Deepening Into Peaceful Sleep: Mindful Relaxation
A gentle, progressive relaxation with soft piano melodies and Linda's soothing voice inviting you to let go little by little into deep and peaceful sleep. You may begin by relaxing on the floor and then slipping into bed but, even better, start out in bed and just snuggle comfortably in and down to rest more and more deeply into a good night's sleep.
Transcript
To begin moving into your relaxation experience,
Settle into a quiet place where you won't be disturbed and where you can leave all your cares and concerns behind.
First,
Stand up and stretch.
Inhale,
Reach up and stretch from your feet all the way up to your fingertips,
And then exhale and relax.
Now bring yourself down to the floor.
Let yourself get comfortable.
Begin to settle down and settle in.
Lean back on your elbows and gently bring your back down onto the floor.
Snuggle your shoulders and back into your support.
Have your legs a little apart and your arms slightly away from your sides with the palms facing the ceiling if that is comfortable for you.
Now relax your arms and legs.
Notice your feet and toes.
Feel the whole length of your legs.
Feel the whole length of your arms.
Notice your breath.
Feel yourself breathing in and breathing out.
Be aware of how you feel.
If you notice places that are tight or uncomfortable,
Pay attention to each one and then soften and open,
Letting them just be.
Now pay attention to where you touch the floor.
Feel your heels touching.
Be conscious of the back of both legs,
Both hips,
Each side of your spine.
Feel where your shoulder blades touch,
Your arms and hands,
And the back of your head.
Now check to see if you feel like you're lined up straight,
And if not,
Shift your body so that you are.
Make any subtle adjustments so that you're in the position that is comfortable and restful for you.
Be aware of the space inside your body and the space around your body.
Letting your awareness expand,
Breathing,
And now letting go,
Melting,
Relaxing.
Allow yourself to breathe in relaxation.
Breathing in relaxation,
Peace,
Tranquility.
You may have a color that seems peaceful and healing to you.
If so,
Breathe that in.
You may breathe it into one place at a time,
Or into your whole body.
Breathing in peace and tranquility,
And breathing out anything you need to let go of now.
Worries,
Tensions,
Toxins.
Breathe these away out to the sun,
Where they can be purified and recycled.
Just let it go.
Let the front of your body melt and relax toward the back of your body,
And let the back of your body melt and relax into the support underneath you.
Letting go.
Now notice as a gentle wave of light and relaxation comes over your whole body,
Flowing up from your feet all the way up to the top of your head,
And releasing.
Now take your total awareness back down to your legs.
Inhale deeply and tense all the muscles in your legs and hold.
Now release them completely and gently roll your legs side to side,
And now leave them to rest.
Bring your awareness to your arms and hands.
Stretch them out.
Make a fist with each hand.
Inhale,
Tense your arms and hands,
And hold.
Now release and let go.
Gently roll your arms from side to side,
And then let them be.
Take in a deep breath,
And now take in a little more air and hold it.
And now breathe out through your mouth,
Releasing completely.
Relax and release your shoulders by lifting them towards your ears and then letting them go.
Bring your attention to your neck and begin to roll your head slowly back and forth,
Releasing and softening each little muscle.
And now let your head rest at center.
Tense and squeeze your eyes and all the muscles in your face.
Now soften and relax them completely,
Letting go.
Bring your awareness to your breath.
Feel the in-breath as it fills and expands your body.
Notice the emptying sensations of each out-breath.
Be aware of the breath filling your abdomen,
Expanding your rib cage.
Notice the breath pushing the back of your body gently into the floor underneath you.
Feel the breath as it expands and opens your chest.
Now just take a few slow,
Deep breaths and let the out-breath be just a little longer with each one.
Good.
Now bring your awareness back down to your feet.
Imagine that you're standing in a quiet,
Peaceful place by a body of warm water and that a gentle wave of relaxation is beginning to tap your feet.
Each wave invites your feet to feel warmer,
Softer,
And more expanded.
Now allow this wave of relaxation to move up,
Releasing your lower legs and calf muscles,
And then moving up to relax your knees and the little space behind your knees,
Letting go.
And flowing up to soften and warm the thigh muscles,
And coming up to release your hips on the front and then the back.
Let the lower back release toward the floor on your next out-breath,
Letting go.
Open around the base of your spine and then let the relaxation flow through your entire back.
Soften all the little muscles in your stomach and let your breathing be free and easy.
Keep your awareness moving slowly upward through your torso and let the gentle rising and falling of your breath relax your diaphragm,
Ribs,
Chest,
And heart.
Relax each rib and now soften the spaces between your ribs.
Allow the warm relaxation to flow up into your chest now,
Allowing your chest to feel spacious and expanded.
Take your awareness to the area around your heart and allow it to open and soften as well.
Let go between your shoulder blades.
Relax the shoulders themselves and let the relaxation flow out both arms,
Through your elbows,
Across your forearms,
And out to your hands and your fingertips.
Let your hands really rest and then let them rest a little more.
Notice all the sensations in the hollow of the palm of each hand.
Allow these sensations to move out into the rest of your hand,
Your fingers,
Your fingertips,
And then the space around your hands.
And then let the sensations spread back up your arms,
Through your shoulders,
And up your neck into your face.
Let your face rest completely with no expression on it whatsoever.
Release your jaw muscle,
Which relaxes the little muscles around your mouth.
Feel your lips relax,
And then your tongue.
Notice all the sensations inside your mouth.
Allow these sensations to spread down into your neck and throat,
And then up into your whole face.
Relax your nose.
Soften your cheekbones.
Let your ears drop heavy toward the floor.
Relax the back of your head,
Then your scalp,
Then your forehead,
And then the little place between your eyebrows where you frown.
Soften all the little muscles around your eyes,
And let your eyes rest heavy in their sockets.
Notice all the sensations in the sockets that hold your eyes.
And now allow these sensations to begin to drop back heavy behind your eyes,
And to continue dropping back deeper and heavier,
Until they come all the way back to the place where your skull connects to your spine at the back of your neck.
Now allow these sensations to flow back down your neck and throat into your chest,
Where they fill up your chest,
And then fill up your heart.
And overflowing your heart,
They move back down your body,
All the way down to your legs,
And out your legs,
All the way down to your feet,
And out to the very tips of your toes.
Let the breath breathe you now.
Let the breath flow all the way from the tips of your toes up to the crown of your head,
And back again,
Letting yourself just be.
Let go into your experience right here,
Right now.
Aware,
Awake,
But very,
Very relaxed.
Resting in your true nature,
Resting in peace and stillness.
And letting yourself perhaps stay just where you are,
Or perhaps letting yourself move into another sleeping position.
Noticing how you feel,
And aware of breathing in and breathing out.
And now snuggling deeper into your sleeping place,
Settling in,
And knowing that sleep will come easy,
Maybe even long and deep.
Even now,
Easing into sleep,
Feeling so safe,
So good,
Letting go,
Letting go.
Breathing,
Letting go.
Breathing,
Letting go.
Breathing,
Letting go.
Breathing,
Letting go.
