Welcome to this evening's relaxation meditation.
I'm Joy and I will be your guide this evening.
For this meditation,
Begin to find yourself a quiet and comfortable space where you won't be disturbed,
Perhaps your bed with soft pillows supporting your head and body.
Lie down on your back,
Arms resting gently by your sides,
Palms facing up.
If it feels right,
Cover yourself with a light blanket for warmth and security.
Allow your eyes to gently close or soften your gaze toward the ceiling.
Take a moment to simply notice the gentle rise and fall of your breath,
Like waves lapping softly at the shore.
Begin by bringing your awareness to your breath.
Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of four,
Feeling your belly expand like a soft balloon filling with a calm air.
Hold for a gentle count of four,
And exhale through your mouth for a count of six,
Releasing any subtle tension with a soft,
Long sigh.
With each breath you take,
Imagine drawing in peace and letting go of the day's remnants.
Inhale peace,
Exhale release.
Do this three more times on your own,
Settling deeper into the support beneath you.
Now we'll journey through your body with progressive muscle relaxation,
Gently awakening each part with mild tension,
Then melting it away into profound ease.
Start at your feet.
Notice the soles of your feet,
The arches,
The toes.
Curl your toes lightly,
As if gripping the earth below.
Hold for three slow breaths.
And now release,
Feeling the toes soften and spread,
Warmth flowing through them like a warm stream.
Let any tightness dissolve.
Move to your calves and shins.
Point your toes away from you,
Tensing the muscles along the back of your legs.
Hold,
Breathe,
And release,
Allowing the calves to sink heavy and loose into the bed,
Utterly relaxed.
Now your thighs.
Squeeze your thigh muscles gently,
As if pressing them into the mattress.
Hold the gentle squeeze,
And let go,
Feeling a wave of heaviness cascade down your legs that are now pillars of calm.
They are grounded and still.
Bring your awareness to your hips and pelvis.
Tense these areas softly,
Drawing them inward.
Hold,
And release,
Letting the hips settle wide and open,
Cradling your core in safety.
Your abdomen and lower back.
Draw your belly button towards your spine with a small,
Soft clench.
Hold for three breaths.
And release,
Allowing your belly to rise and fall freely with each breath,
Soft and fluid.
Now your chest and shoulders.
Inhale deeply and shrug your shoulders towards your ears,
Tensing the chest,
Taking a breath hold.
On your exhale,
Let them drop like feathers,
Floating down,
Your chest opening to effortless breathing,
Shoulders melting away from your neck.
Extend this release to your arms,
Starting with your hands.
Make gentle fists,
Thumbs tucked in.
Hold,
And open your hands wide,
Fingers splaying like stars,
Energy flowing through the fingertips.
Moving up to your forearms and elbows.
Tense them by bending your elbows slightly,
Drawing your hands towards your shoulders.
Hold,
And breathe.
And straighten your arms,
Letting them grow heavy,
Limp as a silk ribbon draped over your sides.
Your upper arms and shoulders again.
Press your upper arms down into the bed,
The surface beneath you.
Hold with a subtle press.
Then gently release,
Feeling the entire upper body soften,
As if cradled in invisible hands.
And now your neck.
Gently tilt your head back,
Tensing the front of your neck,
And hold.
Return your head to neutral,
Then release any lingering pull,
Letting your neck be long and supported and free.
Your jaw.
Clench your teeth softly.
Hold for a breath.
Release and part your lips,
Letting your jaw hang loose,
Your tongue resting softly in your mouth.
Your face.
Wrinkle your forehead.
Hold.
And release,
Smoothing it out like a calm lake.
Scrunch your eyes and nose,
Taking a brief hold.
Release into serenity.
Hucker your lips and hold.
Let them relax into a subtle,
Peaceful curve.
Finally,
The crown of your head.
Imagine a gentle crown of light resting there.
Tense ever so slightly by lifting your scalp.
Hold for a brief pause and let it go.
Your entire body now is a vessel of deep,
Flowing relaxation,
Heavy yet light.
Held in perfect repose.
With your body now at ease,
Turn your gentle awareness inward to your mind.
It's natural for thoughts to drift in like autumn leaves blowing on the breeze.
Memories from the day,
Worries for tomorrow,
Fleeting ideas.
Tonight,
We honor them without judgment,
Giving them a beautiful home so your mind can rest and you can sleep deeply.
Picture before you an exquisite box.
A beautifully crafted wooden box just for this moment.
It's a small,
Ornate wooden chest,
No larger than a jewelry box,
Adorned with intricate carvings of swirling vines and blooming nightflowers in deep indigo and silver.
This is your thought box.
The wood on the box gleams with a soft,
Polished warmth like aged oak kissed by moonlight.
Delicate filigree hinges catch the imagined starlight and a faint scent of lavender and sandalwood waft gently from its seams.
It's inviting trust.
Open the lid slowly with your mind's eye.
The hinges whisper open without any effort.
Inside,
The lining is velvet soft in hues of twilight purple,
Plush and welcoming,
Ready to cradle whatever arises.
As this is a box to contain your random and swirling thoughts,
I now invite your thoughts forward,
One by one.
See that stray worry about tomorrow?
Gently scoop it up like a delicate feather and place it inside the box.
No rush,
No force,
Just a tender placement on the velvet.
Next,
That random memory flickering by?
Fold it softly like a beloved letter and nestle it in beside the others.
A spark of excitement,
A nagging doubt,
A passing image.
All are welcome here.
Breathe steadily as you do this.
As you gently lift memories and thoughts and worries for tomorrow and take them to your thought box and gently place them inside.
Inhale as you gather.
Exhale as you place them.
Continue for several more breaths as long as it feels right until the box holds the essence of your evening's mental wanderings until they are all safely contained.
When the flow quiets,
When the thoughts slow and your mind feels spacious,
Close the lid of the box with a satisfying click.
The carvings align perfectly,
Sealing in the contents with the utmost care.
Now envision a shimmering ribbon of silk,
The color of the midnight sky,
Threaded with gold,
Wrapping around the box once,
Twice,
And crossing elegantly.
Tie it with a generous bow,
Loops cascading like gentle waves.
The ends trailing softly.
The bow settles,
Secure and beautiful.
A promise that these thoughts are held,
Not forgotten,
But paused until morning's light when you can reopen the box if you wish.
With the thought box now wrapped and at peace,
Perhaps resting on a distant shelf in your inner sanctuary,
Allow your awareness to return to your breath.
Feel the box growing smaller.
See it further away.
Its weight lifting entirely from your mind.
Your entire being,
Body,
Breath,
And mind drift into a profound stillness,
Like sinking into a feather bed of stars.
Whisper to yourself if it feels right.
I release into rest.
I am safe.
Sleep welcomes me now.
Let each exhale carry you deeper,
Your body heavy,
Your mind clear,
Waves of drowsiness washing over you.
The night unfolds as a gentle guardian guiding you toward dreams of renewal.
Rest now,
My friend,
Deeply and sweetly.
Good night.
