Welcome to this meditation.
Today we're going to be winding down in a slow and peaceful way.
As you settle in for the night,
Allow yourself to arrive just exactly as you are.
Even though there's a lot to do,
Even though there may be racing thoughts in your mind,
Know that we've come to the end,
The end of the day.
Nothing you need to finish,
Fix or figure out right now.
The moment is for rest.
I invite you to find a position that feels comfortable and supportive,
Allowing the body to be held by the bed beneath you.
Notice the weight of your body sinking down,
Muscles relaxing,
Free of tension.
Take a slow breath in through the nose and a nice calming exhale out through the mouth.
Again,
Inhale gently and as you exhale,
Releasing the heaviness that may have accumulated during the day in the mind and in the body.
Allow the breathing to return to its natural rhythm.
Feel the rise and the fall of your chest,
The subtle movement of your belly.
And know that every exhale you take is an invitation to soften and to relax.
And now draw your attention to any part of the body that feels tense.
Notice it,
Notice how you feel and see if you can consciously relax that area a little bit more.
Now draw the awareness to your shoulders,
Allowing them to fall away from the ears.
Let the jaw unclench and the fingertips unravel.
Let the muscles around the eyes melt,
Facial muscles soft.
If thoughts start to drift in,
Allow them to pass like clouds in the dark sky.
Take a deep inhale in and a full exhale out.
And again,
With each exhale,
Imagine sinking a little bit deeper into rest.
Allowing the day's work or the day's activities to slowly release,
To slowly let go of the happenings.
And allow yourself to let go of the overthinking and the planning for what tomorrow can hold.
Rest is not something that you earn.
Rest is something that your body needs and should be honored.
It's very common to feel guilty when we take time off or time for ourselves.
Very common to feel like we should be doing more and really,
Really packing our schedules.
But maybe rest can be productive as well.
It can be seen as a way to really recharge so that you can show up to your commitments even more alert,
Even more present.
As your breath slows and your body becomes still,
Allow sleep to come on its own time.
Allow yourself to deeply rest.
I will leave you here for tonight.
Thank you for listening to this practice and I hope to see you soon.
