Take a moment to get yourself comfortable.
There's nothing you need to do,
Nowhere you need to go,
And nothing you need to fix right now.
This is simply a space to pause.
If your mind feels busy,
That's okay.
If your thoughts are still moving,
That is normal.
We are not here to silence the mind,
Only to let it soften.
You might like to gently close your eyes,
Or simply lower your gaze,
And begin by noticing your breath,
Just as it is.
No need to change it,
No need to slow it down.
Just notice the rhythm of breathing in,
And breathing out.
Often when the mind will not switch off,
It's because it believes it still needs to stay alert,
Still needs to watch,
Still needs to think things through.
So for now,
You can let your mind know this simple truth,
Nothing needs your attention in this moment,
You are safe to rest.
As you breathe in,
Imagine that breath creating a little more space inside you.
As you breathe out,
Imagine any tightness easing just slightly,
Not disappearing,
Just softening.
Your thoughts may still come and go,
And that's fine.
Each time you notice one,
You can gently say to yourself,
I will come back to this tomorrow.
You do not need to solve tonight what belongs to another day.
Now bring your awareness to your forehead.
Many people hold tension there without realising it.
So allow the skin across your forehead to smooth and soften.
Let your eyebrows relax.
Let your eyes resting gently in their sockets.
Your jaw unclenching,
Teeth no longer needing to touch.
If you notice the urge to swallow or sigh or shift slightly,
Allow it.
Your body knows how to settle when given permission.
Bring your attention down to your shoulders.
If they have been carrying the weight of the day,
Imagine them gently dropping,
As if something you were holding can finally be set down.
You have done enough for today.
Let that feeling of ease move down your arms,
Into your hands.
Your fingers loosening,
Palms soft and open.
And now notice your chest and your breath moving there.
You do not need to breathe deeply.
Just notice the gentle rise and fall.
With each breath,
Imagine your nervous system receiving the message that it is safe.
Safe to slow down.
Safe to let go.
Sometimes the mind stays busy because it has not yet received reassurance.
So you can now offer it now,
Quietly and kindly.
You may say to yourself,
I am allowed to rest.
There is nothing I need to figure out tonight.
I can let my body take over now.
Let those words land in whatever way feels right.
Bring your attention to your stomach.
If there is any tightness there,
Allow it to soften with the next breath out.
Your body does not need to hold itself right now.
The bed,
The chair,
The surface beneath you is doing that for you.
Feel the support underneath you.
You are being held.
Allow this sense of support to move you in to a deep and calm,
Relaxed moment.
That support moving into your hips,
Your legs,
Your feet,
And all the way down to the tips of your toes.
Your whole body now has permission to rest.
If your mind tries to pull you back into planning,
Remembering,
Or worrying,
That is okay.
Each time you can gently bring it back to the feeling of being supported.
Nothing is required of you in this moment.
Now imagine your thoughts like clouds passing slowly across the sky.
You do not need to chase them.
You do not need to push them away.
Just notice them drifting by,
One at a time,
While the sky itself remains calm and steady.
You are the sky,
Not the clouds.
And as the body relaxes more deeply,
The mind can begin to follow.
Not by force,
By choice.
You might notice moments of quiet appearing naturally between thoughts,
Little gaps of stillness.
There is no need to hold on to them.
They will become in their own way.
They will go in their own time.
If sleep arrives,
You can allow it.
If it does not,
That's okay too.
Rest is still happening here.
Sometimes the most powerful rest comes from removing the pressure to sleep.
So for now,
You can simply rest in this space.
Breathing.
Softening.
Letting go.
You might like to repeat quietly to yourself.
I am safe.
I have done enough for today.
I can rest now.
And if your awareness begins to drift,
That's a sign that your mind and body are settling together.
There is nothing more you need to listen for.
Nothing you need to remember.
You can allow my words to fade into the background.
As you continue resting in your own time,
In your own way.
And whether you drift into sleep quickly or slowly,
Know that this moment of rest is enough.
You are allowed to switch off now.
You are allowed to rest.
Good night.
