So today's meditation is a guided meditation which might be useful for you at the end of the day,
Even before you're going to sleep.
So go and get yourself somewhere comfortable and we'll begin.
So if like me you love to look up to the night sky on a clear night I sometimes feel completely in awe of what we can see above us all of the stars,
Constellations,
Shooting stars,
The planets and it really does make us feel quite small doesn't it and if you're lucky enough to go somewhere which is a clear night or a dark sky reserve then the layering of stars behind one another is just simply incredible incredible and incredibly beautiful.
So I quite often picture a night sky in my head when I'm practicing myself and almost imagining stars behind stars behind stars if you can picture the star wars introduction when you're going up into that night sky.
So that's what we are going to be inspired by today.
So we're going to imagine that we're traveling into space and seeing the stars traveling past a window in a rocket or whatever you might want to be in and just allowing allowing the layering of stars to build up.
When we close our eyes often we just see the black or the mind's eye but if you can begin to allow some twinkling of stars to appear then it can be a really nice relaxing sensation.
So you might want to be in bed for this one lying down or you might want to be in your chair comfortable before heading off to sleep but this is a really nice one to do at the end of the day.
Take a moment to get yourself very comfortable making sure that your posture is balanced across your left and right hand sides.
So if you are in bed just begin to wiggle down and allow your body to be supported.
If you're in a chair make sure your feet are flat on the ground if you have them down on the ground on the ground and make sure that your spine is long and your hands are simply resting on your lap or down by your side.
Maybe take a little moment to release any tension from the neck or the shoulders and then when it feels right just close your eyes or soften your gaze down on a fixed point and start now to be aware of your breath.
So very simply feeling that rise and fall of your breath within your body.
Because this is a relaxation meditation you might like to lengthen your exhale to double the length of your inhale.
For example breathing in to a count of four and breathing out to a count of eight.
So breathing in and out through your nose now.
Breathing in to a count of four.
Breathing out to a count of eight.
Breathing in to a count of four.
Breathing out to a count of eight.
And begin to let your muscles soften as you settle into your rhythm into your practice.
And just take this time for yourself.
So I'd like you to imagine that you're sitting in a rocket or some way of traveling into space it might simply be in your armchair.
And in just a few moments we will take off into the night sky.
So at first with your eyes closed you can see that night sky above you.
The darkest shade of black.
And then slowly with every breath maybe you can begin to feel a little lighter.
As if you're traveling up towards the sky itself.
Maybe you can picture the moon this beacon of light in the sky above.
Maybe you can make out the shadow and the patterns on the moon itself.
And as you get higher into the sky you begin to see the stars twinkling lights.
Just allow your mind's eye now to be filled with starlight.
Tiny pinpoints of light breaking up that darkest of night skies.
And allowing your eyes to soften beginning to feel that sense of space around you.
As you feel weightless and light.
You can see stars for as far as your eye can see.
Stars behind stars behind stars.
Now breaking up this darkest of night sky.
Maybe you can see stars in the distance.
Maybe you can see shooting stars.
Just allow your eyes to absorb this night sky around you.
I will leave you in peace just for a minute or so to take some nice deep breaths here.
Soaking in this sense of stillness,
Peace,
Space.
Feeling that awareness of being a tiny point in the universe.
A spec,
A moment in time.
Just allow your body to relax from head to toes.
Feel as if you're floating,
Feel lighter,
Feel weightless.
Allow any tension to melt away.
Let your body relax entirely.
But slowly it's time to come back down to earth.
So begin to be aware of your sit bones,
Your back if you're lying down,
Your feet,
Your legs,
Your hands,
Your whole body settling down here on earth.
And just notice how you feel.
Take some nice deep breaths absorbing all of those positive feelings from your practice.
Allow your body to relax entirely.
And you may choose to drift off to sleep from here.
But if you do want to wake then just begin to wiggle fingers,
Toes.
You might want to gently rub your hands together and hover your hands over your eyes.
And blink your eyes open inside your hands.
And bring your hands down if you're ready.
And I'm here.
And I hope that's a nice way to relax at the end of your day.
I won't say too much more but have a lovely evening or day and I'll speak to you again soon.
Bye for now.
