Welcome,
This is Natalie.
Sometimes the body stays in protection mode long after the day is over.
Even while trying to rest,
There can still be a subtle sense of holding.
Embracing,
Or staying prepared.
And over time,
The body can forget what it feels like to fully soften.
Tonight,
We're simply allowing the body to slowly release what it no longer needs to carry.
So your system can remember that it is safe to rest.
There is nothing you need to do or force right now.
Just lie back and relax.
Let yourself be guided.
Before we begin to soften more deeply,
Just take a moment to notice that you're here.
Lying safely beneath the covers.
With nothing to prepare for right now.
Notice the feeling of the surface beneath you.
Supporting your body.
And gently notice the coolness of the inhale.
Entering through your nose.
And the warmth of the exhale leaving the body.
Nothing to change.
Just noticing.
Now,
Very gently,
Curl your hands.
In two fists.
Just enough to notice the holding.
Curl your hands into fists.
And now,
Slowly release.
Feel the difference between holding and letting go.
Now,
Gently curl your toes.
Curl your toes and notice the tension.
And then release.
Let your feet soften.
Now,
Take a slow,
Deep breath in through your nose.
Filling the body completely.
And exhale through the mouth with a soft sigh.
Ah.
Again,
Inhale deeply,
Creating a little more space inside.
And exhale slowly,
Letting the body loosen.
One more time,
Breathing in deeply.
And sighing it out,
Releasing the weight of the day.
Ahhhh.
Now let your breath return to its natural rhythm.
No effort.
No controlling.
Notice how the body already feels just a little softer.
As if something inside you has started to loosen.
Your jaw unclenches.
Your shoulders drop down.
Your belly,
Let's go.
No longer needing to brace.
And with every exhale,
The body,
Can soften.
Hello everyone.
More.
Now we begin to move through the body.
Slowly.
Gently.
Allowing awareness to travel.
And the body to soften.
Bring your awareness to the right hand.
The right thumb.
Index finger.
Middle finger.
Ring finger.
Little finger.
Palm of the right hand.
Back of the right hand.
Right wrist.
Right forearm.
Right elbow.
Right upper arm.
Right shoulder.
Feel the entire right arm.
Heavy.
Softening into the blanket.
No longer needing to hold.
Now bring your awareness to the right chest.
Right waist.
Right hip.
Right thigh.
Right knee.
Right lower leg.
Right ankle.
Right heel.
Soul off the right foot.
Top of the right foot.
Right big toe.
The second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Little toe.
And now,
Feel the entire right side of the body.
Saphanim.
Settling.
Letting go.
The entire right side of the body.
Now,
Moving to the left hand.
Left thumb.
Index finger.
Middle finger.
Ring finger.
Little finger.
Palm of the left hand.
Back of the left hand.
Left wrist.
Left forearm.
Left elbow.
Left upper arm.
Left shoulder.
Feel the entire left arm.
Heavy.
Support it.
Resting into the bed.
Now,
Move your awareness to the left side of the chest.
Left waist.
Left hip.
Left thigh.
Left knee.
Left lower leg.
Left ankle.
Left heel.
Soul of the left foot.
Top of the left foot.
Left big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth,
Two.
Little toe.
Feel the entire left side of the body.
Soft.
Loose.
And holding.
The entire left side of the body.
Now bring awareness to the back of the body.
Back of the head.
The neck.
Shoulder blades.
Spine.
Lower back.
Back of the hips.
The backs of the legs.
Coughs.
Shields.
Feel how the whole back body is being supported.
You do not need.
To hold yourself up.
Now,
Bring awareness to the face.
A chin.
Lower lip.
Upper lip.
The space between the lips.
Of her teeth.
Lower teeth.
Teeth no longer touching.
The tongue softening.
The tip of the tongue.
The root of the tongue.
The whole tongue.
Resting heavily.
The cheeks softening.
The jaw unclenching.
All the tiny muscles behind the face.
Beginning to release.
So the eyes can sink back.
Deeper into their sockets.
The eyelids becoming heavy.
Temples softening.
The eyebrows,
Relaxing.
The space between the eyebrows.
Smooth.
Why?
Soft.
The forehead relaxing.
The scalp,
Heavy.
The whole head softening.
Now,
Feel the whole body.
The entire body.
Resting here.
The head.
The torso.
Both arms.
Both legs.
A breath.
One complete feel.
Of rest.
One complete feel.
Of relaxation.
Heavy.
Softening.
Support it.
As if the whole body.
Slowly sinking.
Sinking deeper.
And deeper.
Into the support.
Beneath you.
Nothing to hold.
Nothing to prepare for.
Just resting.
Now,
Feel the whole body resting here.
With nothing left to hold.
And notice.
How with every exhale.
Body.
Begins to soften.
Not by force.
But naturally.
As if the body is slowly releasing.
An old grip.
Tonight.
There is nothing you need to brace against.
So with every exhale.
Allow the body.
To soften.
To uncurl.
To loosen.
As if a layer of armor.
Is becoming softer.
Inhale gently.
Creating a little space.
Exhale,
Softening the grip.
Inhale a little more space.
Exhale,
Loosening.
Inhale.
Soft space inside the body.
Exhale,
The armor softens.
Inhale,
Gentle space.
Exhale,
The body uncurls.
Uncurling.
Softening.
Loosening.
With every breath.
As if the body.
No longer needs to fold in on itself.
Inhale space.
Exhale,
Release.
Inhale,
Soft openness.
Exhale,
Letting go.
Softening.
Uncurling.
Releasing.
Again.
Softening.
Uncurling.
Releasing.
The body becoming heavier.
The breath slower.
The nervous system,
Remembering.
That it is safe.
To rest.
Safe to soften.
Safe.
To let go.
Now there is nothing more to do.
Body already knows.
How to soften.
How to settle.
How to return.
You do not need to guide the process anymore.
Your body is ready.
Unwinding.
On its own.
Nothing to hold.
The nervous system.
Can continue to soften.
Even and stillness.
Even and silent.
And now.
Very slowly.
Begin to notice the body.
Once again.
The surface beneath you.
Of supporting you.
The gentle weight of your body.
The natural rhythm of your breath.
Notice the space around you.
The room you're in.
The air against your skin.
Without rushing,
Simply becoming aware of where you are.
And notice that,
Even now,
Something inside the body may already feel a little softer.
A little less brace.
A little more subtle.
Every time you allow the body to soften in this way.
You strengthen its ability to return to this place again.
To move out of tension and back into rest.
And with practice,
The body begins to remember that safety is possible.
You can return to this feeling whenever you need.
Through the breath.
Through awareness,
Through softening.
Now slowly begin to invite small movements back into the body.
Perhaps wiggling the fingers.
Toes.
Maybe gently rolling the shoulders.
Or taking a deeper breath.
And when you feel ready,
Slowly opening the eyes.
Returning gently,
Bringing this softness with you.
This is Natalie,
And thank you so much.
For practicing with me.
