Hello and welcome.
My name is Tina Stinson and I want to thank you for joining me for this sleep meditation.
Tonight is not about fixing anything.
Tonight is not about figuring anything out.
Tonight is about one thing,
And one thing only.
Surrender.
So let us begin by getting you extremely comfortable.
Wherever you are,
The bed,
Couch,
Floor,
Recliner.
I want you to take this moment to adjust.
Pull the covers up.
To wherever feels just right.
If you're too hot,
Push them down.
Too cold,
Pull them higher.
Just get cozy.
Move your body however it needs to move.
Shift your hips.
Straighten your legs.
Bend your knees.
You could put a pillow under your knees if that helps your lower back.
You can put an extra pillow under your head if you want more support.
Or you can put a pillow against your side if you like to hold something.
There is really no wrong way to do this.
The only rule right now is complete comfort.
Wiggle your fingers and toes and shake out anything that feels tight.
Stretch and then take a deep breath in through the nose.
And as you let it out,
I want you to let out a really big sigh.
And when you've found your position.
The one that says,
Finally.
I want you to let your hands rest wherever they land.
You can open your palms facing up if that feels receptive.
Or palms facing down if that feels more grounded for you.
Doesn't matter.
What matters is that you stop adjusting now.
You're done searching for comfortable.
You have arrived.
Now,
Bring your awareness to your breath.
Not changing it,
Just noticing it.
Is it shallow,
Fast,
Or held somewhere?
That's fine.
It's honest.
This is just where we start.
On your next exhale.
Let it be just a little longer than your inhale.
That's all.
Just a little longer.
Inhale through your nose.
And exhale slowly through your mouth.
Like a quiet sigh.
Again,
Soft inhale.
Long,
Slow exhale.
One more time,
Breathing in.
And breathing all the way out.
Now let your breath return to its natural rhythm.
No need to control it anymore.
Your breath knows what to do.
Your body knows what to do.
You can let go of all trying.
We're going to move through the places we hold our stress and overwhelm.
We're not fixing anything.
We're simply noticing.
And then allowing yourself to release.
Starting with your jaw.
I want you to clench it really tight just for a second.
Hold it there really hard.
Now let it go.
Drop your jaw slightly.
Let your lips part.
Your tongue rests at the bottom of your mouth,
Not touching your roof.
Feel the difference between clenched and released.
Allow yourself to stay in the release.
Your shoulders.
Lift them up towards your ears really,
Really high and hold them there.
And now drop them completely.
Let them fall away from your ears.
Feel them widen.
Feel them soften.
Notice how it feels to release the heaviness and choose that.
You're next.
Very gently,
Turn your head an inch to the left.
Just an inch.
Now back to center.
Turn an inch to the right.
Back to center.
Now let your head sink into whatever is beneath it.
Pillow,
A mattress,
A blanket.
Surrender the weight of your head completely.
Someone else is holding it now,
Not you.
You're back.
Become aware of your back.
From the base of your skull all the way down to your tailbone.
Notice any spots that you're holding on to.
Without moving.
Breathe into those spots.
Imagine your breath traveling down your spine like warm water.
And on the exhale.
The holding leaves.
Down your back out of your body into the surface you're lying on.
Your back has carried you all day.
It can rest now.
Your hands.
Make two fists.
Squeeze everything you're holding on to.
Every worry,
Every task,
Every should.
Squeeze so tight.
And now open your hands completely and spread your fingers like big stars.
And hold it there.
Now,
Release them completely.
And let the fingers curl up naturally as you let go.
And stay here.
Now we ask gentle questions.
You don't need to answer them out loud.
You don't even need to answer them in your mind.
Just let the questions move over you.
Whatever rises,
Rises.
Whatever doesn't,
Doesn't.
First question.
What happened today that I can now let go of.
Not fix,
Not solve.
Just let go of.
Picture it leaving your body like a slow exhale.
Question too.
What did I carry today that was never mine to carry?
Name it if you can,
Or just feel the weight of it.
Now,
Imagine setting it down on the floor beside your bed.
You can pick it up tomorrow if you need to,
But for tonight.
.
.
It stays there.
It's not in you.
Question 3 What did you say today that you wish you hadn't?
What did you not say that you wish you had?
Hold it gently with no judgment.
Now breathe out and watch it dissolve,
Like a cloud passing by,
Drifting off.
It served its purpose.
It taught you something.
And now it can go.
Question four.
What expectation did I try to meet today that wasn't even mine?
Whose voice was that?
Was it a parent?
A partner,
Societies.
Thank it for trying to protect you.
And then place it outside the door of this room.
It's not invited to sleep with you tonight.
Question five.
What is one thing,
Just one,
That went right today?
It doesn't matter how small.
A text from a friend,
A warm cup of coffee.
A green light,
Just one thing.
Let that stay with you.
And all the rest can go.
Let's find three small things that you are grateful for from today.
The first one,
Something your body did for you today.
Your heart beat,
Your lungs breathed,
Your legs walked,
Your eyes saw,
Your hands held.
Thank your body.
It never stops working.
The second one.
Something someone did for you today or recently.
Receive that gift and say thank you silently.
And a third thing.
Something you did for yourself today.
Even if it was small.
You showed up,
And that counts.
Thank yourself.
You're doing better than you think.
Now we set one intention,
Just one,
And that is for you to sleep well.
Repeat silently after me.
My sleep is not an escape.
My sleep is a time to reset,
Heal,
And repair.
Tonight,
I give myself permission to hit pause.
I am safe,
I am held,
And I am done for today.
Take that intention.
And place it gently into your heart center.
Now let's take five deep intentional breaths before we head to sleep.
Breathing in.
Deeply through your nose,
Filling your belly,
Filling your chest and hold at the top for a moment.
And then exhale completely through your mouth.
Letting your whole body sink heavier into the surface you're lying on.
Breathing in again,
Deeply filling the belly.
And then exhale slowly through the mouth.
Inhale again,
Breathing in rest itself.
And then exhale any last things you're holding on to.
Breathing in,
Knowing you are so deeply supported right now.
And exhale,
Knowing you have nothing to do.
Nowhere to go and.
.
.
No one to be.
Inhale the very last breath of your waking mind.
And then exhale,
Letting go of breathing consciously,
All together.
Your body will breathe for you now.
That is its job.
Your only job now is to let go and surrender.
Let the weight of your eyelids pull you down.
Let your thoughts become blurry and distant,
And then drift off and gone.
You are returning to yourself.
The version of you that doesn't need to be doing.
Sleep well.
Namaste.
You you
