Hello and welcome to a short guided meditation before bedtime that you can do every night as you prepare to go to sleep to help you relax your body,
To help you let go of any intrusive thoughts,
And to help you ease into a more restful sleep.
We will begin in a comfortable seat if that's comfortable for you or if you are ready to lay down go ahead and make yourself comfy and cozy in your bed.
Feel free to support yourself with any pillows,
Blankets,
Cushions,
And when you are ready close your eyes.
We're going to take just three intentional breaths in and out to help center.
So when you're ready take a nice deep breath in and a deep breath out.
Deep breath in and a deep breath out.
One more just like that deep breath in and a deep exhale.
Bring your attention to your body as you get comfortable laying down or seated.
Start your awareness and attention at the crown of the head and imagine a warm gentle cloud moving down over the crown of your head down into your jaw and into your shoulders and as it moves down into your body and passes over you these places of tension ease and relax.
Your jaw unclenches,
Your brow unfurls,
Your shoulders relax.
Keep moving that cloud down into your body and let your belly soften as you feel the breath.
As the cloud moves further down relaxing your legs,
Your feet,
Letting the weight of your body be supported either as you sit or as you lay down.
Take a deep breath in and a deep breath out and a deep breath in and a deep breath out.
One more deep breath in and a deep exhale feeling the weight of your body a little bit more.
Now bring your attention to your thoughts and let's for a brief moment recap your entire day from the moment you woke up this morning to this present moment as you hear my voice.
And take a moment to think of everything that you're grateful for today that happened.
It doesn't have to be an exhaustive list and I invite you to welcome in the thoughts that come in first.
Don't search for them.
Allow them to come to you.
What are you grateful for?
Pull those images in or those memories,
Words or phrases and really allow them to resonate with you,
To resonate in your body.
Why are you grateful for such things or people or moments?
What did they give you today?
How did they serve you?
And then as each one comes in,
Offer a moment of thank you.
Thank you to these moments or things or people truly acknowledging that even the smallest gestures can truly make your day.
Take a deep breath in and a deep breath out.
Now bring to mind moments during your day today where you struggled,
Could have been with people,
Could have been with tasks or work,
Family.
Again,
Allow the thoughts and the memories of these events just come in on their own and notice how you feel when you recollect these struggles.
And as each one comes in,
I invite you to say,
I forgive you.
I forgive you for each moment of suffering.
I forgive you for each hardship.
Knowing that each moment where we have suffering and pain,
Hardship and tension is a moment that asks for grace.
So as you recollect each moment,
Say,
I forgive you and let it go so that you can move on.
Take a deep breath in and a deep breath out.
And lastly,
I invite you to bring to mind every task that is still pending,
All the work that is still on your to do list,
All the future thinking that sometimes keeps you up at night.
Let it all swirl in.
Maybe you can visualize your to do list in your mind.
Maybe you can pull in all those nagging thoughts to the forefront.
And I'd like you to visualize those thoughts as one big collection,
One web.
I'd like you to take a deep breath in.
And as you exhale,
I'd like you to say,
All is well.
What is meant for me will not pass me by.
All is well.
What is meant for me will not pass me by.
All is well.
What is meant for me will not pass me by.
Take a deep breath in.
Deep breath out as you release the need to hold on to anything that is not right now.
Let it go and trust that what is meant for you will always come back to you.
There's no need to chase.
There's no need to hoard and fear.
All is well.
Take a moment to check in with your thoughts now.
And if there's any lingering ones that are still causing you tension,
Forgive them.
Wish them well.
And take as many breaths as you need to release them.
And then check in with your body.
Where can you allow a little more grace?
And where can you sink a little bit deeper into your rest?
And when you are ready,
You may drift peacefully into slumber or gently open your eyes and welcome a beautiful,
Restful night.
Namaste.
