This is an evening wind-down practice.
In a short while I'll play for you some birdsong I recorded at my parents' house during the Australian summer.
But before we get into listening to the symphony of that birdsong,
Allowing yourself to arrive,
To settle,
To find the most steady and supportive shape expression with your body that you can today.
You might keep changing your mind,
Keep wriggling,
Shifting around,
Inviting as many micro movements with your body,
Settling here,
Landing.
What would it be like to give yourself full permission to be here?
And you might observe the texture,
The quality,
The way that you are settling.
Maybe what brought you into this practice?
Without the need to critique or edit,
Without the need to change anything about the day that has been or how you might be feeling in this moment.
What would it look like,
Be like,
Feel like to welcome yourself into this space,
Into this practice,
Exactly as you are.
Whatever shape you have chosen,
Whatever expression your body is in.
Maybe asking yourself,
Would movement feel supportive and useful right now?
That might be a gentle sway of your body waving your torso from side to side.
Perhaps a gentle roll of your head and your neck.
Perhaps it's your wrists that are craving some movement.
Awakening,
Releasing out through the fingers.
The squeezing of your toes and separating them,
Stretching them out long.
These are just some ideas,
Some options.
Choosing something today,
Right now,
That feels most useful,
Most nourishing.
The most kind and friendly gesture towards yourself,
Towards your body for carrying you through the day that has been.
Perhaps you'd like to take a few settling grounding breaths.
Again,
Just an option.
That might look like a gentle breath in,
Maybe through your nose.
And a releasing breath,
Perhaps through the lips.
Perhaps you might like to try making a sound on the exhalation.
Vocalizing that exhalation with any sound,
A sigh,
A hum,
Maybe something louder,
More vivacious and vibrant.
There is no wrong way to find your exhalation.
Allow that clearing,
Releasing breath,
Settling you,
Grounding you,
Allowing you to arrive.
And in a few moments time,
My guidance will finish so that we can listen,
Receive and retrieve the beauty of this bird song to wind down from our day.
And you can choose,
You can decide how you wish to spend this time.
You might like to be in stillness,
Resting the hands over your body as a way of connecting in towards yourself.
You might choose to continue moving,
Swaying,
Rocking from side to side,
Perhaps feeling and sensing the texture of the space,
The surface,
The support that is beneath you or behind you.
Another option might be to gently massage parts of your body that are calling out for your attention,
Places that want to be noticed.
Using your hands,
Often known as the heart's messengers,
Using the hands to dissolve some tenderness that might be present.
Dissolving,
Releasing,
Letting go.
Knowing that you can change your mind as many times as your body needs,
As many times as your body asks for.
There is no wrong choice.
My suggestion,
Just as we begin,
Is to find just that extra bit of steadiness,
Support,
Maybe a fraction more ease in your body.
Finding this time to rest in and with yourself.
You'll hear my voice at the end of the birdsong to invite us,
Guide us into the rest of our evening.
For now,
Allowing your ears to receive,
Retrieve the song of the birds.
Introducing the beautiful birdsong.
Arriving into this very moment.
Beginning to feel the places that are in connection to something underneath you,
Something behind you.
There is no rush at all to move into the rest of your evening.
Choosing to create some movements,
However small or expansive.
Arriving into this moment.
After that sweet,
Sweet birdsong.
Finding a moment to honor this time that you've chosen to spend in rest,
In relaxation,
Winding down from your day,
Nourishing your body.
And if they're not there already,
You might like to invite your hands to rest somewhere on your body as a gesture towards yourself.
And if it feels resonant,
Offering yourself a sense of appreciation.
No matter what transpired on this day for you.
Today you have chosen to spend this time with yourself.
A very special mention to the birdsong.
For their inspiration for this wind down practice.
Wishing you a beautifully nourishing and spacious end to your day.
Take good,
Good care.
