For Beginners - Release Anxiety & Stress As You Sleep

If you're feeling overwhelmed or struggling with restless thoughts before bed, this meditation is the perfect tool to help you unwind, relax, and embrace a calm, peaceful night’s rest. Through simple breathing techniques, soothing affirmations, and calming visualizations, you’ll learn to ease both your mind and body into deep relaxation.

Transcript

Hello,

My name is Jason Stevenson and welcome to this soothing night time meditation.

It's designed to help you release any stress or anxiety before you fall into a deep and tranquil sleep.

Over the course of this meditation,

You will be guided to gently release all stress,

Worry and concern as you are invited to sink into a peaceful,

Anxiety-free state.

Before we begin,

Just take a few moments to make yourself entirely comfortable.

Support yourself in any way that is needed,

Using cushions or blankets beneath or around you.

Take a quick moment here to notice the back and shoulder areas.

If they are tightly contracted,

Gently loosen them up,

Perhaps straightening the back a bit in order to help long this relaxation process.

Relax all muscles in the face,

Around the eyes,

Soften,

The jaw,

Release and the forehead.

Just take one more moment here to bring your body into a physical state that feels conducive to this process of deep release and relaxation.

As you are guided through this process,

Thoughts and concerns may arise,

And know that this is entirely natural.

The mind functions quite habitually,

Often becoming entrapped in repetitive thoughts.

These repetitive thought streams are often riddled with fear and anxiety.

Although they are not fixed,

We can reduce the tendency for these thoughts to consume us by opening up to them compassionately.

As we open our hearts to whatever is present,

Our thoughts surprisingly begin to dissipate,

Holding less power over who we think we are and what we believe the current state of things to be.

I invite you to practice this non-judgmental and compassionate opening to whatever arises,

Witnessing any thoughts simply as energetic waves coming and going.

Know that anxious or fearful thoughts do not define you.

Witness them as being separate from the core of who you are.

Take a moment now to quietly set an intention to release,

To let go,

Or to open the heart up to divine healing.

Through the power of our intentions,

We plant seeds for transformation,

Preparing the soil for us to overcome whatever thoughts may be weighing heavily on us.

Now softly release your intention,

Knowing that the seed of it has been planted,

And then take a few deep breaths to settle into the space you are in.

Begin by observing the world around you through your sense of touch,

Eyes remaining closed.

Notice the surface beneath you,

Perhaps noting the delicate mix of soft and firm textures.

Remaining completely still,

Notice each part of your body that is being supported by the physical world.

Notice now the body as a whole being held in this physical space you rest in.

You might also notice the air around you,

Its temperature,

Humidity,

And any other sensations it creates within the body.

Follow the air as it enters you,

Filling the entirety of your lungs on the inhalation,

And moving all the way back out on your exhalation.

Breathe deeply,

Though naturally,

As you allow your breath to root you in this present moment.

At any point during this meditation,

You can return to your breath,

Allowing it to draw you back into whatever exists right now.

Continue to notice every sensation associated with your breath,

Feel into the experience of it moving in through the nose and deep into the lungs,

And noticing the sensations as it leaves your body.

You might also come to notice that at the end of each inhalation and each exhalation,

There is a very brief moment of pause.

Draw your attention to these short pauses,

Becoming more deeply aware of these moments of stillness between each movement of breath.

Now tune into the physical body once more,

Taking a few moments to allow the entire body to become very heavy.

Draw your awareness to your toes,

And then very slowly draw your attention upwards,

Allowing each body part you pass to release just a little bit further into the surface beneath you.

Release any constriction in the belly,

In the chest,

In your shoulders,

And in all the muscles around your face,

As we consciously allow the body to relax.

We invite the mind to do so also.

Bring your awareness now to your belly,

Noticing the way that your breath naturally flows into this space,

Much more fluidly as you begin to relax.

If it's not quite reaching there yet,

This is entirely okay.

Simply continue to focus on the stomach area as you breathe,

Seeing if it begins to release or to soften in its own time.

When we feel anxious,

Fearful,

Or stressed,

We unconsciously breathe more shallowly,

Holding this life force away from the deeper area of the lungs.

This is a natural part of the body's defense mechanism,

Being a part of what is called our fight or flight response.

While this response may help us in times of real danger,

It only promotes more feelings of fear and anxiety when it becomes habitual,

And when engaged in the absence of any real threat.

As we breathe into the belly,

We activate our relaxation response,

And find ourselves moving further and further away from any anxious thoughts that we may be experiencing.

