I'm Fran and I want to start our session by saying thank you so much for listening today.
This meditation can be a much needed distraction if you're trying to sleep but your thoughts and external sounds are keeping you awake.
All you need to do is listen to the sound of my voice as together we fall asleep.
The idea is simple but with practice it gets more and more effective.
We are going to count backwards from 100 all the way down to zero.
I will gently guide you backwards and in your mind's eye you will visualize these numbers.
Along the journey you will hear my voice accompanied by gentle ambient music.
Know that there is no pressure to fall asleep but this is a safe space that allows you to drift off when you are ready.
So first let's get comfy.
Get into a comfortable position.
Whether you're laying down or sitting back you may be on your bed,
On the floor,
In a hammock or a chair.
Take a deep slow breath in,
Hold it and release.
And as you release you feel your body sink into the surface beneath you.
All is calm and now is the time for you to fully relax.
The day is behind you.
All that matters is this present moment.
If you find your mind drifting to other things it's okay to acknowledge that and bring yourself back into the moment.
Breathe in,
Hold and breathe out.
Breathe in again,
Hold for a moment and breathe out.
With every breath your body sinks further into the surface supporting your body.
Any tension or twitchiness dissolves and flows into the ground leaving you still and comfortable.
I will give you a few moments to observe your body and the feeling of your breaths filling your lungs.
Any residual tension or tightness becomes softer and heavier.
Now we will start our count backwards.
Counting is a wonderful tool to help you fall into a deep restful slumber.
If you can picture every number as I say it in your mind's eye.
The beauty of this visual counting exercise is that you will imagine it in your own special way.
For example,
The number 100 might be written on a piece of paper in coloured pencil.
99 may appear as a beautiful topiary sculpted into the shape of the numbers.
98 in your own unique way.
97,
96,
95,
94,
93,
92,
91,
90,
89,
88,
87,
86,
85,
84,
83,
82,
81,
80,
79,
78,
77,
76,
75,
74,
73,
72,
71,
70,
69,
68,
67,
67,
66,
65,
64,
63,
62,
61,
60,
59,
58,
57,
56,
55,
54,
53,
52,
51,
50,
49,
48,
47,
46,
45,
44,
43,
42,
41,
40,
39,
38,
37,
36,
35,
34,
33,
32,
31,
30,
29,
28,
27,
26,
25,
24,
23,
22,
21,
20,
19,
18,
17,
16,
15,
14,
13,
12,
11,
10,
9,
8,
7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1,
0.
And if you are still awake,
You can go back to the beginning and repeat this again until you fall asleep.
Sweet dreams.
