Welcome.
Tonight,
There is nothing you need to accomplish,
Nothing to solve,
Nothing to prepare for.
You are simply here,
Lying down,
Supported.
Take a moment to adjust your pillow,
Your blankets,
Your body.
Let yourself settle,
And as you settle,
Gently remind yourself,
You are not trying to sleep,
You are allowing sleep.
Sleep is something your body already knows how to do.
There is nothing to force,
Nothing to make happen.
Just this moment.
Now,
Bring awareness to your breath.
No need to change it yet,
Just notice the natural rhythm,
The quiet movement in and out.
And when you are ready,
Begin to gently inhale through your nose,
2,
3,
4,
Then exhale slowly through your mouth,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
Let's continue like that,
Inhale 2,
3,
4,
Exhale 2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
Longer on exhale,
Each long exhale signaling safety to your nervous system.
Inhale calm,
Exhale the day.
Now again,
Inhale gently,
And exhale slowly,
Softening your shoulders,
Loosening your jaw.
If thoughts arise,
That's ok,
You don't need to push them away.
Just gently return to next slow exhale,
Inhale,
Exhale longer,
Slower.
And now allow your breathing to return to its natural rhythm.
Trust your body from here.
Bring your attention down to your feet.
Notice any sensation,
And imagine a warm heaviness flowing into your feet,
Your toes softening,
The soles of your feet relaxing,
Ankles loose,
That warm heaviness spreading into your lower legs,
Your calves releasing,
Shins softening,
Your knees relaxing,
Thighs melting down into the mattress,
Hips heavy and supported.
Allow your abdomen to soften completely.
No holding,
No bracing,
Just a gentle rise and fall with each breath.
Your lower back loosening,
Upper back widening and relaxing,
Shoulders dropping down and away from your ears,
Arms heavy,
Elbows soft,
Hands unclenching,
Fingers resting comfortably,
Now your neck soft,
Jaw unclenched,
Tongue resting gently,
Lips slightly parted,
Eyes resting back into their sockets,
Forehead smooth,
Scalp relaxed,
Your whole body now heavier,
Calmer,
Still.
Imagine now that you are lying on a quiet short line at dusk,
The sky above you a deep calming blue,
The air gentle against your skin,
You hear the soft rhythm of waves moving in and out,
Each wave matching your breath,
As the wave rolls in you breathe in,
As it rolls out you breathe out,
The tide carries away the day,
Any unfinished conversations,
Any responsibilities,
All gently dissolving into the ocean.
There is nothing to solve here.
The sky slowly darkens,
Stars appearing one by one,
Each star representing calm,
The sand beneath you perfectly supporting your body,
You don't need to move,
You don't need to think,
You are safe here,
Held.
And as the tide moves in and out,
Your thoughts become like distant clouds,
Drifting further away,
Further and further,
You may already notice the edges of sleep beginning to soften your awareness,
That's natural,
You don't need to follow every word anymore,
You can simply drift,
My voice can begin to fade into the background,
Almost as if it's coming from far away,
You may notice movements where you forget what was said,
That's a sign your mind is resting,
If you are still awake,
That's perfectly fine,
Rest is happening.
Your body knows how to sleep,
You have slept thousands of nights before,
Sleep is natural,
Automatic,
Effortless,
And tonight you are simply allowing it,
There is nothing more to do,
Nothing more to listen for,
You may continue resting here on this quiet shoreline,
With the steady rhythm of waves,
If you are asleep,
You will remain asleep,
If you are drifting,
You may drift deeper,
If you are still aware,
You can simply enjoy the calm,
I will begin to speak less now,
Longer spaces between words,
Allowing silence to carry you the rest of the way,
You are safe,
You are supported,
You are deeply relaxed,
And whenever your body is ready,
It will move naturally into sleep,
Rest now,
Rest,
Drift,
Softly.
