Lying on your back in your bed or wherever you choose to be.
Check that your back and neck feel comfortable.
Pause the recording if you need to rearrange your pillows or blankets.
Tell yourself kindly and gently that you don't have to go to sleep.
Even if you just relax from this meditation,
That is okay.
Bring your attention to your breath.
If you want to,
Place one or both hands on your tummy.
Feel your tummy filling up with air like a balloon.
Feel it deflate when you breathe all the air out.
Gently and slowly notice the rhythm of your breath,
Allowing your tummy to fill and deflate for the next few breaths.
Notice any distracting thoughts or worries.
In your mind's eye,
Tell these thoughts or worries that now is not the time to deal with these.
That you will deal with them tomorrow in the light of day.
Be firm with these thoughts or worries.
They are often persistent and powerful and respond well to firmness.
Slowly,
Kindly and with gentleness,
Allow your lips to form a half smile.
By doing this,
You are sending a calming message to your brain.
Now,
Bring your attention to your head,
Gently pressing into your pillow.
Notice the sensations of your head pressing into the pillow.
Notice if there is any tightness and breathing in to any areas of tightness.
Breathing in softening,
Breathing out tension.
Notice if there is any tension in your jaw.
Allow your tongue to nestle gently in the bottom palate of your mouth.
Breathe in to this area,
Breathing in calm,
Breathing out tension.
Then notice any tension in your neck and shoulders.
Imagine your neck and shoulders are made of something soft like butter,
Gradually softening and melting the tension away.
Breathing in softening,
Breathing out tension.
Notice your back,
Gently pressing into the bed or other surface that you are lying on.
What sensations can you feel in your upper back?
Is there any tightness there?
What sensations can you feel in your upper back?
Is there any tightness there?
Without judgement,
Just noticing what's there.
Again,
Breathing in the word softening,
Breathing it right into this area.
And breathing out any tension.
Bring your attention to your lower back.
Notice any tightness or tension in this area.
And without judgement,
Let this area soften and relax.
Just allowing your lower back to soften and let go.
Breathing in softening,
Breathing out tension.
Breathing in softening,
Breathing out tension.
Allow your chest to soften and let go.
Just noticing any tight spots in this area.
Breathing in calm to any tight spots and breathing out tension.
Breathing in calm,
Breathing out tension.
Now allow your tummy to soften and let go.
Noticing if there's any tight spots in this area.
Gently and without judgement.
Breathing in calm,
Breathing out tension.
Breathing in calm,
Breathing out tension.
Notice your legs and feet gently pressing into the bed.
What sensations can you feel in your upper legs?
Just noticing the sensations without judgement.
Just allow them to soften and let go.
Breathing in softening,
Breathing out tension.
Breathing in softening,
Breathing out tension.
What sensations can you feel in your knees?
Allow your knees to soften and let go.
Again noticing any tight spots without judgement.
Breathing in softening,
Breathing out tension.
Breathing in softening,
Breathing out tension.
What sensations can you feel in your lower legs?
Noticing any tightness here without judgement.
Breathing into your lower legs,
Breathing in softening,
Breathing out tension.
Breathing in softening,
Breathing out tension.
Now feel your whole legs softening,
Relaxing and letting go of any tightness you feel here.
Allow any tension to melt away into the bed or surface that you're lying on.
What sensations can you feel in your feet?
Noticing without judgement,
Are they warm or cold?
Can you feel any tingling?
Allowing your feet to soften,
Relax and let go.
Breathing in softening,
Breathing out tension.
Breathing in softening,
Breathing out tension.
Again notice any distracting thoughts or worries.
In your mind's eye tell these thoughts or worries that now is not the time to deal with these.
That you will deal with them tomorrow in the light of day.
Be firm with these thoughts or worries.
They respond well to firmness.
Again bring your attention back to your breath.
Notice whether you are breathing into your tummy or chest.
Dry and gently let your breathing go deeper by letting all the air out of your lungs on the next out breath.
Gently let your lungs fill as if the air is filling right down into the bottom of your lungs.
Do this for another few breaths.
If distracting thoughts or worries come in as they inevitably will,
Gently and firmly tell them now is not the time to deal with them.
You will deal with them in the morning.
Gently like you would with a wayward puppy or kitten.
Bring your attention back to your gentle breathing.
If your mind wanders again,
Slowly and with awareness,
Bring it back to your breath and your body lying on the bed.
Treat your mind with kindness.
Bring your attention back to your breathing.
Noticing the air as it goes in and out of your mouth or nostrils.
Again notice the sensations of the breath.
Does it feel like silk on your nostrils or mouth?
For the next few breaths,
Just noticing the sensations on your mouth or nostrils as you breathe in and as you breathe out.
Allow yourself to be immersed in these sensations.
Once more,
Place a half smile on your mouth as you keep noticing your tummy gently rising and falling.
Again allowing your jaw,
Neck and shoulders to soften and let go.
Notice how your whole body feels and allow yourself to unhook from any thoughts or worries.
As you slowly drift off to sleep or into deep relaxation.
