Before we begin this practice,
I'd like to suggest that you be aware of just how restorative and healing sleep can be.
So try not to resist and just let the process of relaxing and breathing take its course.
When you wake up after a good night's sleep or even a daytime nap,
You'll feel restored.
If you feel stressed or tense right now,
Choose to allow time to turn inward,
Withdrawing from the pressures of life and the demands that you may be placing upon yourself,
Or a feeling of heaviness with demands and expectations that others may be placing upon you.
Please be patient.
Patience attains all things,
Including your journey into that still,
Quiet place within yourself.
Your posture is important.
So lying flat on your bed or on your mat,
Try not to expect to be in that still place straight away,
But rather enjoy the ritual of finding your comfortable place,
Ensuring that you are warm enough or cool enough.
You're not going to let anything disturb you now for the next little while.
So once you're ready,
Remind yourself again that you will let go physically,
Mentally and emotionally.
It is important to give your mind these instructions,
As it's your mind that needs training to move away from the restless thoughts that constantly arise and most probably keep you from relaxing deeply enough so as to fall asleep.
Now welcome the sensation of your natural breath flowing through your nostrils,
In and out of your body.
No need to change the way you're breathing.
The natural rhythm will arise and take care of itself,
As long as you allow it.
Have confidence that your body knows exactly what it needs.
Easy breathing,
Easy natural breathing,
Observing continuously,
Continuously observing.
Relax and allow your breathing to be calm.
As your body relaxes,
Your breathing becomes calm.
And likewise,
As your breathing becomes calm,
Your body relaxes.
It responds to that rhythm of your breath.
If it might help,
Take a deep breath now and sigh the breath out.
Resume calm,
Easy breathing again.
With awareness,
Take your mind to your face and drop the lower jaw.
Feel the lips soft and full.
Be aware of your eyebrows and release any tendency to frown.
Your eyes rest now,
Your eyes softly close.
Remember again how restorative sleep can be.
Embrace that and just give into it.
Again easy breathing.
Feel that natural rhythm soothing and relaxing your whole body and your nervous system.
Turn off that nervous mechanism within and feel the calm.
Allow your shoulders to drop.
Feel that feeling.
Say to yourself,
This feels good.
Your arms,
Your hands and fingers relax.
Feel that feeling.
And again,
This feels good.
Feel your back sinking into the bed or your mat and your spine and central nervous system can also relax deeply now.
Welcome the sensation that your whole body is spreading and widening and relaxing.
Feel that feeling.
Be aware now of your chest and abdominal area.
You may be feeling your calm breath in the chest or feeling the navel rising as you inhale and falling as you exhale.
Relax and go deeper,
Go deeper with that rhythm,
That soothing rhythm of your breath.
Your heart is resting now.
Your heart is calm and you feel safe and secure,
Calm and peaceful.
That feeling of calmness is spreading,
Streaming down through your legs.
Allow your feet to drop apart and your legs and feet that serve you so well every day.
Your feet and legs can relax now.
There's nowhere to go.
There's nowhere to be.
Just be with that feeling of complete ease and relaxation in both legs,
In both feet and toes.
Be with your whole body now.
Your whole body is relaxed and it feels good.
As you hold that sublime feeling of lightness and ease in your body,
Be aware that you are breathing evenly,
Continuously breathing evenly.
And imagine as you breathe you are breathing in calmness and peace.
You're breathing in that calmness to your brain and also into your mind,
A mind that is so often restless or disturbed.
Breathe in calm,
Breathe out peace throughout your whole body.
Breathe in calm.
Breathe out peace throughout your whole being.
You're ready now to slip into that good night's sleep.
Allow yourself to let go.
All is well,
All is very,
Very well.
When you wake after a good night's sleep you'll feel relaxed and restored and that feels good.
Blessings to you now and good night.
