Thank you for joining me tonight for a short body scan.
To help you settle into rest.
Will move from the top of your head.
Down to your feet.
Releasing a little more at every stop.
There's nothing to do well here.
Nothing to do right or wrong.
If you fall asleep before we reach the end.
That's exactly what this practice is for.
Let's begin.
As you settle into the position you'll sleep in,
One where you feel relaxed and comfortable.
Letting your eyes close whenever they'd like to.
And taking one slow breath in through the nose.
And a long,
Easy breath out through the mouth.
And now letting the breath find its own rhythm.
There's nothing to control.
Nothing to change.
Just noticing.
The breath rising and falling.
And bringing your attention to the top of your head.
Letting the muscles along your scalp soften.
And relax.
In the forehead.
Letting the space between your eyebrows widen.
And soften.
Letting your eyes grow heavy in their sockets.
And now the jaw.
Letting the teeth part just a little bit.
And down through the neck.
Feeling how the pillow carries the weight of your head and down into the shoulders.
Letting them melt down and away from your ears,
Wide,
Heavy,
And low.
And down through the arms,
Letting them be entirely heavy,
Entirely relaxed.
And into the hands,
Letting them go.
Completely.
Letting the fingers uncurl.
And relax.
Letting the palms be open and still.
And now noticing your chest.
Feeling its gentle rise.
And a fall.
Nothing to change.
Nothing to do.
Just letting the breath flow.
Naturally in.
And naturally out.
Moving down into the belly.
Softening anything you might be holding in.
And feeling your back.
Letting your spine relax and sink into the support beneath you.
Noticing every place your body makes contact.
Feeling yourself completely healed.
And supported.
Down through the hips,
Letting the hips widen and relax.
Down through the thighs,
Heavy and warm.
Into the knees and the calves,
Letting each muscle relax as you move down the legs.
And letting your legs grow so heavy.
It would take real effort to lift them up.
Down to the ankles and into the feet.
Pausing to say thank you feet for carrying me through my day.
Letting the muscles relax.
And the toes soften.
And now your whole body at once.
Head to toe.
Heavy.
Sinking a little deeper with each exhale.
Your body is finished with the day.
Every part of you is resting now.
I am safe.
I am warm.
I am still.
I am ready for sleep.
Nothing left to do.
Just letting the body rest.
And be heavy.
Just drifting down.
And down.
And down.
Into sleep.
Sleep well.
