Welcome.
So to begin,
Find a comfortable position lying down and allow your legs to fall naturally apart.
Your arms resting a little away from your body and palms facing up if that feels comfortable.
Gently closing down the eyes.
And before we do anything,
Just take a few moments here to arrive.
To acknowledge that this time is yours.
The day is done.
Whatever happened today,
You don't need to carry it any further right now.
Just let yourself be here.
We'll begin with a few intentional breaths to signal to your body that it's safe to let go.
Take a long slow breath in through your nose,
Filling the belly first and then chest.
Then a long slow exhale through your mouth,
Longer than the inhale.
Again,
Breathing in belly,
Chest and breathing out slowly and completely.
And one more time in through the nose and out through the mouth.
Letting the exhale carry a little sound if it wants to,
A sigh,
A release.
And now let your breathing fall into its natural rhythm.
You don't need to control it anymore.
Just let it breathe you.
We're going to move slowly through the body.
And with each area,
You'll simply bring your attention there.
Breathe into it and let it melt.
There is nothing to force,
Just soft,
Curious awareness.
So beginning at the top of your head,
Notice the scalp,
The skin across the forehead.
Let it soften.
Let any tension there dissolve.
Feel the muscles around your eyes relax.
The jaw,
Let it drop softly.
Your lips may part and that's fine.
Now breathe into your face and as you exhale,
Feel yourself melting into the pillow or the neck,
The throat.
Notice if there's any holding here,
Any bracing.
Breathe into it and let it soften.
The shoulders,
This is where so many of us carry the weight of the day.
Breathe in and on your exhale,
Let the shoulders fall.
Let them be heavy.
There's nowhere to go,
Nothing to hold up.
Your upper arms,
Elbows,
Forearms,
Wrists,
Hands,
Fingers.
Let each part become heavy,
Warm and still.
Like your arms are slowly sinking into the surface beneath you.
Bring your awareness now to your chest,
Your heart space.
Notice the rise and fall with each breath.
You don't need to breathe deeply,
Just notice and soften,
Letting the chest open a little.
Whatever the belly is holding,
Stress or tightness or busyness,
Breathe into it and let it go,
Letting the belly be soft and full.
Your lower back,
For many of us this area holds a great deal.
So breathe warmth into the lower back and imagine the muscles there becoming loose,
Releasing their grip.
The hips,
The pelvis,
Let them be heavy,
Completely supported.
No need to hold anything up.
Your thighs,
The muscles of the legs,
Breathe into them and let them melt.
Knees,
Calves and shins,
Breathing out tension with every exhale.
And finally the feet,
The soles of the feet and the toes,
Letting go of the last bit of the day through the soles of your feet.
And your whole body now,
Heavy,
Warm,
Melting.
And stay here for a moment,
Just being,
Just breathing.
You might notice thought.
When you notice the thought,
You don't need to engage with it.
Simply return your attention to the heaviness of your body and to the support beneath you.
Let the surface you're lying on hold you completely.
You don't have to do anything.
You don't have to be anyone.
You can simply be a body at rest.
And with every breath out,
You go a little deeper,
A little more still,
A little more surrendered.
And this isn't on consciousness,
This is conscious rest.
You are here,
Present and deeply at ease.
And stay with the feeling for as long as you like.
Let sleep come naturally when it's ready.
There's no rush.
You're safe.
You are here.
Take one more slow,
Deep breath in.
And breathe out completely.
Goodnight.
