Hi,
My name is Karen and this is what I'd like to call is a drowsy nidra.
Sometimes it's really hard for us to disconnect from all the stuff of the day,
Whether it's the stuff from work or our relationships or just our inner work.
It's so important though that we listen to the various rhythms of the universe.
One important rhythm to really be aware of is a circadian rhythm.
Circadian rhythms tell us when it's time to go to bed and when it's time to get up.
Because there are many of us who work on shifts that can make things very challenging.
Turning ourselves into night owls and then trying to take ourselves to bed when the sun is out.
Using things like blackout curtains or eye pillows can help just to trigger the body that it's night time.
Signalling our body to shut down all of those puzzles,
Those thoughts and emotions from the day.
But it's very hard to live a skilful life if you're not getting the rest you need.
And so if you'd like to join me for this evening or maybe it's the end of the night and you're coming home and about to tuck into bed.
Set yourself up to be really,
Really comfortable.
Draw the blinds.
Shut out all the visual distractions.
Help to signal our body to more easily move into sleep.
And so drawing back the covers of your bed.
Climbing under them and arranging your pillows all around you.
Even under you if it makes you feel more comfortable.
If you're a back sleeper make sure that your head is able to lay flat enough back that you won't find that your airway passage is compromised in any way.
So letting your chin fall back and away from the throat.
If you're a side sleeper make sure that your neck is going to be supported.
I also find that it's good to put a pillow underneath your natural waist so that the spinal column is held in a more neutral position.
This can also be used by placing a pillow between your legs to neutralize the hip position.
By that I mean how the leg bone comes out of the hip socket.
This also stops the weight of one leg from feeling heavy against the other.
Removing that weight of the bone on bone.
And as you turn the lights out maybe just take a moment to snuggle in a little deeper and make some space for a really good stretch.
Lengthening your body out.
Reaching your arms and legs as far away as possible.
Building a little bit of tension.
And then as you soften that stretch maybe a little sigh come out of your mouth.
Let's set the tone for a good sleep by building a bit of a grounding breath practice.
This will signal your nervous system that it's time to rest.
Let's take a deep breath in for a count of 4,
3,
2,
1.
Now hold the breath for 2,
1.
Exhale 6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Breathe in 4,
3,
2,
1.
Pause 2,
1.
Exhale 6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Let your breath now just move very naturally.
You might notice where the breath is felt most vividly in a physical sense.
Maybe it's at the tip of your nose.
In your throat.
Perhaps your chest or your belly.
Just notice your breath for a while.
Without trying to change it just let it come and go.
The body knows exactly when to breathe and how much to breathe.
You can trust in its universal and infinite wisdom to carry you through the night without your even being aware of its coming or going.
Let's just take a little check in just to see how it is you've arrived at the end of your day.
Become aware of your thoughts.
Not judging them but just noticing what's there.
Tidying them up if you will.
In this way it's as though you're clearing your desk and saying,
Hey I'm not going to deal with this tonight but tomorrow when I'm wide awake and have clarity.
Maybe then I'll deal with it.
Maybe by then I'll have more information.
But for now let's just put it aside and give yourself permission that for any upcoming thoughts this night you're going to acknowledge anything that appears but then just let it go until tomorrow.
Become aware of any emotion that might be there.
Often through the day we are bombarded with stimuli and we can't really digest and work through the emotions that come with those stories.
So rather than trying to continue in the story just notice the overall tone or quality of emotion.
And then just as you did the thoughts give yourself permission to set aside those emotions.
They really don't have any power on their own.
And so maybe with greater clarity tomorrow you'll be able to look at the stories and those emotions and come to a better understanding of their relevance and importance.
Now scan your body.
Just as you breathe in and out begin to notice any sensations that might be there.
Maybe it's a congestion or a bit of a dull ache,
Tension or even pain.
If there's something that you can do to alleviate any physical discomfort or pain that might become distracting then do it.
For instance an aching knee will feel so much better when there's warmth applied to it.
Whether it's just wrapping a blanket around the knee joint or maybe a water bottle.
This is also a moment to practice self-compassion,
Loving kindness to the body.
We often forget to practice that through the day.
In the busyness of doing we forget to take care of the one that's doing it all.
So take a moment now just to make sure,
Just to make sure that you're going to feel as wonderful as you possibly can.
And know that at any time through this meditation that if you need to rearrange yourself to become even one percent more comfortable that you should absolutely do that.
Become aware of the sounds in and around you.
Perhaps the familiar ticking of a clock.