I invite you now to open your heart to considering the fact that in this very moment,

You are perfectly safe.

Wherever you rest,

Know that you are eternally held,

Loved,

And supported.

If worried thoughts,

Fears,

Or concerns are arising,

Come back once again to the physical space you are in,

To the silence around you,

And to the stillness of this very moment.

Watch the way your breath continues to flow,

Slow and steady,

Into your being and back to the outside world.

There are no thoughts in this moment that can harm you.

Draw your awareness now to the heart space.

With the breath still moving deeply into the lungs,

Allow your focus to settle on the center of your chest.

With each inhalation,

Envision the heart space expanding.

And with each exhalation,

Witness all tension leaving the body.

Continue to breathe this way,

Feeling the heart expand as you breathe in,

And as you release as you breathe out.

Take a few moments now to connect with your breath in this way.

Now come to imagine that there is a soft and warm golden glow appearing in the heart space.

As you breathe,

It slowly begins to expand,

Gently and naturally radiating outwards.

As this glow pulses,

Notice the heart melting,

And the chest softening.

Witness this warm glow dissolving any and all of thoughts that come to be.

If persistent or challenging thoughts arise in the mind,

Invite them compassionately to descend down towards the heart.

Being bathed in this glow,

All the tension and all the worry that is held within these thoughts can be gently released,

Dissolved into the peace and tranquility that exists all around you.

Open to this process of release with kindness and compassion.

There is nothing to judge,

Nothing to change,

And nothing to fix.

Everything is being naturally taken care of as we open from the heart space.

Witness the body beginning to relax more deeply.

As you dissolve all anxious,

Worried and habitual thoughts,

You sink further and further into a state of peace,

Harmony and stillness.

You might allow a deep sigh to escape the body on your next exhalation,

Visualizing it carrying all dissolved tension out of the body.

Continue to breathe deeply,

Knowing that you are unconditionally supported in this journey towards full release.

Remember that it is natural for the mind to wander,

And that if and when it does,

You can gently guide all thoughts down towards the healing golden light within the heart.

Any anxiety,

Worry or tension can be safely released as you prepare for a restorative and peaceful night's sleep.

Allow the heart to transform any residual anxiety into peace and relief,

All thoughts melting away in the presence of your heart center.

Gently release the visual of the golden glow,

Knowing that the heart will continue to transform all anxiety in its own way and time.

Continue to breathe through this space for a few more minutes of silence,

Feeling the expansion of the heart continue with each inhalation and the softening or the release to continue on each exhalation.

With all thoughts gently dissolving,

Feel into the unshakable core beneath the waves.

This is the part of you that never changes.

It is the part of you that can never be threatened,

Can never be hurt,

And is always aligned with the higher truth,

That is,

It is always aligned with love.

Allow this unshakable core to be your root to ground you in this present moment safely,

Peacefully,

And with love.

Notice how still and silent this space is,

Speaking perhaps in subtle whispers,

But being for the most part very,

Very quiet.

Feel the entire body settling effortlessly alongside the quietening mind.

As you release in this way,

You naturally come closer and closer towards a deep and peaceful sleep.

Now before drifting off into sleep,

You may silently affirm this calm and peaceful state with a few words.

Gently introduce this affirmation into your being,

Allowing it to be absorbed by your open heart.

Repeat silently alongside your breath.

I am calm.

I am at peace.

Inhale,

I am calm.

And exhale,

I am at peace.

Inhale,

I am calm.

And exhale,

I am at peace.

Continue with these words for a few moments on your own,

Allowing your breath's natural rhythm to guide you.

Allow these words to become softer and softer,

Slowly disappearing into the abyss of stillness and silence that is both around and within you.

Notice that there is a deep stillness present.

Even if there are sounds in the distance,

The world feels to be at peace.

As the inner world relaxes,

So too does the outer world,

Calling you closer and closer to a restorative period of deep sleep.

As you pass through the night in a sleeping state,

Perhaps moving through the dream world,

The body and mind will continue this process of relaxation,

Of letting go,

And of release.

Your being carries an innate wisdom that will help you to feel completely at ease throughout the night and into the morning.

Open your heart to trusting that this peace is already present within you,

And that it will continue to be supported as you sleep.

Continue to follow the slow and steady rhythm of the breath as you let go and doze off.

Allow it to gently rock you to sleep,

Nourishing and supporting you in every way.

Allow the body to be carried naturally into sleep on its own time,

A deep and peaceful sleep.

It's just around the corner.

And until next time,

Goodnight my friend,

Goodnight.