Sometimes it takes a little while to fall asleep.
Sometimes it doesn't.
Either way,
This meditation is a way to prepare your whole body for a restful sleep.
To start,
You could snuggle into your sleeping space,
Getting all tucked in the way that you like.
Or if you want to,
You could sit up for a while first.
You can do this meditation sitting or lying down.
Wherever you are,
See if you have any leftover wiggles to get out.
Wriggling and snuggling into your favorite spot.
Full body snuggle.
And then beginning to let your whole body get soft and more still.
You might want to take a few bigger breaths with me.
Breathing in through your nose and sighing out your mouth.
Nice.
Maybe try a couple more on your own.
Breathing in and sighing out.
And as you rest here,
You might notice the feeling of fabric on your skin.
Maybe the softness of your pajamas or blankets.
And then notice what's beneath you.
Maybe the bed,
Cushions or pillows.
Feeling that support like a warm hug.
Letting your body be held by whatever is beneath you.
Maybe your head resting into the pillow.
Maybe your feet resting on your lap.
Maybe your arms resting on your lap.
Maybe your legs resting on your lap.
If you like,
You can close your eyes or let them be softly open.
Your ears simply open to hearing.
Maybe there are sounds in the distance,
Sounds close by.
Maybe you can hear the sound of your own breath.
Breath flowing in,
Breath flowing out.
All on its own.
If you like,
You can bring one of your hands to your belly or your chest and feel how your breath moves your body ever so gently.
Air moving in through your nostrils,
Into your chest and belly.
Feeling them rise and fall all on their own.
And then letting your hand rest back down,
Soft and easy,
Letting it land wherever it's comfortable.
And you might imagine now that you are an animal snuggling in to your nest or to your den for sleep.
What would your nest be like?
Let's use your imagination to picture a nest or a den that would be just right for you.
Would it be a pile of fluffy feathers or a blanket of snow?
Maybe it would be resting into warm sand or a nest of marshmallows.
It could be like sliding into a warm mud puddle or squirming in to a pile of puppies.
Or maybe your nest looks like your own bed with your favorite pillows and blankets tucked all around you.
Whatever your nest looks like,
Notice its color and shape.
Is it warm or cool?
Maybe it has a special smell that you love.
Imagining that you are there now,
Snug and safe,
Peaceful and protected.
And you might imagine that your nest is also peaceful and protected.
What does it feel like to be in this place?
Noticing the feeling.
Where do you feel the sense of ease and comfort in your body?
Do you feel it like a warmth in your belly?
Or a heaviness in your shoulders,
Like they can just relax?
Or maybe you feel a softness in your eyelids or your face.
Just notice what this feeling is like for you.
You can come back to this feeling anytime.
It's kind of like an inner glow.
You can remember this feeling anytime.
It's yours.
If you'd like to,
You can think back on your day.
What's happened today that you are really thankful for?
Remembering what made you smile today.
What made you laugh?
What made you feel love?
As you rest here,
You might begin to get sleepy.
If you do,
You can let my voice fall into the background anytime.
Let yourself fall asleep whenever you're ready.
Or you can join me as we notice feelings in your body,
Starting with sensations in your feet.
Notice feelings in your feet.
Are they warm or cool?
Do they feel heavy or light?
You could squeeze your toes in,
Curl them in tight,
And then relax your toes.
Let them be soft.
Notice feelings in one foot and then the other.
Feel both feet at the same time.
And then your ankles and your lower legs.
Notice feelings in your knees and your upper legs.
Feel both legs.
And then notice feelings in your hips and your bottom.
Feelings in your belly and your low back.
And then feel the whole trunk of your body.
Feel your chest and your whole back.
And your sides.
How about your shoulders?
Can you squeeze your shoulders in up towards your ears and then let them float way back down,
Soft and relaxed?
Feel both shoulders and down your arms,
Your upper arms,
Elbows,
And lower arms.
Notice feelings in your hands.
You could squeeze your hands in tight,
Making fists.
And then relax your hands.
Let them be soft and still.
See if you can notice one hand.
Choose one side.
Notice feelings in the palm of that hand,
Your fingers,
And your thumb,
Your whole hand.
And then feel the other hand in its center and out into your fingers and thumb.
And then feeling both hands traveling back up the arms and shoulders up into your neck,
The front of your neck,
The sides,
And the back of your neck,
Your throat,
And into your mouth,
Feeling your tongue,
The inside of your cheeks,
The space inside your mouth,
And your ears,
Inside and out.
Feeling both ears at the same time,
Your nose,
Feeling your breath move through your nostrils.
Feel your whole nose and your eyes,
Noticing any feelings in your eyes,
In your eyebrows,
Your forehead,
Top of your head,
Your whole head.
And then feel your entire body,
The whole backside of your body,
The whole front side,
Off to one side,
And then the other.
Noticing the way your body feels inside and outside,
Above and below,
Letting your body find its own way into sleep.
Noticing how your body feels and how your body is breathing all by itself,
Breath flowing in,
Breath flowing out.
Resting here,
Letting your breath come and go all on its own,
All on its own.
Feeling how your body is breathing all by itself,
Your in-breath and your out-breath coming and going.
Just this simple,
Gentle breath.
Feeling yourself here,
Resting,
Quiet,
Still,
Letting sleep happen all on its own.
Just this,
Resting,
Resting,
Being.
Closing this practice with a round of breath,
Breathing in and breathing out.
