So welcome to this practice of deep relaxation and some of these words in this practice will be by Thich Nhat Hanh.
So taking a moment to get a sense of your body lying on the ground,
Being supported by the earth.
Seeing if you can hold the whole of your body in loving presence.
And just bringing your attention to the breath and breathing in the way that we've done previously,
Your Jai breath or ocean breathing,
Like connecting with the sound of the breath,
Just at the back of the throat.
So there's just the slightest contraction around the glottis and just connecting with the rhythmical action of the breath in the body,
Like the waves in the ocean.
This can be a beautiful practice that we can do whether we're lying down or even trying to get to sleep,
Choosing to bring our awareness to the breath,
Connecting with the gentle rhythmical sound of the breath.
And noticing as Thich Nhat Hanh said that there is always joy present in any moment.
So you might like to even add the words to your practice,
Joy while breathing,
Happiness while resting.
And don't worry if you don't feel anything just now,
We're planting seeds in our consciousness,
Aspirations,
As a reminder to look for that joy that is here around us.
And as you concentrate on the in and out breath and allow for the possibility of joy and happiness to be generated.
Often there can be a sense of ease that if we're trying to get to sleep,
It can allow us to move into sleep into a deeper state of rest.
Thich Nhat Hanh says the words,
Joy while breathing.
Joy is the breathing.
And joy doesn't exist outside of the breathing.
And the breathing is joy itself.
This is because the quality of breathing is so high and it's mindful breathing.
And the kind of breathing that brings harmony,
Calm and joy.
So we're not using the breathing in order to bring joy.
Joy becomes the breathing and the breathing becomes joy.
So we're training ourselves to cultivate joy through the breath,
Connecting and cultivating that awareness of joy.
It's like growing flowers.
And the practice,
That commitment to practice helps us to generate joy and happiness,
Peace and harmony.
And it's like a medicine that helps us to handle pain and suffering and separation and misunderstanding.
And with mindful awareness and the practice of a full body meditation,
We can begin to know ourselves more fully.
There is no reason to be afraid.
And they're the words of Thich Nhat Hanh.
So allowing your body to relax as best you can.
Being aware of the contact that your body's making with the ground.
And allow your body to sink into the ground beneath you.
Be aware of the breath moving in and out of your body.
And be aware of the abdomen rising and falling as you breathe in and out.
Rising,
Falling,
Rising,
Falling.
Breathing in and bring your awareness to your eyes.
And breathing out,
Allow your eyes to relax.
Imagining that your eyes are floating in pools of warm water.
And let go of any tension in the tiny muscles around your eyes.
Our eyes allow us to see so many shapes and colors.
And allow your eyes to rest.
And send love and gratitude to the eyes.
Breathing in and bring awareness to your mouth.
And breathing out,
Allow the mouth to relax.
Release the tension around your mouth.
Release any tension that's held in the base of the tongue.
Your lips are the petals of a flower.
And allow a gentle smile to bloom on your lips.
Smiling releases the tension in dozens of muscles throughout our face.
And feel the tension release in your cheeks,
Your jaw,
And your throat.
And breathing in,
Now bring awareness to the shoulders.
And breathing out,
Allow the shoulders to relax.
Let the shoulders sink into the floor and any accumulated tension flow into the ground beneath you.
We often carry so much with our shoulders.
Let them relax as you care for your shoulders.
Breathing in,
Become aware of your arms.
And breathing out,
Relax the arms.
And let your arms sink into the floor.
Your upper arms,
Your elbows,
Your lower arms,
Your wrists,
Hands,
Fingers,
All the tiny muscles.
Move your fingers a little if you need to,
To help the muscles relax.
Breathing in,
Bring awareness to your heart.
And breathing out,
Allow your heart to relax.
We often neglect our hearts for a long time.
The way that we work and eat and manage anxiety and stress.
And your heart beats for you night and day.
Embrace your heart with mindfulness and tenderness.
Reconciling and taking care of your heart.
Breathing in,
Bring awareness to your legs.
And breathing out,
Allow the legs to relax.
Release all tension in your legs,
In your thighs,
Your knees,
Your calves,
Your ankles,
Your feet,
And your toes.
All the tiny muscles in your toes.
And you may want to move your toes a little to help them relax.
And send your love and care to your toes.
Breathing in,
Breathing out.
Your whole body feels light.
Like a water lily floating on the water.
You have nowhere to go.
Nothing to do.
And you're as free as a cloud floating in the sky.
And you may like to just rest in being or you might like to open to connecting with sound around you.
Just letting sound come and go and be received by the ears.
And noticing that sound,
Just like all of our human experience,
Is ephemeral and changing constantly.
That nothing is permanent.
And gently bring your awareness back to your breath and to the abdomen rising and falling.
Breathing in,
Breathing out.
Following your breathing,
Become aware of your arms and legs.
And as you lay here,
I just want to read the words of Jennifer Wellwood,
Her beautiful poem,
Unconditional.
Willing to experience aloneness,
I discover connection everywhere.
Turning to face my fear,
I meet the warrior who lives within.
Opening to my loss,
I gain the embrace of the universe.
Surrendering into emptiness,
I find fullness without end.
Each condition I flee from pursues me,
And each condition I welcome transforms me,
And becomes itself transformed into its radiant,
Jewel-like essence.
So when you're ready,
Just gently begin to bring some movement into the body,
Stretching and maybe wriggling the fingers and toes.
And if your eyes are closed,
Allowing a bit of light to come into your eyes.
Just taking your time to roll onto your right side.
Taking a few breaths,
Not hurrying,
But just going slowly.
And then when you're ready,
Gently coming up into a seated position.
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