Hi,
I'm Matt Young from the Melbourne Meditation Centre and this is a meditation for youth when you're having trouble relaxing or falling asleep.
As we begin,
Make sure that you're as cosy as possible.
Lie down or sit up straight,
Pull up the covers or switch on the fan.
No uncomfortable or unnatural posture is necessary.
You can settle in by attending gently to the body's needs,
To the call for rest and the call for your soothing attention.
Let it be okay to slump,
Stretch,
Adjust your posture or lounge around.
And you might start by briefly placing one palm on your forehead,
Letting that soothing contact spread through the body like a soft,
Warm glow.
Or imagine that there are half a dozen screws holding your scalp in place and with each out-breath they loosen a fraction.
Releasing any pressure inside your head and allowing the brain to gradually cool.
And remember,
There's no need to remain focused in this meditation.
If your mind wanders and drifts,
Let that be okay.
You can let a sense of peace and quiet,
Or even sleep,
Steal upon you quite naturally,
Without the need for control.
Just as quiet descends at dusk.
Perhaps you can picture that now,
The sun setting,
Twilight emerging,
The sounds of the day fading away.
And perhaps you can sense the breath moving through your body,
Like a gentle evening breeze.
Let it swirl through your lungs like a caress,
Becoming softer with each passing moment.
And if you haven't already,
You may gently close your eyes.
And just begin to let yourself sink down into the couch or bed,
Wherever you sit or lie.
You may have a lot on your mind or a lot to do,
But for the time being,
Give yourself permission to rest.
Acknowledge any fatigue you feel,
Any weariness.
Permitting yourself to stretch,
Yawn or sigh as you settle.
Know that it's okay to let go,
To cease working.
And to know that you don't have to be wakeful,
Productive,
Diligent or alert for the next little while.
And just let your attention drift freely.
Be curious about where your mind goes.
What sounds can you hear?
Whatever they are,
Listen closely,
But with minimal effort.
Let yourself be fascinated by the texture and timbre of each sound.
Notice how the sounds oscillate and change.
And let each sound have its place.
And as the sounds continue to ebb and flow in the background,
Become aware of your body.
How do your feet feel?
What sensations do you notice on the soles?
In the toes?
What's the most obvious sensation?
The most subtle?
Is there a warmth or tingling?
Are there similar sensations in your hands?
In the palms?
The fingertips?
And what about across the scalp and face?
What sensations register on the skin,
Right across the body,
From head to foot?
And what do you sense deeper within?
Let your attention move through your body like a balm,
Warm and soothing.
Like a caress.
Gentle,
Tender,
Caring.
And check in with your thoughts too.
Let them have a place in this moment.
If memories surface,
Let them linger.
See if you can savour whatever arises.
A plan,
A worry,
Some anxiety or sadness.
Treat everything like a guest.
Greet everything with a welcoming attitude,
As though nothing needs to be pushed away or rejected.
While you do this,
Make your own decisions.
Shh,
Shh.
And if something seems unsettling or troubling,
See if you can make space for it.
Let your body soften so that every thought and emotion can be held as though cushioned from within,
As though you have airbags for your mind.
And if you feel restless or distracted,
Let that be okay too.
Trust that your body and mind will relax in their own time,
In their own way.
Perhaps you could support this process by imagining yourself in some place where you feel welcome,
Safe and secure.
A place where each breath can just fall from the body.
Or your shoulders drop a fraction with each exhalation.
You might feel muscles deep in your abdomen softening as tension in the face is released.
As the jaw goes slack.
You might notice a subtle tingling in your fingers.
You might notice whether they're warm or cool.
Or what they rest upon.
You might breathe in as though the air were a perfume.
Or imagine every cell in your body resting as you breathe out.
Knowing that in this meditation,
Whatever you think or feel is allowed.
A thought can be celebrated.
Let us count a moment of silence.
You don't have to make any effort to change how you feel.
You don't have to play the judge deciding what is good or bad,
Acceptable or not.
You can just let yourself drift along like a cork on the sea.
Floating easily,
Going where the waves take you.
The waves rise,
The waves fall.
Just as the belly rises and falls with each breath.
Feeling natural.
The body breathing spontaneously,
Like an ocean swell.
The breath comes in.
The breath goes out.
One continuous,
Smooth rhythm.
Free flowing.
Requiring no effort or control.
And of course,
There is no need to try to relax or fall asleep.
Let nature be responsible for that.
The only job is not to resist.
If the mind is busy,
Let it be busy.
If the body is restless,
Let it be restless.
There is nothing to fight.
You can simply allow your body to sink downwards as though it were dissolving.
As though each passing thought was disappearing into the night.
Feeling your eyelids becoming heavier.
Breath softly touching.
Feels like sponges soaking in warm water.
As tendons elongate and release.
Weight drawing you downwards into deeper and deeper rest.
Beauty pulling you inexorably towards sleep.
Almost as though you were completely unconscious.
Hybernating.
Dreaming.
Almost unable to move,
Even if you wanted to.
Drifting on unseen currents.
Feeling flowing towards the world of deep rest,
Dreams and sleep.
And there's no hurry to arrive.
You can enjoy each moment with nowhere to go and nowhere to be but here,
Now.
