Hi,
Thanks for being here,
For taking this time for yourself.
My name is Susan Cuttridge and I'm so glad you're here.
Here's what this practice will look like.
I'm going to lead you through 10 steps designed as a series of restful suggestions to guide you through letting go of the day so you can more fully settle in for sleep and soften and quiet thoughts.
With each number during the countdown,
I hope you find yourself more and more relaxed and sleepy.
I've chosen a countdown because they tend to support cognitive shifting.
That refers to the ability to shift focus from one mental state to another,
In this case from alertness and doing,
To rest and simply being.
So in that regard,
Countdowns are useful for guiding the mind into deeper states of relaxation.
I believe that many of us have come to recognize countdowns as signaling transitions.
During the day,
We might associate them with preparing to act,
Launching into something new.
But at night,
When the countdown is slow and steady,
It cues the opposite.
As we move through the countdown,
Each number is like a gentle step towards sleep.
I invite you to soften your thoughts,
Relax your body,
And drift into sleep.
If you waken during the night and notice your mind starting to stir,
Simply press play again.
Allow your thoughts to float into the background.
Follow along with my voice so that you drift back to sleep.
Because this is your time to rest,
You don't have to figure anything out right now.
You're allowed to rest your body and simply listen until sleep finds you.
So settling into this moment,
Hopefully a room dark around you,
Your bed cozy,
The temperature just right,
And your blankets,
The perfect soothing weight on you,
Like a comforting hug.
Take a deep breath in,
Slowly release it out.
And let's begin.
As we tiptoe into number 10,
I invite you to scan through your day,
Beginning from when you woke up all the way through to this moment.
Just acknowledging anything that's lingering.
Go ahead now,
Scanning through the events of your day without pausing too long on any one moment,
Without sprinkling in judgment.
Just scanning through the events of your day until you arrive back at this moment,
You laying in bed,
Preparing for sleep.
Just noticing what's still with you,
Any bits of the day that feel unfinished,
Anything tugging at your mind or sitting a little heavy.
If it's okay,
Simply acknowledge it,
Then put an action plan around it.
So for example,
If you find yourself thinking about something from your day that feels unfinished,
Consider one small step you might take tomorrow to move it forward.
Sometimes our thoughts start to nag at us at night as if the mind is trying to make sure we don't forget,
But in so doing,
Those thoughts can get in the way of rest.
If that's happening for you right now,
Take a moment to jot down what you're thinking,
A quick night note on a piece of paper or on your phone.
If this simple act reassures your mind,
I've written it down,
I won't forget,
I can release that thought now.
This is my time to sleep.
Imagine a dimmer switch,
The kind that dims or brightens the lighting in a room.
At its highest setting,
The room is fully lit,
Everything is clearly visible,
And as you slowly begin to turn the dimmer switch down,
The lights become softer,
Warmer,
Until the room is bathed in a golden glow,
Like the light cast by the flame of candlelight.
This dimmer switch can be a helpful image for your mind at its brightest,
Where thoughts are active and alert,
Perfect for your waking hours.
But now it's time to rest,
So imagine turning that dimmer down a little at a time,
And a little more,
And as you do,
Notice how your thoughts begin to soften and fade,
Their edges blurring,
Their energy quieting.
You don't need to solve or plan or remember anything right now,
This is your time to relax,
To let go,
To sleep.
You've done enough for today,
Tomorrow will bring with it a fresh start,
A rested mind,
Renewed energy.
Tonight,
You can rest.
Now,
Connect with the sensation of your body resting in bed,
Feel the weight of your head on the pillow,
Your body gently cradled in comfort,
Cozy,
Supported,
Ready for sleep.
Now,
Allow your awareness to gently shift now to the quality of your breath.
Notice how your belly softly rises as you breathe in,
And the gentle warmth of air to your nostrils as you breathe out.
And as you inhale in,
Silently say to yourself,
I am breathing in.
And as you exhale,
I am breathing out.
Keep breathing like that now,
I am breathing in.
And as you exhale,
I am breathing out.
Let yourself settle into the rhythm of your breath,
A quiet,
Steady rhythm.
Your breath is the very best medicine.
When we deepen the breath even slightly,
It signals the nervous system to move out of alertness and into a sense of safety.
In that way,
It's almost like your very own inner calm button,
Beginning to turn down tension and tuning in to rest.
With each breath,
Your body releases a little more,
A little more.
Relaxing,
Softening,
Releasing.
7.
I'd like to invite you now to bring to your mind 3 things from your day that you feel grateful for.
These don't have to be big or extraordinary.
Perhaps a quiet pause during a busy moment,
A kind word that offered comfort,
Or the simple beauty of the sunset that gave you pause.
Let that gratitude settle into your body.
You might feel warmth in your chest,
A softening in your shoulders,
Or a smile playing at the edges of your mouth.
Connecting with gratitude has a magical sort of way of opening our hearts,
Connecting us with lightness,
Ease.
8.
Even on difficult days,
Moments of gratitude can coexist.
Because gratitude isn't about pretending everything is perfect.
It's about noticing the small joys,
Even when things feel hard.
Reflecting once more on those 3 moments of gratitude,
Noticing how,
As you do so,
Your body releases just a bit more,
Softening,
Relaxing.
