Welcome.
My name is Jeremiah and this nighttime meditation for anxiety is a space to gently release the day and allow yourself to receive the rest you deserve.
Let yourself arrive exactly where you are.
There is nothing you need to solve tonight,
Nothing you need to figure out,
Nothing you need to prepare for.
Allow your body to be heavy.
Let the surface beneath you fully receive your weight.
Take a slow breath in through the nose and a gentle sigh out through the mouth.
Take another breath in and this time let the exhale be longer than the inhale.
You are not late,
My friend.
You are not behind.
For the next few minutes,
You are simply here.
Anxiety often comes from the mind reaching forward into tomorrow,
Into next week,
Into unfinished conversations,
Unanswered questions,
Or imagined outcomes.
So,
Tonight,
We gently invite the mind back into the only place where rest is possible.
Right here.
Feel the simple fact of your body breathing without effort.
Notice that your heart knows how to beat on its own.
Notice that the night is already holding you.
You don't need to push the thoughts away.
Just let them soften like background noise fading as you drift closer and closer to sleep.
We will begin to guide the nervous system towards ease by gently releasing and tensing different parts of the body.
If at any point you feel too sleepy,
You can simply rest and let the words pass through you.
Bring your awareness to your feet.
Curl the toes slightly.
Tense them just a little.
And release.
Let the feet soften.
Feel the calves and lower legs become heavy.
Now gently tighten the thighs and hips just enough to notice.
And release.
Let the legs melt downward,
Supported,
Steady,
And at rest.
Bring awareness to the belly.
If there's tightness here,
That is okay.
Take a breath in and gently draw the belly inward.
Then release completely.
Let the belly soften.
Now notice the chest.
Take a breath in and gently lift the chest.
And release.
Feel the breath move freely again.
No effort required.
Bring attention to the hands.
Clench them lightly into fists.
And release.
Let the fingers uncurl.
And let the palms rest open.
Now gently tighten the arms and shoulders as if holding something you no longer need.
And release.
Let the shoulders drop away from the ears.
Let the upper body feel wide and spacious.
Bring awareness to the jaw.
If it's clenched,
That is okay.
Gently press the teeth together.
And release.
Let the tongue rest softly in the mouth.
Soften the cheeks.
Smooth the space between the eyebrows.
Let the eyes rest heavy in their sockets.
The face no longer needs to hold the day.
If thoughts are still moving,
That is okay.
Tonight we meet them with kindness.
If the mind asks,
Have I done enough?
You can gently respond,
For now,
Yes,
Rest is allowed.
If the mind asks,
What if something goes wrong?
You can remind yourself,
Nothing needs to be decided tonight.
If the mind asks,
Am I where I'm supposed to be?
You can answer softly,
Right now,
I am here.
And here is enough.
Each time the mind drifts forward,
Guide it back to the feeling of the breath,
The weight of the body,
The quiet rhythm of this moment.
And now we'll use a simple breathing rhythm to signal safety.
Inhale slowly through the nose for a count of four,
Pausing gently at the top.
And exhale through the mouth for a count of six.
Again,
Inhaling for four.
Exhaling for six.
Let the exhale be soft,
And forced,
And slow.
With each longer exhale,
Your nervous system receives the message,
It is safe to rest.
And if you lose count,
That is okay.
That often means that sleep is already near.
And as this meditation comes to a close,
You don't need to do anything else.
There is nowhere to go,
Nothing to achieve.
Allow the words to fade into the background,
Like a lullaby.
You no longer need to follow.
Let sleep come naturally,
Or let yourself rest quietly in this calm space.
Tonight,
You are allowed to pause.
You are allowed to soften.
You are allowed to rest.
Good night,
My friend.
