Make yourself comfortable lying in your bed to support a deeper relaxation.
We're going to count backwards from ten twice in a row.
As we count we're going to close and open our eyes on alternating numbers.
For example open ten,
Close nine,
Open eight,
Close seven and so on.
As you do this you'll notice your eyes getting tired.
Allow them to remain closed when the time feels right.
Open ten,
Close nine,
Open eight,
Close seven,
Open six,
Close five,
Open four,
Close three.
Open ten,
Close nine,
Open eight,
Close seven,
Open six,
Close five,
Open four,
Close three,
Open two.
Take a deep breath in,
Hold at the top and a long slow breath out and again breathe in,
Holding at the top and a long slow breath out.
Release into the bed beneath you.
Feel how it supports you,
How it holds you.
Releasing into it.
You might like to do a little wriggle to settle in or notice whether it feels cozy or comforting.
Soften your eyes,
Let the muscles around your eyes relax so deeply that your eyes feel heavy and you're going deeper into your mind.
Soften your jaw,
Let your shoulders relax.
This is your time,
No need to impress or get stuff done.
No pressure to sleep or not to sleep,
To dream or not to dream.
Let thoughts carry you away or focus on my voice.
Just let happen what will happen,
Whatever comes naturally.
You might experience conscious thoughts,
Worries about the past,
Anxieties about the future and subconscious thoughts that happen automatically and you are aware of everything and yet you are not aware.
You are listening with your subconscious mind while your conscious mind is far away not listening.
Your conscious mind is unconscious of the fact that your conscious mind is not here and not listening.
You find yourself in a peaceful place,
A beautiful forest at night.
Standing in a clearing,
You might notice the soft earth beneath your feet.
Hear the gentle rustles of the leaves beside you.
See the stars and the moon shining above you.
Allow the sights and sounds of nature to ease your mind and deepen your relaxation.
Notice what you can see,
Hear,
Feel and smell.
In front of you,
You notice a gentle waterfall flowing into a pool of shimmering water.
You can feel the warm sleepy energy coming off it.
Standing near the waterfall,
Allow the thoughts of the day to come forth.
There might be worries,
Memories,
Planning for the next day or for the future.
Take a moment to sit with each thought,
Welcome them in and let your mind process.
One thought might feel the most important,
Knowing that you can come back to this thought tomorrow during the day.
So when you are ready,
Step under the waterfall,
Allowing the gentle warm water to wash the thought away.
As you do this,
You might notice your body relax more deeply,
Your mind might feel more free.
Do this for all the thoughts that need releasing,
Reminding yourself that you can come back to them at another time.
Allow the most important thoughts to come forth and allow them to wash away in the waterfall.
Once this feels complete,
You can relax down into the shimmering pool.
As you immerse yourself in this pool of water,
Feel the warm sleepy energy embracing your entire body,
Soothing every muscle and nerve.
Notice whether there's any part of you that is resistant towards sleep.
Are there any thoughts or feelings that are blocking it?
If there is,
Invite that part of you forward that has some resistance towards sleep.
If it had a feeling,
What feeling would it be?
It might be your scared part,
Anxious part,
Worried part,
Sad part,
Or any other feeling that feels true.
Welcome that part of you here,
Let it know you're ready to receive it.
Notice how it feels in your body when this part is active.
It might feel like tension or tightness in the chest or discomfort somewhere else in the body.
Are there any strong sensations you notice?
If this part had a color,
What color would it be?
If something represented this part,
What would it be?
It might be a shape,
Object,
Animal,
Or whatever comes to mind.
If this part had an age,
How old would it be?
Does it remind you of any feelings or experiences you've had before?
Often parts are active when they have something they want to notify us of.
Ask this part whether it has a message for you.
Ask this part what it wants for you.
Often it might be safety,
Protection from negative emotions.
What is its intention for you?
Ask this part whether it needs anything from you.
For example,
It might need rest,
Reassurance,
Unconditional love,
To feel heard,
Setting a boundary or another action.
If you can,
Take a moment to give this part what it needs.
If it's not available to you right now,
You can provide reassurance to this part of you that you will come back to it again in the daytime.
You'll be there for it and see if this part is willing to step back.
Thanking this part for coming forward,
For sharing with you this evening.
Bring your awareness back into the gentle warm water surrounding you.
Visualize the sleepy energy as a radiant shimmering mist gently penetrating your skin and permeating through every cell of your body.
You begin to descend down into the pool deeper and deeper until there's no longer any light.
Floating here,
You can feel the water supporting you from every angle,
Allowing stillness and deep rest.
Here you can allow all of your muscles to relax,
Starting from the top of your head.
Allow the water to soothe and relax the muscles in the forehead.
Feel any tightness or stress slowly melting away.
Shift your focus to your eyebrows,
Allowing them to let the muscles around your eyes soften,
Releasing any strain.
Bringing your attention to your cheeks and jaw,
Let them loosen completely,
Allowing your facial muscles to become soft and serene.
Slowly bring your awareness to your neck.
Visualize a gentle wave of relaxation flowing down,
Easing any tension held in this area.
Feel each breath nurturing this relaxation,
Inviting a sense of calmness.
Move your attention to your shoulders.
With each breath out,
Envision any stress or weight dissipating,
Leaving your shoulders feeling more at ease.
Shift your focus to your arms,
Starting from your upper arms,
Feeling them becoming pleasantly heavy and relaxed.
Relax your forearms and wrists,
Letting them rest comfortably.
Now notice your hands,
Allow each finger to unfurl,
Releasing any remaining tightness.
Feel a gentle sense of tranquility enveloping your hands.
As you breathe deeply,
Direct your attention to your chest.
Feel the rise and fall of your breath,
Allowing your chest to completely relax with each exhale.
Shift your focus to your belly,
Hips and pelvis.
Let go of any tension held here,
Allowing your belly to rise and fall naturally with your breath.
Now move down to your lower abdomen to loosen and direct your awareness to your upper legs.
Feel them becoming pleasantly heavy and releasing any remaining tension.
Shift your focus to your calves and then your feet.
Release any lingering tightness,
Letting your legs and feet feel completely at ease.
Feel your whole body sinking into a state of deep relaxation and rest.
If you might,
Invite sleep in,
Letting it know you're ready to receive it.
