Welcome to this meditation.
A meditation for you to relax and unwind at the end of your day.
You can listen to this meditation in the evening or any other time you feel the need to unwind and relax.
My name is Suzanne van der Goos and I will guide you for the next 15 minutes.
I invite you to be as comfortable as possible for this meditation.
You can either sit or lie down.
Feel what your body needs right now.
Finding your way in a comfortable position and gently closing your eyes.
Take your time to let all the activities from today settle down.
Maybe it feels like everything is still shaken up,
Still in motion,
Like a snow globe being shaken.
Just let everything slowly descend,
Don't try to force it.
Tension,
Stress and all the emotions and activities of a day need time to become still and settle.
Give your mind the time to slow down,
Slowly settling into stillness.
I invite you now to really connect with your body.
How does your body feel today?
Do you feel the contact your body makes with the cushion,
The bed,
The floor?
Maybe lower your shoulders a bit.
Let them relax.
Letting go of the burden your shoulders have been carrying all day.
And soften your face.
Relax your jaws,
Your eyes soft and friendly.
A little smile can help to relax the muscles in your face.
And let your forehead be open.
Feeling your hands?
Are they relaxed without tension?
Or are you closing them tightly,
Like you're still holding on to something?
Can you let your hands be open and receptive?
And also let your legs and feet relax.
Are you warm and comfortable?
Please make any adjustments necessary to be as comfortable as possible.
And settle back to stillness again.
Maybe even sink a bit deeper into the floor.
Letting go of all you've been carrying today.
Now bring your attention to your breath.
Maybe you feel the urge to sigh.
Letting go of all the built up energy and tension.
And that's okay.
Feel what you need right now.
Can you feel the gentle movement of the breath in your body?
Maybe somewhere around your nose.
In your chest.
Or in your belly.
Feel the gentle rise and fall of your belly.
If you have been under a lot of stress today.
Or you have been in a rush today.
It may very well be that the breath is still somewhat unsettled.
Maybe a bit faster or shallow.
And that's okay.
It will come down on its own.
Just let it take its own time.
Slowly let the breath find her own natural rhythm.
No need to control or change anything.
Just let it flow.
Just noticing how it is right now.
With a kind and gentle awareness.
You don't have to change anything.
Don't force anything.
Just notice and accept.
Letting the breath follow its own rhythm.
In,
Out,
Over and over again.
Anytime you find your attention drifting.
Gently return to following the breath.
Aware of the inhalation.
And aware of the exhalation.
And let each exhalation give you a bit more ease.
I invite you to bring all your awareness back to your body now.
How does your body feel right now?
Maybe you can feel parts in your body where there is still some stress,
Some tightness or discomfort.
Maybe you can still feel the rush of the day somewhere or the worries you had or might still have.
Can you let these parts soften a bit?
Letting the nurturing attention of the breath go there.
And feel the ease of the exhalation relax these parts a bit.
Making them softer.
As if you embrace these parts where you feel tension,
Sadness or stress.
Giving gentle and kind attention.
Offering the ease of the exhalation.
Feeling your whole body softly moving with the breath.
Like the movement of the ocean.
Constant movement.
In,
Out.
Sometimes short,
Sometimes longer.
And it is all okay.
Your mind will naturally wander.
When this happens,
Just gently return to the rhythm of your breathing and awareness of the day.
Maybe you can already notice some space between your thoughts.
You don't have to do anything anymore.
Coming home to your body,
To yourself,
Coming home to kindness.
Notice if the breath may have calmed down.
Maybe you can feel the breath in a different place now than when you started.
When your thoughts,
As the dust settled a bit.
Can you feel more ease and calmness?
In a short while,
I will use the bell softly to end this meditation.
And take your time to make a mindful transition to your next activities.
Being aware of the breath and of your body.
And thus bringing peace and calmness into the rest of your day or night.
Thank you so much for meditating with me and I hope we will meet again.
