This meditation is a companion for the nights where sleep feels elusive.
A tool to relax your body and your mind so that you can fall asleep or get back to sleep if you've awoken in the night.
There will be no interruptions with music or bells.
By listening to the sound of my voice and following my guidance for your intention and attention I will help you to feel more relaxed and able to ease yourself into restful sleep by the end of the recording.
Or at the very least you will have experienced the benefits of yoga nidra also called yogic sleep.
A guided meditation that induces a state of deep relaxation whilst maintaining awareness allowing the body to rest while the mind stays conscious.
Adjust your position so that you can feel 10% more comfortable whether you're lying on your back,
Side or front.
You don't want to feel too warm.
Adjust the bed covers so that they feel molded to your body whilst allowing airflow.
Now take a deep breath in through your nose and hold it at the top before gently releasing through your mouth.
Repeat the deep breath but this time focus on the sound of the breath as you inhale,
The sound of silence at the top and the sound of the sigh as you release.
One more deep breath just focusing on the sensations of the inhale and the exhale.
Now breathe normally and notice how your body has begun to sink a little deeper into the mattress.
Now setting an intention for this practice also known as a sankalpa,
A deep desire.
It may be as simple as I surrender to rest.
I am safe,
Calm and at peace or with every breath I soften and let go.
Settle on an intention that is one sentence in the present tense and when you found a statement that feels right for this moment,
A reflection of your deepest desire,
Then repeat it in your mind three times.
Now we will bring awareness to different parts of the body in turn.
There is nothing to do,
Nothing to change.
Just notice,
Observe without any judgment.
There will be times when your attention drifts or softens and that's absolutely fine.
My voice will be here to guide you through or back to the journey when you're ready.
We start with the right side,
Right thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
Little finger,
Palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
Wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Shoulder,
Right side of the chest,
Waist,
Thigh,
Shin,
Top of the foot,
Sole of the foot,
Big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Little toe and now to the left side.
Left thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
Little finger,
Palm of the hand,
Back of the left hand,
Wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Shoulder,
Left side of the chest,
Waist,
Hip,
Thigh,
Shin,
Top of the foot,
Sole of the foot,
Big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Little toe,
Back of the body,
Heels,
Backs of the legs,
Lower back,
Middle back,
Upper back,
Shoulder blades,
Back of the head,
Front of the body,
Forehead,
Smooth release,
Eyebrows,
Space between the brows,
Nostrils,
Cheeks,
Upper lip,
Lower lip,
Lips,
Throat,
Belly,
The whole body.
The whole body can now be at ease.
Take a short scan of awareness from head to toe noticing any areas where you can still feel resistance and flood this place or space with the direction of your breath.
As a firefighter directs a hose of water to temper a fire imagine yourself sending a tunnel of breath to ease and release.
And now we allow your focus to flow to the breath itself watching its natural rhythm and flow without forcing or changing its tempo.
Feeling it in the cool inflow at the nose sensing its rise and fall in the chest observing its expansion and contraction in the belly.
Whole body breathing like gentle waves on a glistening shore.
Each inhale a quiet tide rising at the peak stillness and as you exhale a gentle sigh dissolving into the night.
With each inhale invite in calm.
With each exhale release any lingering tension.
No control simply allowing it to flow effortlessly naturally.
A portal to deeper relaxation with every cycle.
Picturing in your mind a flickering fire gazing into the flames and you begin to feel its warmth.
Not too hot but radiating through the entire body from skin to muscle to bone.
And now a gentle breeze across your face light and refreshing cooling from head to toe.
Sensing the heaviness of your body imprinting into the bed.
No resistance supported and sinking.
And now feeling the opposite a sense of lightness floating.
Imagining your body rising into the sky surrounded by twinkling stars.
Gliding through a vast open sky.
Don't try too hard just noticing these sensations and allowing them to wash over and envelop you.
Witnessing the body expanding with the next inhale.
And as you exhale contracting into a smaller space.
Feeling the widening the stretching tightening and the return to home base as you let go deflating releasing.
Picture yourself lying on a hammock at night at the top of a hill with a cinematic and panoramic view of the valley below.
Gently swinging on your hammock your body molded into the material.
Moving your vision from the night sky to the twinkling lights of a distant village below.
The temperature is just right warmth without heat breeze without wind.
Swinging like a pendulum with a crystal clear awareness of your small space surrounded by vastness.
The gentle sway of the hammock cradles you.
Each movement sinking with the rhythm of your breath.
The distant hum of the earth below the soft whisper of the breeze.
The never-ending star-filled sky.
The expanse of the valley.
Silhouette outline of trees.
Church spires.
Houses with that shrews.
Rolling fields.
Shape of resting flocks of sheep.
Your movement surrounded by stillness.
Star constellations in the cloudless sky.
Mesmerizing and hypnotic.
With every breath you sink deeper and deeper.
Nothing left to do.
Nothing to think about.
Just rest.
Pure effortless rest.
Right side.
Right thumb.
Index finger.
Middle finger.
Ring finger.
Little finger.
Palm of the right hand.
Temperature.
Back of the hand.
Wrist.
Forearm.
Shoulder.
Right side of the chest.
Waist.
Thigh.
Shin.
Top of the foot.
Sole of the foot.
Melting.
Big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Little toe.
Now to the left side.
Left thumb.
Index finger.
Middle finger.
Ring finger.
Little finger.
Palm of the left hand.
Resting.
Wrist.
Forearm.
Letting go.
Elbow.
Shoulder.
Deepening.
Left side of the chest.
Waist.
Hip.
Thigh imprinting.
Shin.
Top of the foot.
Sole of the foot.
Big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Little toe.
Back of the body.
Heels sinking.
Backs of the legs held.
Lower back.
Supporting.
Middle back releasing.
Upper back.
Shoulder blades.
Back of the head.
Front of the body.
Forehead.
Smooth.
Eyebrows.
Space between the brows.
Nostrils.
Upper lip.
Lower lip.
Jewel.
Throat.
Chest.
The whole body.
Now simply let go.
Nothing to do.
Just this moment.
Just this breath.
Just this deep breath.
Peaceful rest.
Like a wave dissolving into the shore.
Like a feather resting on still water.
You drift.
Weightless.
Melting into sleep and ease.
Embraced by deep nourishing rest.
