We're preparing in this practice for a very restful,
Deep sleep.
So making yourself comfortably warm in your place of rest and sleep,
And I suggest that you begin this practice lying on your back.
Allowing all the day's stress and tension to slip away.
So be open and receptive to the suggestions which encourage you to relax.
Remember that it is you allowing yourself to relax.
Just follow my suggestions and you'll see how effective this can be.
After a day's activity and interaction with people and situations,
Sometimes it can be a challenge to leave it all aside.
Hold on to things which prevent us from entering a state of complete relaxation.
So we need to help that process to take center stage,
To be at the very top of our intention.
And that's where techniques can really help to let go of restlessness in the mind and the body,
That often prevent a smooth transition into restful sleep.
The intention,
As I said,
Or the goal of this practice is to allow relaxation throughout your whole body.
Invite it in and feel the feeling.
Now to start with,
We use the breath and a little bit of tension after you inhale that breath and then release it fully.
Tension and the breath together.
So taking a deep breath in through the nose.
Pause there a moment and tense the whole body a little,
And when you feel the exhale is required,
Just release the tension and breathe out with a double breath.
So let's repeat that three times and I'll do it with you.
Breathing in through the nostrils.
Holding and softly,
Gently tense the body,
Feel that tension and breathe out.
Feel that tension dissolving.
And again,
Breathing in nice deep breaths.
Hold and tense.
And release.
One more time.
Inhaling.
Hold and tense.
And release.
Now welcome a natural breath back in and out as you breathe.
Lovely,
Easy breaths,
And as we often say in yoga,
Evenness of breath,
Evenness of mind.
Now just take a few moments to be aware of your natural breath.
Feel the coolness in the nostrils as you breathe in,
Slowly and easily.
And a hint of warmth as you breathe out.
Again slowly and easily,
Not forcing it or manipulating it too much,
Just feel it.
Now set aside all the thoughts of the day,
The world in general.
Any demands and expectations and just feel the comforting flow of your breath in and out.
If you feel that you need to settle that vital flight response in the body.
Try breathing in counting four.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
And breathing out to the count of six.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
You may or may not need to do that extra practice,
But it is helpful if you are feeling just a little bit anxious or still holding on to stresses of the day.
So I leave you to practice just this soft,
Natural breathing.
Or that inhale four,
Exhale six,
Just a minute or not even.
Coming back now,
Release the practice and forget the breath.
Close your eyes,
Close your eyes gently and begin to feel,
Feel your eye movements are quite still and the eyelids are soft and relaxed.
Allow the eyebrows to spread.
Release any frowning or intensity between the eyebrows.
Looking into the soft velvety darkness behind your closed eyes.
It feels good to relax.
It feels good to relax throughout your whole body.
Drop the lower jaw a little and relax the tongue.
Feel the relaxation going deeper and deeper into your body.
Drop your shoulders,
Consciously letting go of any demand,
Burdens and expectations.
Any uncomfortable encounters that you might have had throughout the day.
Just let it go now.
Feel the feeling of lightness,
Softness and ease streaming down your arms and into your hands and fingers.
Have that feeling that you're letting go of grasping.
In any way or for anything or at anyone.
Be aware of your heart and the quietness and calmness that you are fostering in your heart.
We can hold a lot of suffering sometimes in our heart.
So we can let that go using the power of suggestion.
Just to let that go.
Say to yourself,
My heart is calm,
My heart is peaceful.
My heart is calm.
My heart is peaceful.
My heart is calm.
My heart is peaceful.
Your spine supported in your bed or on the mat.
And relax your spine and allow the shoulder blades to spread.
Continue to feel the warmth of ease and relaxation streaming down through your legs and into your feet.
Feel that feeling that your whole nervous system is settled.
It feels good to relax.
Your body feels lighter.
Lighter and lighter.
Nearly ready to sleep.
Let go of resistance.
Feel the sublime stillness within.
Go on calmly watching.
Watching the breath now.
Nothing more to do,
The body is calm,
The heart is quiet.
Allow your mind to rest on the words,
Divine peace fills me.
And if any restless thought pops back into your awareness,
Just let it go like clouds passing on a clear blue sky.
Divine peace fills me.
Divine peace fills me.
Nearly ready to sleep.
Silently repeating those words as you drift into a beautiful restful sleep.
Many blessings,
Sweet dreams and good night.
