Welcome to this meditation for inviting you to wind down.
And for signaling to your nervous system that it's time to rest and restore.
And move into sleep.
When you're ready.
Allowing yourself to settle in,
In whatever way feels right for the body right now.
You might allow your eyes to close or gaze to soften.
And beginning to orient to the space around you.
By bringing to mind the room where you are.
Even with the eyes closed.
Imagining the walls.
Ceiling around you.
The floor beneath you.
The bed supporting you.
The blankets resting softly against the body.
You might shift to noticing the sounds in your environment.
This gentle orienting can be a way of signaling to your nervous system.
That you are here.
That you are settling into rest.
Nowhere to be.
Nothing to do.
Just being here.
If it feels right beginning to invite a slightly slower breath.
Breathing in through the nose.
And allowing a long,
Easy breath out.
And breath in.
Breath out.
Not forcing the breath,
Just allowing it to soften.
Breathing in ease.
Breathing out,
Releasing.
Breathing in,
Nourishing the body.
Breathing out,
Releasing what doesn't serve you.
And in the next few breath cycles.
Allowing your breath to come back to its natural rhythm and pace.
Just noticing the breath as it is.
Breathing in,
Knowing that you are breathing in.
Breathing out knowing that you are breathing out.
Just allowing the breath to move through you like a gentle breeze.
Noticing the rise and fall of the belly or chest.
The body breathing itself.
And as you begin to settle.
You're inviting a deeper sense of safety.
For the nervous system.
A gentle reminder for the body and mind.
In this moment.
It does not need to brace.
Or prepare.
Sensing into the body being held by the surface beneath you.
Without you having to do a thing.
And now bringing your awareness to the soles of the feet.
And simply noticing what's here.
You might notice sensations of warmth.
Or coolness.
Tingling or heaviness.
Or maybe very little sensation at all.
Without creating a story about what you notice.
Simply noticing.
Allowing awareness to slowly move to the ankles.
Again noticing whatever sensations are present here.
And gradually allowing your attention to travel upward through the lower legs.
The knees.
Thighs.
Nothing pushed away.
Nothing forced to relax.
Just an invitation.
Continuing to sweep your awareness through the hips.
The belly.
Chest.
Perhaps noticing once again the quiet motion of the breath.
Arising.
And falling.
Like a gentle tide moving through the body.
When the mind wanders as minds do.
Gently noticing.
And then returning to sensation.
Breathing.
To the feeling of being supported here.
Awareness flowing now through the shoulders.
The arms.
.
.
The hand.
The lower back.
Mid-back.
And upper back.
Sweeping around to the neck.
The jaw.
The muscles around the eyes.
And the forehead.
Inviting a little more space.
A little less holding.
And as the whole body settles more deeply into the support beneath you.
The nervous system too.
Is beginning to settle into a little more ease.
And into healing.
There's nothing to do now.
Just this breath.
Just this moment.
Trusting your body's own natural rhythm.
Of simply being.
And as you're ready.
Allowing the words to soften into the background.
Leaving more space for quiet.
And over time.
Without effort.
Beginning to drift more deeply into sleep.
