Welcome.
If you are here because the first trimester fatigue has brought you to your knees.
I'm really glad you found this practice and I am right there with you.
As a mother of two currently navigating the first trimester with my third,
I know with the kind of exhaustion you're carrying.
Because I feel it too.
It's not the kind of tiredness that comes after a late night,
It's that cell-deep exhaustion that can make even the smallest task feel overwhelming.
So if that's where you are today.
You are exactly what you need to be.
If you're not already lying down.
Arrange your body in a way that feels comfortable,
Supported.
And that offers you a sense of surrender.
Right now,
Your body is doing extraordinary work behind the scenes.
Much of that work feels invisible,
But it is real.
And today we are going to work with your biology instead of against it.
This practice is called non-sleep deep rest or NSDR.
Research suggests that around 20 minutes of deep rest can help support your nervous system,
Restore your energy,
And improve alertness without making it harder to sleep tonight.
So if sleep comes,
It is welcome.
But if you remain awake,
That is perfectly okay.
The rest is valuable.
Make any adjustments to your body that you need.
And if you haven't already.
Gently close your eyes.
Take a slow,
Comfortable breath in through your nose.
And as you exhale,
I'd like you to imagine you are gently breathing out through a straw.
Long,
Slow.
Easy exhale.
Again,
Breathing in comfortably.
And slowly breathing out through that imaginary straw as though you're trying not to disturb the flame of a candle.
One more time.
Breathing in.
And a soft,
Unhurried exhale.
You can release that technique and allow your breath now to settle into a natural rhythm.
There is nothing to force,
Nothing to achieve,
Nothing to get right.
Just allowing your body.
To surrender.
As your breath settles.
Naturally and easily,
In and out.
Of your tired bones.
You may notice your mind wanting to do something.
To plan,
To solve.
To think about what's waiting.
If that happens,
Your mind is doing what most of our minds do.
So simply notice it.
And then return your attention back.
To the soft sensations of your steadying breath.
And remember that this moment of rest is allowing your body to be productive in a way that constant doing never could.
Your body is not asking you to do more.
It is simply asking for the space to do the extraordinary work that only it can do.
So for this time together.
Let rest be your contribution.
Bring your attention now to your forehead.
And allow this space to soften.
Feeling that same softness slowly spread across your face.
Bring your awareness to your eyes.
And allow them to become heavy inside their sockets.
As you notice the tiny muscles around your eyes soften.
Allow your cheeks to soften.
Allow your lips to soften.
Allow the tension in your jaw to release.
As your neck relaxes.
And your shoulders become heavy.
Feel your shoulders melting into the surface beneath you.
And allow that softness to travel down your arms.
That sense of surrender to make its way into your elbows.
And your wrist.
Your hands.
Feel your chest soften.
Your belly completely relaxed.
Nothing to hold in,
Nothing to brace against.
Feel the weight of your hips.
As they heavy into the surface beneath you.
And the way that softening and heavying.
Makes its way down your thighs.
Your knees.
Your calves.
Your ankles.
Your feet.
Notice how the surface beneath you is holding your entire body.
You don't have to hold yourself up anymore.
Allow yourself to succumb.
To that exchange of support.
And surrender.
Continue resting exactly as you are.
Body heavy.
Breath steady.
Mind slowing.
There is nothing to do in this moment.
Nothing to fix.
You are allowed to rest now.
You are resting now.
Heavy now.
Steadying.
Now.
Slowing.
You are giving your body.
A chance to be productive.
In only the ways that rest can allow it to be.
If thoughts come.
Let them come.
If they pass.
Let them pass.
Because there is no pressure here.
No way that you need to be.
We are simply giving ourselves.
Of space.
And time.
To feel effortless.
A subtle pull of gravity.
Continues to gather you into the support beneath you.
Allowing any remaining tension in your body to soften.
Fully held.
Fully supported.
Fully.
Surrendered.
Gently notice if and where your attention has drifted.
And without rushing.
Simply let your attention return.
The sensations of your heavy body.
To this subtle movement.
Of your subtle breathing.
Bring a slightly fuller breath in.
And let it go.
Invite small movements into your fingers and your toes.
Perhaps rolling through your wrists and ankles.
Rocking on the back of your head,
Taking it left and right.
And if it feels good taking a big stretch.
Arms overhead,
Getting long from the fingertips to the feet.
Before releasing all the energy of your body with a big emptying breath.
Take a moment to notice how you feel.
And whatever you notice.
Knowing that it is enough.
Knowing that this was not time away from what matters.
This was time supporting what matters most.
Perhaps you can carry that sense of gentleness with you into the rest of your day.
And whenever you're ready.
You can gently blink your eyes open.