Tiptoeing into number 6,
I invite you to bask in loving kindness.
Repeat the following lines,
Directing them to yourself,
And allowing the words to settle deep into your heart.
With each sentence,
Picture yourself fully living what you hear,
Embodying it to the best of your ability.
7.
May I be healthy.
May I be safe.
May I feel happiness.
May I love myself just as I am.
8.
May I include myself in my kindness.
Deep breath in.
Slowly exhale out.
Now think of someone you care about.
9.
Imagine what their life would be like with loving kindness in it.
Repeat the following lines,
Directing them to that person.
Wishing these things for them,
From your heart to theirs.
May you be healthy.
May you be safe.
May you feel happiness.
May you know you are loved.
May you love yourself just as you are.
Feel the warmth of those wishes lingering in your heart.
Like a soothing lullaby.
Noticing your breath,
Full and deep.
Your body comfortably supported by your bed.
Your whole body relaxed.
Sinking further into comfort.
Into stillness.
Into stillness.
With the warm glow of gratitude in your body,
We can use a body scan to shift your body into even deeper relaxation.
Because our body holds emotion,
The body scan can serve as a way to notice where we are holding it,
And once we notice,
We can start to soften.
To release it.
Alright,
I'm going to guide your attention through your body,
All alone,
Letting your awareness rest in each area.
No judgement,
Just kind curiosity of what your body is holding and releasing as you breathe in.
And as you exhale out,
Starting with awareness at the top of your head,
Slowly shift your focus downward to your face,
Your jaw,
Shoulders,
Just noticing what's there,
Any holding,
Any subtle tension,
Without judgement.
Now your upper back.
Notice if there are any places that feel tight or tender.
Allowing your awareness to rest there for a moment.
And as you exhale out,
Releasing even just 5% of what was there.
Shifting your awareness from your arms to your hands,
Your fingers.
If there's tension,
Imagine it melting like ice under warm sunlight.
Bring your attention to your chest,
Feeling the gentle rise and fall as you breathe in,
And as you breathe out.
If there's a spot that's whispering for a little care,
Breathe into it,
And slowly exhale out.
Now noticing your thighs,
Just noticing what's there.
With each breath in,
And out,
Your body settles into rest,
A little more relaxed,
Supported,
At ease,
Your whole body relaxed.
4.
Imagine now a radiant stream of white light originating from the universe and flowing in from above your body.
This light is warm,
Like a ray of sunlight,
And full of peaceful energy.
5.
Picture it with your best imagination,
Beginning at the top of your head,
Downward,
Like a cascading waterfall of calm,
Enveloping your whole body,
Releasing tension,
Soothing muscles,
And quieting your nerves.
You might like to picture this beautiful light wrapping you in a soft glow,
Like moonlight,
Or a comfortable blanket.
Allow that peaceful white light to envelop your whole body,
Leaving behind any heavy bits from the day,
Caring for you with its calm,
Soothing energy.
3.
Enjoying the stillness of your mind,
Noticing how natural it feels to follow along with the countdown,
Each number guiding you further into rest,
Through each step of relaxing and releasing tension.
4.
If your mind wanders,
That's okay,
It happens to everyone.
If it helps,
Imagine those thoughts,
Like clouds drifting through the sky,
That you notice and allow to pass.
5.
That can be a pretty beautiful bit of imagery,
Let's try it together now.
Picture yourself laying on a soft blanket,
In the grass,
On a warm summer day.
Above you,
The sky stretches wide and clear.
A calm breeze stirs the air,
And you notice how the clouds seem to float by the easy.
They shift,
They change shape,
They drift slowly by.
6.
You just watch.
You don't need to chase them,
Or hold on to them,
Or give them meaning.
You just observe,
Watching as they float across the sky.
7.
Your breath is as expansive as the sky,
And your thoughts are just passing you through.
Invite into your heart a sleep-focused affirmation,
An intention to gently guide your mind toward rest,
To remind your body that it's safe to let go.
I'll offer you a few.
Try them out in the quiet of your mind,
Repeating each one to yourself,
And noticing which one resonates most tonight.
8.
This is my time to sleep.
I give myself permission to rest.
I trust my body to guide me into sleep.
With each breath,
I'm drifting closer to sleep.
9.
It's okay to set the day down.
I deserve this nourishing rest.
Tomorrow is a new day,
And I will greet it with new energy.
Resting now prepares me for tomorrow.
Rest is an act of kindness to myself.
10.
I welcome tomorrow by resting fully now.
Let these words settle gently into your being,
Like a soft lullaby for your nervous system.
And now you've made it all the way down to number one.
11.
By now,
You are deeply relaxed,
At ease,
Ready for sleep.
You may even already be asleep.
I hope you are.
You've done all the things today,
And now you can drift off into the most peaceful dreamland.
Know that you will sleep deeply.
You will awaken refreshed,
Restored,
Energized for tomorrow.
You are worthy of rest and care.
You are enough just as you are.
12.
Snuggle in a little deeper into the cozy comfort of your bed,
Your whole body relaxed.
If you find yourself awakening in the night,
Know that you can just press play again,
Following along until your mind settles again and you drift back to sleep.
Because looking is for tomorrow,
Right now is only for sleep.
Good night and sweet dreams friend.
