Good evening everyone.
My name is Ananda Nelson and this is Seated Sessions.
And our meditation tonight is an evening nighttime wind down sleep meditation.
It's important for us to honor the day as it came but also not to carry it with us into sleep
although it is our brain's duty to process the day as we rest to not bring anything
that may be still holding yourself back in the past of the day.
So allow yourself to hopefully get comfortable in bed.
Of course you can do this sitting up
or lying down but for the purpose of falling asleep perhaps best to lay down but whatever
that works most comfortably for you.
Allowing your body to be fully supported
and if you can just make sure that your body and your head is as straight as it can be.
If you get too comfortable on your side you may too easily fall asleep.
So whenever you're ready just lying down
and going ahead and taking a nice gentle but deep breath in through your nose if you can.
Slow and steady inhaling
and exhaling.
Letting it go.
Fully inhaling and again through your nose
and letting it go.
Deep inhale and again seeing if you can expand your belly with that breath.
Slowly and steadily exhaling
and on your next inhale see if you can breathe deeply into the bottom of your stomach
and breathing into your kidneys.
In traditional Chinese medicine the breath roots itself in the
kidneys and the kidneys hold fear,
Dread,
Some of those deeper anxiety provoking emotions.
So if we can breathe more deeply allowing that breath to take root we can allow the body to
regulate that much more easily.
So breathing deep into the bottom of the belly into the kidneys if
you can and then letting it go gently and allowing your breath to be regular but stable.
Allowing your body to simply relax.
Letting all of the muscles in your hands and your feet relax.
Letting all of the muscles in your legs rest.
Let your eyebrows come down.
Unclench your jaw and your mouth
and anywhere that you might be holding yourself up physically just let go.
Let your body just sort of hang,
Resting,
Being in a deeper state of physical surrender.
And just notice if there's any heaviness or tenderness around the heart,
Perhaps any energy of overwhelm.
Just acknowledge whatever that may be there.
Knowing that the breath and the stillness can help to transmute those uncomfortable feelings.
So just breathing deeply into the heart
and if there's anything on your heart that maybe only comes up at night
that perhaps you need to process.
You have two choices.
You can acknowledge that you know that it's there
and perhaps spend a minute or two just processing that.
Being with it.
Or you can acknowledge it but perhaps you don't have the energy to fully give to it
right now that you can come back to it tomorrow but that you can still sleep.
And I want you to bring your awareness into your mind,
Into your mental space.
And just asking yourself quietly in your mind,
How did I live today?
How did I show up in the world today?
What's my favorite memory?
Just bringing a sense of sacredness and full circle to the day.
That each day is an opportunity to be well lived.
Whether that's enjoy,
Play,
Service,
Adventure or just getting things done.
How did I live today?
And is there anything that you need to let go of before drifting into rest?
Anything that you need to forgive yourself for or release yourself from?
Is there anywhere that you need to take accountability for?
Taking accountability in a sense that you can have peace,
Knowing that you would know what to do better tomorrow.
And even if you don't know yet,
It's coming.
Offer yourself that forgiveness.
And if you're someone who tends to be hard on themselves,
Just let go.
You deserve to rest fully and easily.
And when you're ready,
Just tuning in to the soul,
Spirit and essence of you.
Knowing that your consciousness will shift as you go into rest.
And we don't know where our souls go to play when we sleep.
But asking that you be guided and protected.
That you are safe to fully and deeply rest.
And calling forth your higher power or higher essence,
God,
Divine.
And just asking that your body repair in the most optimal fashion while you rest.
That you wake up feeling refreshed and renewed.
That your brain and heart can process these things that might be too challenging to do consciously.
That all aspects of you can integrate during this period of rest.
And just giving gratitude in advance for this rest.
As this rest will offer you the opportunity to be the best version of you upon waking,
Upon rising.
So just affirm with your body,
With your mind,
With your soul.
With your mind and heart.
It's safe for me to surrender and to rest now.
I deserve this rest.
And the intention here is that we will be in the stillness for a bit together.
But then the music will end and you will be drifted into sleep.
You'll be drifted into a more surrendered,
Relaxed state.
So just allow yourself,
Your body,
To let go.
Deeper and deeper with each passing moment.
Allowing the rejuvenation process to already begin.
May you rest peacefully.
May you rest safely.
May you always be loved.
