Lying on your back,
In your bed or wherever you choose to be.
Check that your back and neck feel comfortable.
Pause the recording for as long as you need if you'd like to rearrange your pillows or blankets.
Get yourself as comfy as possible.
Put a cushion under your knees if you need to.
Move your shoulders,
Your hips if you need to get into a more comfy position.
And feel free to lie on your side if it feels comfier for you.
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.
Start to bring your attention to your breath.
If you want to,
Place one or both hands on your tummy.
On your next in-breath.
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 5 to 10 breaths.
When we breathe deeply like this,
It helps send a calming message to our brain.
That it's okay to let go and relax fully.
Notice any distracting thoughts or worries.
It's really normal to have these thoughts or worries.
In your mind's eye,
Tell these thoughts or worries that now is not the time to deal with them.
That if needed,
You'll 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.
And only if it feels comfortable to do so.
Allow your lips to form a half smile.
Or just let the corners of your eyes soften upwards.
By doing this,
You are producing happy hormones or endorphins.
And you are sending another calming message to your brain.
Now,
Let's do a calming,
Slow body scan.
Which will allow each part of your body the chance to soften,
Relax,
And let go.
Bring your attention to your head gently nestling into your pillow.
Notice the sensations of your head as it softly nestles into the pillow.
Notice any sensations in your scalp.
Imagine you're breathing into this area.
Breathing and softening.
Breathing out tension.
Breathing and softening.
Breathing out tension.
Just letting everything go.
Notice any sensations in your forehead.
Imagine your forehead is softening smoothly,
Letting any tension melt away.
Breathing and softening.
Breathing out tension.
Breathing and softening.
Breathing out tension.
Notice if there's any tension in your cheeks and jaw.
Allow your tongue to nestle gently in the bottom palate of your mouth.
Let everything go.
And breathe into this area.
Breathing in calm.
Breathing out tension.
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 and softening.
Breathing out tension.
Breathing and softening.
Breathing out tension.
Just let everything go.
Again,
Gently 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 them.
That if needed,
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.
Now bring your attention to your arms.
Notice any sensations in your upper arms.
Just allow them to soften and let go.
Letting all the tension ebb away.
Breathing and softening.
Breathing out tension.
Breathing and softening.
Breathing out tension.
Notice any sensations in your lower arms.
Allowing them to soften and let go.
Breathing and softening.
Breathing out tension.
Breathing and softening.
Breathing out tension.
Notice any sensations in your hands and fingers.
Just allowing your hands to rest gently where they are.
Breathing and softening.
Breathing out tension.
Breathing and softening.
Breathing out tension.
Notice your back gently pressing into the bed or other surface that you're lying on.
What sensations can you feel in your upper back?
Is there any tightness there?
Without judgment,
Breathe the word softening into this area.
And breathe out any tension.
Breathing and softening.
Breathing out tension.
Breathing and softening.
Breathing out tension.
Just letting everything relax and let go.
Bring your attention to your lower back and let this area soften and relax.
Allow your lower back to soften and let go.
Breathing and softening.
Breathing out tension.
Breathing and softening.
Breathing out tension.
Allow your chest to soften and let go.
Breathing in calm.
Breathing out tension.
Breathing in calm.
Breathing out tension.
Just letting everything relax and let go.
Allow your tummy to soften and let go.
Breathing in calm.
Breathing out tension.
Breathing in calm.
Breathing out tension.
Letting everything go.
Bring your attention to your hips and buttocks.
Letting this area soften and let go.
Melting into the bed.
Breathing and softening.
Breathing out tension.
Breathing and softening.
Breathing out tension.
Notice your legs and feet gently pressing into the bed.
What sensations can you feel in your upper legs?
Just allow them to soften and let go.
Breathing and softening.
Breathing out tension.
Breathing and 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 if needed,
You will deal with them tomorrow in the light of day.
Again,
Be firm with these thoughts or worries.
They respond well to firmness.
What sensations can you feel in your knees?
Allow your knees to soften and let go.
Letting any tightness and tension ebb away.
Breathing and softening.
Breathing out tension.
Breathing and softening.
Breathing out tension.
What sensations can you feel in your lower legs?
Just allow them to soften and let go.
Breathing and softening.
Breathing out tension.
Breathing and softening.
Breathing out tension.
Just letting everything relax and let go.
Now feel your whole legs softening,
Relaxing and letting go of any tightness you feel here.
What sensations can you feel in your feet and toes?
Are they warm or cold?
Can you feel any tingling?
Allow your feet and toes to soften,
Relax and let go.
Breathing and softening.
Breathing out tension.
Breathing and softening.
Breathing out tension.
Bring your attention back to your breath.
Now notice whether you are breathing into your tummy or chest.
Try 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.
Again 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 if needed.
Gently and with kindness,
Like you would with a wayward puppy or kitten.
Bring your attention back to your breathing.
If your mind wanders again,
Gently bring it back to your breath and body,
Lying on the bed.
And treat your mind with kindness.
As you bring your attention back to your breathing,
Continue to notice the air as it goes in and out of your mouth or nostrils.
Notice the sensations of the breath.
Does it feel like silk on your nostrils or mouth?
Allow yourself to be immersed in these sensations.
As we come to the end of this exercise,
Once more,
If you want to,
Place a half smile on your mouth or allow the corners of your eyes to gently lift.
As you keep noticing your tummy,
Gently and slowly rising and falling.
Again,
Allowing your scalp,
Jaw,
Neck,
Shoulders,
Back,
Tummy,
Arms,
Hands,
Legs,
Feet 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.
