Welcome to this bedtime session.
Tonight's practice is about unwinding.
Letting the body soften and the mind grow quiet.
Gather any props that feel supportive.
A pillow.
A rolled blanket,
A bolster.
And create a cozy space.
Let's make our way into our first shape.
A supported fish.
Place a small rolled blanket horizontally beneath your mid-back,
Just below the tips of your shoulder blades.
Your head may rest on a pillow.
Or gently drop back toward the floor.
Whatever feels comfortable for your neck.
Let your arms rest at your side,
Palms facing up in a gesture of complete openness.
You may want to keep your knees bent with the soles of your feet on the floor for a more supportive shape.
Or extend your legs long.
Let your breath settle.
Breathe deeply into your chest.
Feeling how it lifts.
And expanse.
On your inhalation.
And softens.
As you exhale.
Feel the full weight of your body.
Against the surface beneath you.
This shape invites a softening across the front body,
The chest,
The throat.
The belly.
Take a moment to scan your awareness through your body.
Noticing any tight spaces where tension of the day has gathered.
Just notice.
With compassionate curiosity.
Let sensations come to the surface.
Feel the rise and fall of your breath.
Notice how your inhale gently widens the space between your ribs.
And how you exhale.
Invites a deeper release.
Stillness,
Settling into your nervous system.
And how deeply.
And exhale completely.
Welcoming a sensation of softening.
That comes with each long,
Slow exhalation.
If your mind returns to thoughts of your day.
Simply guide it back.
Back to the gentle rhythm.
Of your body breathing.
Before we move into our next shape,
You may choose to take three heart clearing breaths.
Inhaling gently through your nose.
Filling your lower belly,
Your ribs and all the way up into your chest and slowly sighing the breath out through an open mouth with a soft sigh.
Breathe in to fill your whole body.
And slowly releasing.
With a long Sighing exhale Completely emptying.
Before receiving your next in-breath.
One more cleansing exhale.
To lighten the heart.
And surrender the weight of your body.
To the gentle pull of gravity.
Slowly remove the blanket from beneath your back.
And lower yourself all the way down to the floor.
Pause here for a few breaths.
Letting the spine lengthen and settle.
You may wish to remain still in this resting shape.
Or welcome some gentle movements.
Letting the knees sway slowly from side to side.
Windshield wiper.
From one side.
To the other.
And when you are ready,
Roll to one side.
And come to all fours.
To move into melting heart.
Begin to walk.
Your hands forward.
Lowering your chest toward the floor.
While your hips stay lifted over your knees,
Your forehead resting on the mat.
Or you may wish to place a bolster beneath your chest.
If you'd like more support.
This shape.
Invites an opening.
Across the shoulders and upper back.
A space where the weight of the day may have settled.
Feel how your inhale fills your mid-back.
And how your exhale invites your chest.
To release.
Send your inhale.
Into the tight corners of your upper back and shoulders.
Visualize your exhale.
Like a slow river.
Washing tension away.
If thoughts arise.
Let them simply float away on this river of breath.
No need to follow them.
Just stay with the sweet ebb and flow.
Of your body breathing.
You may wish to take a few heart clearing breaths.
Inhaling deeply.
And exhaling completely with a long,
Slow sigh.
Slowly begin to walk your hands back.
And lower your hips.
Pausing in child's pose.
And then when you're ready,
Come on to your back for a moment of rest.
Rest your awareness in the flood of sensation as your nervous system begins to integrate.
You may notice a subtle pulsing.
A softening of muscular tension.
Or simply a sweet heaviness moving through you.
Allow whatever is present to be present.
You may wish to remain still or draw your knees into your chest for a gentle hug.
Swaying softly from side to side.
When you are ready,
Come onto your hands and knees.
To move into Sleeping Swan on the right side.
From all fours,
Slide your right knee forward toward your right wrist,
Allowing your right shin to angle across the mat.
