Welcome to your neuroawakening meditation for mental stillness,
To quiet the mind,
And to set yourself up for a good night's sleep.
Right now,
Just start by recognizing something important.
There's nowhere to go.
There's nothing to do.
Your mind can rest now.
What's done is done.
We're going to begin with some breath work to settle the nervous system and soften the thinking mind.
This is your time.
So we'll begin by balloon breathing,
Breathing in and filling up our torso like a balloon with the belly first,
Then the ribs,
Then the chest,
And making a ha sound on the exhale,
Inhaling through the nose.
So we'll inhale through the nose,
All the way into the belly,
Ribs,
Chest,
And released.
Letting it feel like a wave leaving the shore,
Inhale through the nose,
All the way up,
And let it go.
Let's do that again,
Inhaling in through the nose,
Belly,
Ribs,
Chest,
And let it go.
One last time,
Inhale.
And exhale slow and steady through the mouth.
Now I want you to imagine yourself standing on a familiar beach.
The waves are rolling in and then pulling back.
The air is crisp.
The sky is open.
The sand is solid beneath your feet.
As you breathe in,
Feel the salt air enter your lungs.
And as you breathe out,
Imagine your thoughts drifting away with the tide,
Saying in your mind,
Breathing in,
I calm my mind,
Breathing out,
I release all worries.
Each wave carrying your thoughts out to sea.
There's no need to hold on to anything.
Let the water take it all.
Staying here for a few moments,
Breathing with the ocean.
And now we'll move to a body scan to deepen the calm.
Bring your awareness to the back of your head.
Let it get heavy,
Heavier and heavier,
Sinking into the support beneath you.
No effort needed.
Just letting go.
Soften your forehead,
Your eyes and the tiny muscles around them.
Let your jaw release.
No need to smile,
No need to frown,
Just soft.
Now bring your awareness to the shoulders.
Let them drop.
Feel your upper arms,
Then your forearms,
Getting heavier and heavier.
Bring your awareness into your hands.
Notice any tingling,
Heat or subtle sensation.
Let the hands rest completely.
Now move your awareness to the chest.
Feel the breath moving gently in and out,
Then to your belly.
Let it rise and fall,
Easy and slow.
Bring your focus to the hips and pelvis.
Let them soften,
Releasing fully into the support beneath you.
Now move into the upper thighs,
Heavier,
Heavier still,
Giving in to gravity,
Being held by the floor earth bed beneath you.
Now into your calves,
And finally into your feet.
Let everything go.
Now we'll begin with a simple countdown from 10 to 1.
Each exhale is one number.
With each breath,
You'll become more still,
More at ease,
And more relaxed.
10,
Begin to sink into heaviness.
9,
Relaxing even more.
7,
Letting go of all ambition.
6,
Releasing any tension still hiding.
5,
Halfway there.
4,
Relaxing even more.
3,
Using the breath to keep our thoughts at bay.
And 1,
Completely at rest.
If you wake in the night,
This is your tool.
Count your breath.
Let it guide you back.
No fixing,
No thinking.
Just breath.
Just presence.
Now let's return to the beach.
You're lying down this time.
Your sun is warm on your face.
The tide continues its rhythm beneath you.
There's nothing calling your intention.
No one needs you right now.
Everything can wait.
There's nowhere to go.
There's nothing to do.
Your mind can truly rest now.
Let that be your mantra.
Let that be your truth.
Stay here as long as you like.
Or drift gently into sleep.
You are calm.
You are clear.
You are home.
