Meditation is not only a great tool for wakening the mind and energizing the body,
It's also very good for sleep.
It helps quiet the mind and makes it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night.
So waiting until you're tired and sleepy before you walk into the bedroom,
Following your normal bedtime routine.
Before you get into bed,
Stand beside it and just take a moment to think about getting in,
To think about laying down,
Finding a comfortable position.
Think about it being time for bed and a healing,
Nourishing sleep is coming.
Take a few deep,
Slow breaths,
Exhaling heavily.
Feel the breath in your belly,
Noticing how the belly rises and falls as you breathe in and as you breathe out.
And as you begin to slowly get into bed,
Keep your awareness on the body,
Staying with each movement as best you can,
Lifting the legs,
Sitting on the edge of the bed.
Then moving into a laying position,
The arms and legs getting comfortable.
Using your eyes,
Just maintaining a little awareness on your breath as it settles back into its normal rhythm.
And for a little while,
Letting the out-breath last a little longer than the in-breath.
With the out-breath,
Releasing with it tensions from the day,
Tensions from the body.
Just letting it go as you breathe out.
Nothing to do right now but be here,
Quietly in bed,
Settling for sleep.
Allowing the breath to return to its own gentle rhythms again.
And softening the body,
Allowing yourself to sink a little deeper into the mattress.
Letting any distracting thoughts,
Sounds or sensations arrive and leave.
Not holding onto them,
Not pushing them away.
Just letting them be.
As you breathe naturally,
Noticing how the breath settles and slows,
Keeping a gentle awareness on the breath as we softly move our attention to the head.
Noticing the softness of the pillow under and around the head.
Noticing the weight of the head.
Allowing it to rest completely,
Just where it is.
Aware of the face.
Softening and loosening the face.
No expressions are needed right now.
Letting go of any tension around the eyes,
The eye sockets,
Eyebrows,
Forehead.
Relaxing the cheeks,
Jaw,
Mouth.
Keeping a fraction of your awareness on the breath still.
Trying now the shoulders to loosen and flop as you gently breathe in and breathe out any remaining tension held there.
Letting the body to soften and relax more with each out-breath.
Relaxing the arms,
Hands,
Fingers.
Just letting go.
Releasing any holding of the stomach,
The back,
The pelvis.
Just allowing the flow of your attention to rest there a moment.
Allowing things to be just as they are.
As you move toward the fuller relaxation of sleep.
Letting any thoughts,
Sounds or sensations come and go.
Just here,
Relaxing,
Gently breathing and moving towards sleep.
The legs falling apart,
Feet relaxed,
Limbs heavy.
Things are quietening now.
All is well.
Each breath you take,
Comforting.
Each release taking with it any remaining tensions from the body.
Completely relaxing,
Gently breathing as you allow yourself to fall into the healing state of sleep.
