Welcome.
Today's meditation is designed to gently guide you into sleep.
As you listen.
Allow the body to soften.
And the mind to slow.
There is nowhere else you need to be.
And nothing you need to do.
This meditation will not have an ending signal or closing words.
Instead,
You will gradually become more quiet.
And saw.
Allowing you to drift naturally into sleep.
If you fall asleep before the meditation finishes,
That is perfectly fine.
Simply let the words wash over you as your body and mind settle.
Find a comfortable position now.
Perhaps lying on your back.
Or resting on your side.
Let your hands rest wherever they feel most natural.
Take a slow,
Gentle breath in now through the nose.
And softly exhale through the mouth And again,
Inhale slowly.
And exhale,
Releasing the day.
With each breath.
Imagine the body becoming heavier against the bed support it.
C.
And ready to rest.
And they'll bring your awareness to your eyes.
Often when we are trying to sleep,
The eyes and the mind stay active.
So we'll begin by gently releasing the tension around the eyes.
For the next 60 seconds or so.
Begin blinking your eyes rapidly,
Starting now.
Just blink lightly and comfortably.
Blink,
Blink,
Blink.
Let the eyelids flutter.
And as you blink,
The tiny muscles around the eyes begin to tire.
Sending signals to the brain that it's time to sleep.
Continue to blink Soft.
.
.
Light.
Feel the eyes becoming warm.
And heavy.
And if you're blinking naturally slows,
That is okay.
Is continuing for a few more moments Feeling as your eyelids become more and more heavy and tired.
And now.
Allow the eyes to rest completely.
Noticing the gentle heaviness in the eyelids.
Now we'll do something a little different.
When I say to begin,
You will gently try to keep your eyes open,
Not wide.
Just softly open.
Looking outward towards the darkness of the room.
This may feel a little challenging.
Begin now.
Keeping the eyes softly open.
Notice how the eyelids begin to feel heavier.
Wanting to close.
And keep them open.
Staring out into the darkness Just a little longer now.
Feeling that desire to close the lids,
Keeping them open to tire them a little bit more.
And now allow them to gently close.
And feel the deep relief in the eyes.
Notice how much heavier they feel now.
And again,
Gently open the eyes just a little.
Holding them open for a few breaths.
And now allowing them to close once again.
Let them soften completely.
The muscles around the eyes are now relaxing deeply.
Signaling the brain.
That it is safe to sleep.
And now bring your awareness to your breathing.
There is nothing to force.
Just observe the natural rhythm.
Notice the cool air entering the nostrils.
And the slightly warmer air leaving.
Allow the breath to become slow and quiet.
We will take a calming breath together now.
Inhale slowly for 4.
.
.
3.
.
.
2.
.
.
1.
.
.
And exhale slowly for 6.
.
.
5.
.
.
4.
.
.
3.
.
.
2.
.
.
1.
.
.
Again,
Inhale for four,
Three,
Two,
One.
And exhale for 6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1 continuing this count Every exhale,
Imagine tension draining out of the body.
Like water slowly flowing away.
And your nervous system begins to shift.
From alert.
To calm.
To deeply restful.
Continue breathing slowly like this each breath softer than the last and now bring awareness to the body resting beneath you.
Feel the gentle contact between your body.
And the bear.
Notice the weight of your feet.
Imagine them melting into the mattress.
The toes soften.
The soles of the feet,
Relax.
The ankles release.
Your lower legs grow warm and heavy.
Any tension dissolves.
The knees soften.
The thighs relax.
Large muscles letting go of the day.
Feel the legs becoming pleasantly heavy as if they're sinking deeper into the bed.
And now bring awareness into the hips and pelvis.
This area carries much of the body's tension.
Imagine the hips now widening,
Softening.
Spreading gently into the mattress.
The lower back releases.
And if there is any tightness there,
Imagine it melting like ice,
Slowly warming in the sunlight.
And your belly softens.
Allow it to rise gently with each inhale.
And fall gently with each exhale.
There is nothing to hold in.
Nothing to control.
Only soft,
Natural breathing.
Your chest relaxes your heartbeat steady.
Calm.
And peaceful.
Bring awareness to the hands.
Notice the palms.
The fingers.
Let them curl naturally.
The wrists soften.
Forearms relax.
The shoulders melt downward.
Releasing the weight they carried today.
Imagine a warm wave of relaxation flowing through the shoulders.
Down the arms.
And into the fingertips.
And now bring awareness to the neck and throat.
Let the throat soften.
The tongue rests gently in the mouth.
The jaw unclenches.
Your cheeks soften.
Your forehead smooth.
And the eye is so heavy now.
Resting peacefully behind closed lids.
And now imagine a gentle wave of sleepiness.
Beginning at the top of your head.
And slowly flowing downward.
Across the forehead.
Over the eyes.
Down the face.
Through the night.
Across the shoulders down the arms.
Into the chest belly.
And the hips flowing through the legs.
All the way to the feet.
Each wave bringing deeper relaxation.
Heavier.
Softer.
Calmer.
Your mind no longer needs to think.
Thoughts may drift by like distant clouds but you don't need to follow them.
Just return to the quiet rhythm of the breath.
Inhale.
.
.
And exhale.
SLOWER softer quieter.
Imagine now that you are lying beneath a peaceful night sky.
The air is gentle and cool.
Above you.
Countless stars glow softly The world is quiet.
Everything around you is resting.
With each breath out.
You drift deeper into the softness of the night.
Your body is sinking.
Your mind floating.
Sleep beginning to wrap around you.
Like a warm blanket.
The breath becoming slower now.
Longer pauses between each inhale and exhale.
Thoughts fading further away.
The body deeply still.
The mind gently drifting.
Sleep drawing closer.
And closer.
Each breath carrying you further into rest.
Further into quiet.
Further into sleep The body completely relaxed.
The mind soft and peaceful.
Drifting floating.
Resting.
Sleep now arriving gently.
Softly.
Effortlessly.