Or if you have a pet.
Maybe it's the purring of a cat or the snoring of a family dog.
Sometimes sounds from further away will intrude into our rest time.
A noise from outside of where we live.
Most of these sounds have nothing to do with us but our curiosity wants to know everything that's going on.
But it's not relevant.
Let the sound move through you just like a wave.
Just like the sound of your own breath.
Can you hear your breath?
Can you hear your own breathing?
Breathing in through the nose and out through the nose.
What does breath drawing in sound like?
And breath moving out.
Take a deep breath in and inhale all the goodness of your bedding,
The sheets,
The bed covers,
Your pillow.
Familiar and safe.
Welcome the softness of the bedding itself.
The mattress on which you rest.
Nice and soft and sturdy.
The pillow or pillows you've used.
Notice how the fabric of your pajamas or the blankets shift on your skin as you breath in and breath out.
Your breath will change in its rhythm as you sleep and as you begin to fall to sleep.
Notice your breath rhythm right now.
Is the in breath slow?
Quick?
Deep?
Shallow?
And the out breath.
Is it a sudden rush of air out?
Slow?
And what are the sensations within your body that accompany each breath in and out?
Do you feel your belly rising and falling?
Is there a sense of expansion and contraction in your rib cage against the mattress?
Does the chest and collarbone rise up,
Then fall,
Drift back down?
What is the temperature of the air as it enters at the tip of your nose?
And as it leaves,
It's warmer.
What is the temperature of the air in your room against any exposed or bare skin?
Is there any movement in the air?
A gentle breeze perhaps.
Notice the heaviness of your eyelids.
Try to relax all the muscles in and around and behind the eyes themselves.
Relaxing the wrinkles,
The crinkles at the corners of your eyes or between your eyebrows.
Let the muscles of your forehead relax.
Allow your cheeks to soften and begin to melt down towards your ears if laying on your back or let them all seem to slide right off your face.
Relax your lower jaw and allow your tongue to find its natural resting place.
When we relax the tongue,
The muscles of the throat and neck will also relax.
There's no need for the muscles to hug in and wrap around the bones of your body.
Let them all relax.
The back of your head.
The back and sides of your neck.
Your shoulders.
And maybe we can imagine moving down the length of the spinal column and spreading out from that center line in the body letting relaxation just spread out like warmth from the sun expanding and being absorbed into every part of your body.
Moving into your chest area within your rib cage and moving out to both the right and left side of your body as well as expanding upward from the spinal column toward the front of your body.
Imagine a beautiful warmth traveling like liquid honey,
Golden,
Warm,
And in its sweetness bringing compassion and love,
Bringing ease,
Moving out toward your tired shoulders and feeling them sinking a little deeper as they relax deeper into the mattress.
Moving down the length of your arms all the way out to your hands and to each fingertip and thumb.
And then bringing your focus back in to the center line of the torso,
Finding the lumbar back.
And from that mid torso letting that warmth,
Healing warmth,
Let it travel out to the sides of your body,
Filling your mid torso all the way up so that now below your rib cage into the crest of your hips you feel that same loving,
Compassionate,
Healing warmth.
And let that beautiful nectar now begin to fill your pelvic floor and hip girdle,
Soothing away any aching bones,
Any sense of emotional discomfort.
Filling down now the length of your legs,
Filling your knees with love,
Softening out and coaxing any discomfort,
Any tension.
Moving down the lower legs to the feet and filling each foot with kindness,
Compassion,
Gentle healing so that the foot and each toe on it knows that it's loved and safe.
Imagine that beautiful golden light that's filled you,
That's nourishing you.
People keep doing its wonderful healing work throughout the evening while you rest.
There's nothing that you need to do that you aren't already doing.
There is nowhere that you need to be.
You're already here.
The world can wait.
You are loved.
You are kind.
You are beautiful.
Tomorrow will be a whole new day.
Until then,
Allow your mind to drift into sleep,
To perhaps dream of floating through the starlight or to swim deep in the ocean.
Whatever your beautiful mind creates in your dreams,
It's available to you without limits or borders.
Now is the time to sink back into your bed,
To let it hold you,
To feel its support,
To know that you're safe.
The universe will wait for you until you wake.
You are beautiful and wise.
You have everything you need within you.
You are a gift.
I hope that you sleep very well tonight.
Know that you are loved.
Know that you matter.
And when you wake tomorrow,
You'll open your eyes to all that is wonderful and new.
And that you have all that you need within you to build and create an amazing day and an amazing life.
Good night.