Slide your left leg back long.
You may want to slide a pillow or folded blanket beneath your right hip so that both hip points feel equally supported.
Begin to walk your hands forward,
Lowering your torso down.
Rest your forehead on stacked hands on a pillow.
Or let it release fully to the floor,
Putting your swan to sleep.
Sleeping Swan asks for patience and promises release.
The deep fascia of the hips.
The layers of connective tissue around the pelvis and sacrum begin to unwind.
Only in stillness.
And with time.
Breathe into the right hip.
Imagine the breath reaching deep into the socket.
Creating space.
With each exhale.
Release a little more of the effort.
To hold anything together.
There's nothing to do here.
Just this breath.
And this moment.
I will let you know when it's time to transition to the left side.
Slowly begin to walk your hands back.
Lift yourself gently upright.
Slide your left knee forward towards your left wrist,
Left shin angling gently across your mat,
Right leg long behind you.
Let your hips descend.
Using your prop beneath your left hip if that felt supportive.
Walk your hands forward and let your upper body soften and release.
Arriving here on the left side.
Notice if this feels different.
And meet it with the same compassionate.
Curiosity.
Breathe.
Into this hip.
Exhale completely.
Each breath arriving.
And passing.
Like the day itself.
Arriving.
And passing.
Enjoy the quiet stillness.
And I will let you know when it's time to move.
To our final shape.
Slowly begin to make your way back down.
And come to rest on your back.
Pause.
And a rebound.
Legs long or knees bent.
Let the body integrate.
The fascia soften.
The nervous system settle.
Into its quiet rhythm.
You may wish to take a big stretch.
Arms reaching overhead,
Fingers and toes lengthening.
In opposite directions.
Than releasing everything.
Draw your knees into your chest for a hug.
Before rolling to one side.
To come into a supine twist.
Your knees may be stacked or staggered,
Resting on the floor or on a pillow nestled between your thighs.
Allow your arms to open.
Wings at shoulder height.
Or reaching gently overhead.
Take a moment to find your just right shape.
The position of your legs drawn closer to the belly or drifting wider.
Both are beautiful expressions of a twist.
You may gently roll your head from side to side to find the best position for your head to land.
Once you find your shape.
Come to stillness.
This twist is a gentle ringing.
Inviting a release along the spine the ribcage.
The obliques all structures that hold us upright through a long day.
Breathe into whatever calls for your attention.
And exhale fully.
Emptying completely.
I will let you know when it's time to switch sides.
Slowly return to center.
Transition gently to the other side.
Take your time.
Making any adjustments.
So the shape feels just right.
And when you are ready,
Enjoy the next few minutes of quiet stillness.
Slowly make your way out of the twist.
And extend both legs long.
Let your feet.
Fall open.
Palms face up Make any small adjustments so the body can fully release.
Gently close your eyes.
Take a slow breath in through the nose.
And a long,
Soft breath out.
Through the mouth.
Bring your awareness to your feet.
Feel the soles of your feet soften.
Let that softness move into your calves.
Your knees.
Your thighs.
Your hips and sacrum melting into the ground beneath you.
Your belly is soft and relaxed.
Your chest and shoulders heavy and expansive.
Fully supported.
Your awareness travels down your arms,
Into your hands.
The palms.
And all 10 fingers.
Your neck softens.
Your jaw unclenches.
Your tongue rests softly at the roof of your mouth.
The tiny muscles around your eyes smooth out.
And your forehead grows wide and calm.
Now feel your breath.
Moving gently in.
A gentle tide.
A slow river flowing.
Through your whole body.
Imagine you are floating.
Fully supported.
With every exhale.
Sink a little deeper.
And to rest.
Rest now.
Stay as long as you need to.
I will leave you here.
Take a moment to thank yourself.
For choosing.
To slow down tonight.
For choosing rest.
For choosing you.
Until next time,
Good night and sweet dreams.
