As you settle into bed now,
Getting ready for a restful sleep with prayer and meditation,
I'll say just a few words before we begin the guided relaxation.
I have always found that whatever challenge presents in life,
It has always been helpful to open my heart and ask for help.
Even that help cannot be found on the physical plane,
So I always choose to go beyond this realm and reach out to a heavenly presence,
A heavenly presence that is greater than I.
At times it may also be appropriate to call on a special saint or guru that you might be close to.
There are no rules to this,
Remember,
Follow your heart and reach out with trust and faith always.
There are many definitions of meditation,
I particularly like this one,
Bringing the mind home.
It's not our natural state to be stressed and anxious and fearful.
Our natural state is to be calm and free of tension,
When we can think clearly and positively and feel content.
But as we all know,
Life is full of ups and downs and challenges that can be very difficult to face at times.
The good news though is that we can actually learn to manage these times.
You are doing that right now,
Listening to this,
Choosing to take time to relax your body and mind and the nervous system of course and to have a good night's sleep which is so important for our physical,
Emotional,
Mental health and spiritual health.
Now meditation and prayer go together.
Some prefer to meditate first,
Then pray and when I say pray I mean talking to your chosen God in the language of your heart or some prefer to pray first then spend time in meditation,
Coming home to that still,
Quiet place within.
That's where we go,
Both with meditation and prayer.
It is there that you can feel the peace that surpasses all understanding.
Whichever way you choose to practice,
It is most important to consciously relax the body,
The breath and mind before anything else.
Your prayer and meditation and sleep will be much more peaceful for making that effort.
So this time we will have the prayer first.
So here it is now,
Just settle back and begin to relax.
O Divine Spirit,
I allow stillness to arise as I realise your loving presence is within me.
It is within me now and always.
As I breathe in,
I can feel your calmness and peace.
As I breathe out,
I relax all my body parts.
May I rest in stillness now and be guided in thought,
Word and action.
Thank you,
Amen.
Finishing prayers with thanks and speaking the word Amen,
Which means,
So Be It.
This is a way of bringing your words to life,
So Be It.
You mean what you say and you believe it will be.
There are always times,
Even throughout a busy day or night,
When we can actually take time to be still and consciously free the mind of tension and restless thoughts.
It's that time now.
But if we are not careful,
These times can also be filled with further activity because that is exactly the habit that the mind has developed.
Don't blame yourself,
It is just an old habit that is hanging on.
This is what happens so often when we are trying to fall asleep,
Would you agree?
So to change that habit,
It may take a little discipline and practice.
Be still and reflect on inner peace and quietness before you sleep.
You will always be better off because of it.
Allow that little prayer to help you move towards that stillness or even reach that stillness as you allow yourself to fall into a deep restful sleep now.
You are preparing for that deep restful sleep.
Referring to that little prayer again with these initial words,
Allow stillness to arise and feel that loving presence within you.
Stay with that intention and allow your mind to rest on the calm,
Easy,
Rhythmic in and out breaths that you are experiencing now on your way to that deep restful sleep.
Feel your shoulders relax and drop,
Releasing all resistance.
Any burden or worry falls away.
Surrender to that inner stillness.
Surrender to that inner stillness.
Nothing can disturb you.
Release to hold on to any tightness in your arms,
Your hands and fingers.
Soften your hands and fingers.
As you breathe,
Your chest feels light and your heart feels calm.
Your chest feels light and your heart feels calm.
Pause and feel that for a few moments.
As you breathe,
Your chest feels light and your heart is calm.
Be aware now that your whole back and spine is supported and you can feel your back spreading and widening as little by little you let go of any tension.
Your abdominal muscles soften now and relax.
Feel the navels sinking into the body as you breathe out.
All the vital organs of digestion can relax as well.
Internal organs also feel stress and tightness.
Let go and relax.
Now your legs relax.
Perhaps even feel at first some heaviness in your legs as you realise that your day is done and there is nowhere to go and there is nothing more to do but relax.
Now your legs feel light,
Weightless.
All tension has dropped away.
Be aware of your ankles.
Drop your feet apart.
The soles of the feet,
The top of the feet and your toes.
Feel the feeling right down to the tips of your toes.
All you need to do now is smile,
Smile a little and allow your whole face to soften.
Feel the divine stillness in your body,
In your breath and in your mind.
Your whole body is relaxed now.
You feel light,
You feel weightless,
You feel deeply relaxed.
Falling asleep.
Remember you are submerged in eternal lightness.
You are submerged in stillness,
Peace,
Joy and love.
All is well.
Take those thoughts with you now into a deep restful sleep and you will awaken feeling renewed,
Positive and refreshed.
I close now with a mantra.
Please silently repeat the words,
Divine peace fills me.
Divine peace fills me.
Divine peace fills me.
Divine peace fills me.
Divine peace fills me.
Divine peace fills me.
