Relaxation Meditation: Gentle Wind-Down To Sleep

Tonight's practice is a chance to rest in a space.

A space where you don't need to fix anything.

All you need to do is gently notice,

Breathe and be present.

We'll soften the body,

We'll slow the breath and we'll allow the nervous system to settle.

My name's Chibzo Kereke and I'm glad you're here.

Before we begin,

Just a gentle reminder that everything I say is simply an invitation.

So take what feels useful and leave the rest behind.

You're in charge of your own journey.

And if you're ready to begin,

Let's take a moment to settle in.

You may drift off to sleep during this meditation or after.

So if you need to set an alarm or if there's anything else you need to do before rest,

Now's the time.

Once you've done everything you need to do,

Please allow yourself to get as comfortable as possible.

Let's begin by taking a long,

Slow breath in and releasing with a soft sigh.

Again,

Breathing in and breathing out.

And one more deep,

Settling breath in and a slow exhale out.

And now,

Allowing the breath to return to its natural rhythm.

And now,

Allowing the breath to return to its natural rhythm.

Because the body and mind are so closely connected,

We'll start by softening the body.

And as the body begins to release,

You may find the mind also begins to settle.

Bringing your awareness now to the top of your head and to the small muscles across your forehead.

Just noticing what's there.

And if you feel any tightness at all,

Seeing if you can gently allow that tightness to soften.

Let this sense of release and relaxation move into your jaw now.

Perhaps opening and closing your mouth or moving the tongue a little.

Letting everything in and around the mouth to settle into stillness.

Now,

Guiding our awareness down through the throat and into the shoulders.

And seeing if the shoulders might let go of any heaviness they've been carrying.

Now,

Bringing our attention down the length of the left arm.

And allowing the arm to soften,

To surrender.

Now,

Moving over to the right arm.

Offering the same sense of ease and letting go.

So,

Both arms and both hands now resting completely.

Now,

Bringing our attention gently towards the space around the heart.

And take two or three slow,

Steady breaths into this area.

Breathing in,

Feeling a gentle lift.

And breathing out,

Softening and releasing.

With the next exhale,

Let's allow our awareness to glide down the spine and into the belly.

We might begin to notice the muscles around our core gently letting go.

And allowing this wave of relaxation to deepen.

Settling into the hips,

The lower belly,

The whole pelvic region.

And then feeling that softening ease continuing down through the left leg.

All the way down to the foot.

And now down the right leg.

All the way to the toes.

Letting both legs now feel heavy and relaxed.

Completely supported by the ground beneath us.

In a moment,

We'll begin a gentle visual journey together.

A space where we can let go even more.

Where we don't need to fix or force anything.

Just loosening our grip on any tension or worry we might be holding.

And however easy or difficult this feels for us tonight.

Knowing that we can meet ourselves with kindness.

And now,

Bringing our attention to our imagination.

And in that soft space behind our closed eyes,

Beginning to picture a simple arched doorway.

The door is made of a soft golden light.

And the arch is formed by natural branches.

Gently interwoven and scattered with delicate white blossoms.

Picture yourself moving slowly towards this doorway.

And on your next exhale,

Allow yourself to pass through.

And on the other side,

You arrive at the top of a gentle grassy hill.

You can see a green valley stretching out below.

Take a moment to feel your feet settling into the earth beneath you.

And feel free to take a slow,

Grounding breath of the fresh valley air.

Standing with a tall spine,

Open chest and relaxed shoulders.

Your gaze moves down the hillside.

And at the base of the valley,

There's a slow moving river,

Gently catching the sunlight.

Inviting you with its calming presence.

And so,

When you feel ready,

You begin a slow walk down the hill.

Taking your time,

Let the first step be unhurried,

Gentle,

Deliberate.

Notice what's beneath your feet.

Are you barefoot?

Wearing shoes?

Just observing.

Seeing if you can notice the rhythm of each step.

Heel touches down first.

Then the ball of the foot.

And then the toes.

One foot lifts.

Passes through the air.

And lands softly again.

Just continuing on like this.

Slow and steady.

And as you move this way,

You might find your thoughts beginning to quieten.

Each mindful step becomes an anchor and there's less room for worry when you're fully present with the movement of your body.

Your mind can't focus on your steps and your worries at the same time.

So allow your awareness to settle fully into the feeling of your feet.

Grounded and supported with each movement.

If thoughts or concerns drift back into your awareness,

That's completely okay.

You can just breathe them out gently.

You can imagine them leaving your body like a mist.

Being carried off into the wider landscape around you.

And then you can gently bring your attention back to your steps.

As the mind begins to quieten,

The body follows.

And as the body relaxes,

Everything inside you begins to settle.

The heart begins to beat with ease.

Smooth and steady.

And the whole system starts to move into a natural state of calm and comfort.

You continue to walk slowly down the hill.

But now your focus begins to widen.

Take in the beauty of the valley all around you.

And breathe it in.

Slowly.

And effortlessly.

With each breath,

You fill your body with the quietest of sounds.

The quietest support of this peaceful place.

Even your breathing system feels more open now.

More at ease.

Allowing that feeling to grow.

As you breathe in gently.

And breathe out fully.

The river at the base of the valley is still a little way off.

But there's no need to hurry.

