Welcome,
Dear one.
It is time to wind down for sacred sleep.
So find yourself in a comfortable position,
Allowing your body to settle into the support beneath you.
There's nothing you need to do right now.
Nowhere you need to be.
Just this quiet moment,
This breath,
This preparation for rest.
Begin by simply noticing your breath.
No need to change it.
Just observing the gentle rise and fall of your chest,
The soft rhythm that's been with you all day long,
The breath carrying you through every moment,
And now carrying you into rest.
Allow your breath to slow,
Feeling it fill your lungs and release,
Letting the day begin to soften around you,
Softening at the edges,
Softening into sleep.
Breathing in,
Breathing out.
A little deeper now,
A little slower.
With each exhale,
Imagine you're releasing the weight of the day.
Exhaling,
Releasing all the doing,
Releasing all the thinking,
All the holding,
Just letting it go breath by breath.
And now let's gently review this day that's coming to a close.
Imagine yourself this morning in the early light,
Your first moments of waking.
Perhaps there was something beautiful there.
Maybe there was something challenging there.
Just notice your morning without judgment,
Without needing to change or fix anything.
This morning happened,
And now it's past.
See yourself moving through the middle of your day,
Noon and afternoon,
The fullness of your activities,
Conversations,
Tasks,
The feelings that arose.
Some moments may have been satisfying.
Maybe some were difficult.
Perhaps it was just an ordinary day.
All of it,
A day lived.
Just notice what's there and begin to let it go,
Like watching leaves floating down a stream,
Gently releasing the images of your day,
The stories of your day,
So you can rest.
And then your evening arrives in your memory,
The transition towards night.
What did your evening hold?
What did you carry here to rest?
Here you are now in the darkness,
In the sacred space of letting go and releasing for rest.
So as you scan back over your day,
If there were any tensions or misunderstandings,
Any frustrations or worries,
Imagine gathering them gently in your hands,
Acknowledging them,
Thanking them,
And then releasing them into the starlit sky,
Into the night.
They don't need to come with you into sleep.
You can set these stories or memories down.
And if there were moments of goodness today,
Kindness,
Laughter,
Connection,
Small victories,
Tuck those away like treasures in your heart.
Keep them close to remember tomorrow.
Your day is complete.
You've done enough.
You are enough.
So let's turn towards rest with some gentle truths to carry you into sleep.
You are safe in this moment.
Your body knows how to rest and restore.
You release what you cannot control.
You are worthy of deep,
Peaceful sleep.
Tomorrow will bring what it brings and you will meet it,
But not now.
Now is the time for rest.
Trust the night to hold you.
You are held.
You are enough.
And now let's invite the body to fully release just as the mind has released.
We'll start at the feet.
Bring awareness to your toes,
Your heels,
The soles of your feet.
Invite them to soften,
To let go of any holding,
Any tension.
Feel your feet becoming heavy,
Relaxed,
At peace,
Having walked you through your day.
Your ankles,
Your calves,
Your shins,
Releasing,
Softening,
Like ice melting into water.
Your knees,
Your thighs,
Front and back,
Letting go,
Feeling the weight of your legs sinking into the surface beneath you.
Nothing to hold,
Nothing to do.
Your hips,
Your lower back,
Your belly,
All softening,
Releasing any gripping,
Any tightness.
Let your belly be soft.
Let your lower back release.
Your chest,
Your ribs,
Expanding gently with the breath and releasing.
Your heart beating steadily,
Reliably,
Carrying you through.
Your shoulders,
Oh,
Your shoulders,
They've carried much.
Let them rest.
Let them be heavy.
Let them melt down away from your ears.
Release,
Release,
Release.
Your arms,
Your elbows,
Your forearms,
Your wrists,
All the way down to your fingertips.
Feel them becoming warm and heavy,
Releasing into rest.
Your neck,
The back of your head,
Letting go,
Supported,
Held.
Your jaw,
Unclenching,
Your tongue resting softly in your mouth,
Your face,
All the tiny muscles around your eyes,
Your forehead,
Smoothing,
Softening,
Releasing.
Your whole body now,
Heavy,
Relaxed,
Safe,
At peace.
And now,
Simply rest.
Let the breath breathe itself.
Let sleep come in its own time and way.
You are held by the night,
By the earth beneath you,
By the quiet dark.
There is nothing left to do.
Just rest,
And sweet dreams,
Dear one.
You
