Welcome.
You made it through the day.
Whatever this day held,
Whatever frustrated you,
Overwhelmed you,
Or asked more of you than you felt you were ready to give.
You are here.
And for this moment.
Nothing else is being asked of you.
You don't need to make yourself relaxed,
You don't need to clear your mind,
You don't even need.
.
.
To feel peaceful just yet.
Let's begin exactly here.
Where you are.
Feel the surface beneath you,
Supporting you.
Pillow beneath your head.
Take a moment to just surrender.
You are being supported.
You no longer have to carry the full weight of the day.
Start to become aware of your breath.
Breathing in.
.
.
Breathing out.
No forcing.
Just taking it one breath at a time.
If thoughts have come up.
Just remember that beneath those thoughts that are racing,
Beneath the feelings that may still be moving through you,
There is a quiet place within you that the day could not disturb.
And with each breath.
You are simply allowing yourself.
To go there.
Your mind may have things it still wants to say,
Moments from the day it wants to replay,
Conversations it wants to revisit.
Problems it wants to solve.
Things you wish you'd done differently.
You don't need to try and fight against them.
Let them come.
Fighting your thoughts only gives them another reason to stay.
So instead.
.
.
When a thought comes up,
Simply acknowledge it.
And give it one final moment of your attention.
You might even say.
.
.
I see you.
I hear you.
And now it's time to go.
If you find that your thoughts still need your attention.
You can just say to yourself.
How about we meet again tomorrow?
We don't need to have this meeting.
And if the same thought returns.
You can gently just remind yourself you don't need to begin the conversation again.
You've already acknowledged it.
Let it know that it is time for it to pass.
Like a leaf.
Moving along a stream.
Like a cloud.
Crossing.
The sky.
Notice it.
And then notice it moving on.
Should thoughts persist.
To give yourself a moment of peace,
You can ask yourself,
I wonder what my next thought will be?
There is a quiet space that lives within you.
Where your stillness exists.
Keep your attention on your breath.
Notice the gentle rhythm of the in-breath and the out-breath.
And just imagine your body.
Getting heavier.
Sinking deeper into your bed.
Taking the full weight of your body.
Allowing yourself to be supported as you surrender.
Your body knows how to relax.
How to rest.
Your job is to trust it.
The muscles in your face begin to relax.
Tension leaves your forehead.
Your eyelids begin to get heavy.
Your breathing is getting deeper.
Your jaw loosens.
Your tongue rests gently in your mouth.
Your shoulders fall.
Let the muscles in your arms soften.
All the way down through your hands.
Into your fingers.
Your chest softens.
Your stomach relaxes.
The day is over.
You are here.
Your legs are relaxing.
Your knees are softening.
Your ankles are releasing.
Your whole body is being held.
As you rest in this space between wakefulness and sleep.
Let my voice carry you the rest of the way.
Into your sleep.
You may hear some words.
And others may drift past you.
There's nothing you need to remember.
You are safe to release the day.
You are safe to soften.
Your body is resting now.
Your mind is quieting.
Your breath is carrying you deeper.
And deeper.
Into rest.
Into stillness.
Into sleep… The day is done.
You have accomplished enough.
You are enough.
If it didn't get done.
It didn't need to get done.
You are loved.
You are loving.
You are wanted.
You are needed.
And you're becoming less aware of my voice.
And more aware of the sleep that surrounds you.
Let yourself drift.
Like being carried along a stream.
The water knows the way.
Your body goes with the flow.
Your mind follows.
You're floating beyond the edges of the day.
You are held.
You are getting the deepest rest.
This sleep is healing.
And restorative.