You're simply walking.

And each step invites you into deeper calm.

The lower you go,

The slower you move.

And the more peacefully you settle.

You continue breathing naturally,

Softening into the scenery.

Above you,

The sky is soft blue with a few white clouds drifting slowly by.

Around you,

The grass is vibrant and full.

Dotted with gentle summer flowers.

And far off in the distance,

Quiet mountain ranges hold the valley like guardians.

Just for a moment,

You pause and take it all in.

This feeling of quiet wonder.

And now,

Gently letting your focus return.

Not to your steps this time.

But to your breath.

As we breathe in.

We might silently say to ourselves.

Slowing down.

And as we breathe out.

We might say.

Settling.

This is a gentle reminder to stay anchored in our body.

And not swept up by thoughts.

Inhale.

Slowing down.

Exhale.

Settling.

Allowing these soft words to guide our rhythm.

And for a few more moments.

Simply resting with this breath.

If the mind wanders.

We can just notice it kindly.

And then gently return to your next breath.

No need to chase anything.

Just breathing.

And returning.

And as we keep walking gently through the terrain.

The breath steady.

The body soft.

The heart beats with ease.

The nervous system resting deeply.

And the mind clear and still.

Simply at peace.

We continue step by step.

Breath by breath.

Allowing the moment to unfold.

Just as it is.

And as it does.

We may begin to notice that any tension or worry.

Starts to soften.

Not through force.

But through gentle presence.

And a willingness to let go.

Each slow breath brings us back.

Grounding us in the safety and stillness of being.

This moment.

Right here.

Right now.

Just ahead.

The gentle glimmer of the river.

Catches your attention once again.

You feel yourself drawing closer.

Soothed by the calm it offers.

Without needing to rush.

The ground begins to level beneath your feet.

And you arrive at the base of the valley.

The air here is warm.

Still.

And soft around you.

And somehow.

The scent of the hillside has deepened.

Richer.

And more comforting now.

You take a slow breath in.

And you notice how this scent.

Brings a quiet.

Sense of ease.

As if every cell in your body.

Knows it's safe to rest.

You're just a few steps from the river now.

And as you reach the edge.

You take a seat.

Settling gently.

With nowhere to be.

But here.

The surface catches the light.

Just enough to shimmer.

And beneath it.

Smooth stones and.

Soft colours.

Greys.

Earthy tones.

Rest quietly.

In the riverbed.

With a long spine and.

Soft shoulders.

You allow your whole body to relax.

More deeply.

Feeling the quiet support of the ground beneath you.

Holding you fully.

Without effort.

As you turn your attention to the river.

Once again.

It's almost as if.

You can sense it speaking to you.

In a whisper.

Slow down.

Breathe gently.

Let go.

Of what you no longer need.

And so.

We return to the breath.

Letting it move.

At it's own pace.

Soft.

And steady.

With each breath.

Our mind becomes.

A little quieter.

Our body.

More at ease.

And if there's anything else.

Left to release.

Anything we've been holding on to.

We can let it leave us now.

Carried away.

By the quiet flow.

Of the water.

Dissolving gently.

As we rest.

And now.

Allowing ourselves.

To rest fully.

In this moment.

Our awareness.

Gently settling into.

Whatever feels.

Post grounding.

Right now.

It might be.

The rhythm of the breath.

The soft movement.

Of the water nearby.

The quiet support.

Of the earth beneath us.

Or the wider view.

Of the valley surrounding us.

Whatever it is.

We can let our attention.

Rest there.

Lightly.

Peacefully.

And as you do.

You feel your body.

Reclining fully.

From head.

To toe.

Into the grassy bank.

Beneath you.

You surrender.

Into that softness.

And the land.

Holds you.

With quiet ease.

Above you.

The sky.

Begins to shift.

The sun.

Dipping below the horizon.

Casting gentle hues.

Of pink.

And violet.

Across the evening sky.

You gaze up.

Watching as one by one.

The stars begin to appear.

The brightest one.

Catches your eye.

And without trying.

You find yourself.

Gently setting.

An intention.

You whisper.

Quietly.

Within yourself.

May I remember.

The peace that lives.

Within me.

May I remember.

The peace.

That lives within me.

And slowly.

The words soften.

Into something.

Simpler.

I am the peace.

That lives within me.

I am.

The peace.

That lives within me.

There is a stillness.

Within you now.

A calm that flows.

Through your entire being.

The night air.

Is warm.

Against your skin.

And everything in you feels.

At home.

You allow yourself.

To rest here.

For a few more.

Slow.

Steady breaths.

And now.

Gently.

You allow the image.

Of the valley.

And the starry sky.

To fade.

Your attention.

Softens back.

Into your physical body.

Lying here.

Safe.

And still.

Feeling all the points.

Where our body.

Meets the bed.

Supported.

Cradled.

At ease.

Taking a few.

Soft breaths.

Maybe letting out a gentle sigh.

On the exhale.

And with each breath out.

We feel ourselves.

Sinking deeper.

And deeper.

Into rest.

The breath flows.

The heart beats steady.

The nervous system.

At ease.

The body ready.

The mind quiet.

There's nothing more.

To do now.

Allowing ourselves.

To drift.

Peacefully.

Into sleep.