Welcome to the sleep sessions.
I'm Michelle Cashman and I'll be guiding you through this evening's meditation.
We'll begin by preparing for sleep,
Taking a few deep breaths together,
Followed by gentle passive progressive muscle relaxation to ease both your mind and body.
As you drift towards sleep,
I'll softly repeat the affirmations for tonight's theme,
Allowing them to sink into your subconscious.
The meditation will then gradually fade,
Giving you space to relax completely and to slip into a deep and peaceful sleep.
All the sleep sessions follow this same routine,
So if you find this meditation helpful,
I encourage you to explore the other sleep sessions in the series to find topics that might be suitable for you.
Let's prepare for sleep.
Have you done everything that you need to do today?
If there's something that you need to do,
Pause the audio and go and take care of it now,
And then come back when you're ready for sleep.
If things can wait,
Begin the process of letting things go.
You've made the decision to sleep now,
And everything else that you need to do or think about can wait until tomorrow.
If you've struggled with a challenge today that you haven't yet solved,
It may feel like you need to do something,
Or that you need to continue to think about it,
And that going to sleep is not helping.
But going to sleep is helping.
Sleeping is actively doing something.
During sleep,
The important things will be filed away where they need to go,
And the unimportant things,
The mental debris that accumulates in your conscious mind,
Will drift away,
And by morning,
You will have greater clarity to face any situation with a clearer mind.
So allow yourself to trust that for now,
You can let things go.
Let's get comfortable.
Soften into your space.
Remove or release any tight clothing or jewelry,
And move into a comfortable position.
Take some time to stretch or release any excess energy from the body.
Feel free to move around until you can settle into a position that you can stay in comfortably.
For this next section,
You can breathe along with me,
Or at your own pace,
Just slowing the breath.
If breathing along with me feels too slow for you,
Don't try and match my breath.
Just breathe at a pace that is comfortable for you.
Over time,
Your ability to slow the breath will increase,
And there are no prizes for doing things a certain way.
Go easy and be patient.
If you drift off into thought,
That's okay.
No judgment necessary.
Just notice,
And bring your mind back to the breath,
And to listening to my voice.
Let's begin.
Take a deep breath in through the nose,
Feeling the lungs and holding at the top.
Release the breath out through the mouth,
And just let go.
No effort,
No striving.
Breathing in deeply and slowly,
Pausing at the top.
Letting go completely on the release.
It might be helpful to say the words,
Let go in your mind on the out-breath.
Breathe in,
Hold,
And then as you breathe out,
Release any thoughts,
Any tension in the body on the out-breath.
In through the nose,
Hold,
And let go.
Relax the shoulders.
It feels good to just let go.
Continue paying attention to the in-breath,
And then on the out-breath,
Practice letting go.
Let go of striving.
Let go of thinking.
Let go of feeling.
Breathing in,
Noticing the breath as it enters the nostrils,
Or it fills the abdomen.
Let go of the tension.
Let go of today.
Let go of tomorrow.
There is nothing left that we need to control.
We just bring our attention to here and now.
We are in this moment,
Focusing on the breath and the release.
Breathe in.
Now,
Let's begin to relax the body.
As you continue to breathe deeply and slowly,
Send warm,
Soothing light to each part of your body.
With every out-breath,
Release any tension that you find.
Start with the toes.
Let them fill with warm,
Relaxing light.
Feeling the light move to your arches,
Your whole foot,
And your ankles.
Feel the relaxation spreading to your calves,
Your knees,
And your thighs.
As the warm light travels up your body,
Soften the muscles in your buttocks and your pelvic area,
And release all tension in your lower body.
Now,
Bring your attention to your stomach and lower back.
Let them relax completely.
Feel the warmth spreading to your chest and upper back,
Your shoulders,
And your upper arms.
Your wrists and fingers.
Feel your whole torso soften and release.
Move your focus to your neck,
Then relax your face,
Your jaw,
Your mouth,
And tongue.
Let your eyes soften.
Space between your eyebrows,
The muscles around your eyes,
And your forehead.
Finally,
Let the warmth and light fill your scalp and your entire head.
Now imagine your whole entire body glowing with warm golden light,
Every part soft and relaxed.
With each breath out,
Feel your body becoming heavier,
Sinking deeper into the support beneath you.
Feel free to drift off to sleep.
If not,
That's perfectly okay too.
Just allow yourself to relax completely.
Relaxation is the most important part of sleep,
So release any thoughts about not sleeping as you continue to rest and just let go.
Feel your body fully supported by the mattress beneath you,
Safe and secure.
Heavy,
Warm,
And filled with golden healing light.
Rest deeply,
Knowing that you are giving your mind and body the restoration that you need.
Before we begin the affirmations,
Take a moment to notice how relaxed and supported your body feels.
There's nothing more you need to do,
Nothing to fix or figure out.
Simply rest and let these affirmations nurture your mind and spirit as you drift peacefully towards sleep.
Now I'll begin the affirmations.
You can let yourself drift off to sleep,
Allowing the words to gently wash over you.
There's no need to focus or concentrate,
The affirmations will be heard by your subconscious.
If you're still awake,
Simply relax and repeat them quietly in your mind,
Letting them settle deep within you.
Let's begin.
I am allowed to prioritize recovery.
I give myself permission to pause.
It's okay to take a break and come back later.
I honor my need for stillness.
I take the time I need to be alone without guilt.
I am able and willing to take the time to be still and rest.
I trust that I don't need to fix everything right now.
My only job tonight is to let go.
I am safe to soften.
I am doing the best that I can with what I have.
I let go of pressure.
I am enough without proving anything.
I release today with love.
I breathe out stress.
I breathe in peace.
It's okay to stop holding it all together.
I trust that what matters will remain.
I am allowed to care for myself first.
I welcome calm into my body.
I give myself grace.
I am not behind.
I am exactly where I need to be.
My worth is never up for debate.
I am enough even in stillness.
I can start again tomorrow.
It's okay to feel tired.
I am loved and supported.
Even when I feel overwhelmed.
I don't need to have all the answers tonight.
I don't have to have things all figured out.
My body knows how to rest.
I give myself permission to receive.
I let go of urgency.
It's safe to slow down.
I am allowed to reset without guilt.
I choose to release what I cannot control.
I am resilient even when I feel fragile.
I am allowed to protect my energy.
I honour my nervous system and its need for care.
My rest is an act of self-respect.
It's safe for me to do less.
I am not a machine.
I am a human being.
I listen to what I need and that's enough.
My breath is my anchor.
I don't need to carry everything alone.
It's okay to ask for help.
I trust that what is meant for me will not pass me by.
I release the day with kindness toward myself.
I am allowed to protect my peace.
I honour my capacity and respect my limits.
Rest is productive.
I deserve to feel light again.
I can come back to this moment and find peace again and again.
I choose compassion over perfection.
My only task now is to surrender to sleep.
I am safe.
I am held.
I am enough.
I can rest in my recovery.
I release the need for self-restraint.
I don't need to be anywhere but in this moment.
I am safe.
I am held.
