Hello and welcome to this Bedtime Mindfulness Guided Meditation,
Recorded for you by Lindsay Stead.
To begin this meditation,
Please bring kind awareness to why you chose this topic,
How your belly,
Chest,
And head feel when you reflect on this topic,
The emotions that you can associate with these visceral feelings,
The positive or negative impact of any stories you believe in regarding to this topic,
The fact that many others are feeling similarly to you about bedtime mindfulness,
How you might feel with increased awareness around bedtime mindfulness,
When you can apply increased mindfulness to your bedtime routine in your day-to-day life.
Let's begin.
You may have woven mindfulness practice into your day,
But as soon as you lie down in bed,
You notice the mind beginning to race.
As you settle down for the evening,
The mind may not always read the situation accurately.
With the stimuli of daily life over,
The mind can seem louder than usual.
This exercise can be used in these moments to help settle the mind and body as you prepare for sleep.
Standing next to your bed,
Take a few deep breaths.
Center yourself in the present moment,
Bringing your awareness to the body as it is right now.
When you climb into bed,
Remain aware of what is occurring in the body.
As you lie down,
Feel the body assume a resting position.
Use the breath to bring mindfulness to the body and cultivate relaxation.
As you breathe in,
Feel the lungs fill with air.
When you exhale,
Feel the body soften into your mattress.
Picture yourself falling deeper into the mattress as the body relaxes with each exhale.
Start a body scan at the top of the head,
Moving down the body to the toes.
As your attention rests on each part,
Relax it and soften into the bed with every exhale.
When you reach your toes,
Return to the body as a whole and the practice of breathing deeply.
Continue softening.
As you quiet your mind,
Your body,
And your soul,
Feel yourself drifting off into a peaceful sleep.
Know that everything you need you have inside you already,
And you will unlock access to all of this and more when you are rested.
Have an amazing sleep.
