorative life force.
And let each exhale draw you deep into surrender.
Let go of the day.
Let go of the to-dos.
Let go of anything that doesn't need to be carried into the night.
And with every breath,
Feel yourself drifting further into stillness,
Into softness,
And into ease.
And if thoughts arise,
Let them flow past like clouds drifting across an evening sky.
You do not need to follow them.
Simply observe.
Continuing breathing gently,
Softly,
Slowly.
Feel the body getting heavier,
The mind quieter,
And the heart softer.
You are safe to rest.
You are safe to let go.
And you are safe to fall asleep.
And allow the breath now to become natural,
Unforced and effortless.
Like a tide settling into the calm waters.
And as your breath slows,
Notice how the mind begins to blur.
How the body melts into the ground beneath you,
And how the doorway to deep sleep gently opens and invites you in.
There is nothing left to do.
There is nowhere to be.
The moment is enough.
And let yourself drift.
Drift into rest.
Drift into silence.
And drift into a deep,
Rejuvenating sleep.
With love,
Jake
