Let's prepare for a night of deep and healing rest.
So when we wake,
We feel restored and ready to step into a new day.
I recommend laying down on your back,
Maybe even cozying up in bed.
You're welcome to use any pillows or props to support your body and allow for a sense of comfort and surrender.
Intentionally place your legs and arms,
Hands resting either on your body or out to the sides with your palms face up.
Take your gaze to one point of the ceiling and bring a deep breath in.
And as you gently release the breath,
Allow your eyes to close with the same ease.
The day is over.
It is behind you and tomorrow we begin again.
And now we are right here.
There is nowhere else to be,
Nothing else to do,
But farewell the day through the movement and presence of our breath.
With your eyes closed,
Take a moment to connect in with the natural rhythm of your breath.
Perhaps you notice the breath naturally begin to slow.
Each new exhale allowing you to soften a little more into the moment.
Take your attention now to the soles of your feet.
Without moving your feet,
Can you be aware of the sensations in this part of your body?
Can you become aware of the toes,
The tops of your feet?
Can you shift your attention to the space of your ankles now?
Moving your attention up through your calves and shins.
Landing in the knees,
Noticing the space of your knees.
Continue to shift your attention up your body into the space of your thighs,
Noticing the whole circumference of your thighs,
Your inner thighs,
The tops of your thighs,
Your outer thighs,
The backs of your legs,
The hamstrings.
Shifting your attention up into the space of your pelvis,
Noticing not just the space of your pelvis,
But the weight of your pelvis.
Notice how it heavies down beneath you.
Continue to take your attention up through the low back and low belly,
Through the waistline into the chest and upper back.
Allowing your attention to spill up and over through the shoulders,
Down the arms into the elbows,
Through the forearms,
The wrists landing into your hands,
Noticing the backs of your hands,
Noticing the fingers,
Noticing the palms of the hands,
What can you sense Allow the light of your attention now to shift back up through the arms,
Landing in the space of your neck,
From the base of your neck all the way up into the jaw,
And then towards the back of the skull and notice the weight of your head as it rests beneath you,
Feeling to the crown of your head,
Up and over into your forehead,
And then allow your attention to gently trace the features of your face,
Your eyebrows,
Your eyes,
Traveling down the nose,
Becoming aware of both nostrils,
Aware of the space of your mouth,
Noticing your tongue as it gently rests against the roof of your mouth,
Becoming aware of your teeth and the natural part between your upper and lower jaw.
Can you become aware of your lips,
The parts of your lips that are perhaps touching,
The parts of your lips that are gently separated,
And then allow your attention to drop down towards your chin,
And to trace your jawline up to your ears,
Noticing the space of your ears,
And then all at once,
Can you become aware of your whole body,
From the tips of your toes to the crown of your head,
Aware of your entire physical being,
And with your attention on your whole body,
Imagine that each new breath in is scanning the body for any energetic debris left over from your day,
With every exhale allowing it to be easefully carried out and released.
There's nothing you need to do to make this happen,
The breath can do the work for you.
Just be present with the sensations of your body,
And the movement of your breath,
The inhale searching for any remnants of your day,
Any conversations that you're still holding on to,
Any specific moments,
Anything that you no longer wish to carry,
Or perhaps that which was not yours to carry to begin with.
Each new breath cycle offering you a deeper chance to surrender,
A new opportunity to release,
A greater moment to rest.
Perhaps in this moment,
You allow yourself to slip off into a restful night's sleep.
Sweet dreams.