Hello!
Welcome to sleep practice.
When we experience fear,
Anxiety and stress during the day,
It's too difficult to fall asleep at the end of it,
Because we often tend to think over and over again about the situation that made you feel stressed.
We strive to fall asleep,
But in fact anxious thoughts are overwhelming us and this mental activity takes us far away from sleeping.
In this practice we are coming back to our body with curious mind.
We set an intention to make connection with our presence in the body and allow it to take a rest in its own time.
So take a comfortable lying position and settle down comfortably.
Allow your body to relax perhaps.
And if you feel that your body is in tension,
Simply acknowledge it as your present moment experience.
Feeling your body in the chosen posture,
Perhaps feeling the weight of the body.
Your buttocks and spine pressing gently against the ground.
Feeling your hands resting at the sides.
Acknowledging any sensations that you may have and allowing them to be as they are.
Then gently and with intention take your attention to your breath.
Directing your mind and focus into the natural movements of the breath.
Taking the position of an observer.
There is no need to change the breath in any way.
Just following the in-breath and then following the out-breath.
As best as is possible right now allowing the attention to rest on the breath.
Now gently shift the attention from the body and take a moment to ask yourself what has brought you to this practice?
What do you want to get from it?
Perhaps you know clearly why you are here or perhaps you don't.
Maybe you find it difficult to put it into words and that's okay.
Your intention might be about building a new relationship with sleep.
By using the power of presence in the body.
Asking yourself again what has brought me here?
There is no right or wrong intention.
What is more important here is our desire to see the reason more clearly.
Something we can return to and remind ourselves of.
So now we are moving attention to our legs.
Lower and upper legs.
What do you feel there?
Perhaps warmness or coldness?
The touch of your clothes or some pressure?
Or nothing at all?
It is totally okay.
We don't have to create any sensations.
If there are no sensations that's what it is for now.
If you notice any anxious thoughts again,
Gently without judging bring your attention back to the legs.
It's normal.
This is what our minds are used to doing.
Practicing the attitude of curiosity.
Instead of getting upset that your mind has wandered away from the practice,
Ask yourself where it went to.
Thoughts about past,
The future?
When you feel ready,
Shift your attention to the pelvic area.
The buttocks are in contact with the surface we are lying on.
Then gently moving up to the stomach and maybe noticing the breath again.
The way it's moving.
Rolling in and rolling out.
Is it calm or worried breathing?
Allow it to be as it is.
Perhaps noticing any judging thoughts that may arise.
And return our attention to the rhythm of the breath once again.
Breathing in,
Breathing out.
The stomach is a place where a lot of stress tension is accumulated.
Softly breathing in and if there is tension letting it go on breathing out.
Any tension or relaxation there.
Again,
If there is a tension,
Let it go.
Remember that there is no right or wrong experience.
It's just the way it is.
Now we are moving our attention to the chest.
What sensations are there to observe?
Maybe tightness.
Or maybe the heart beating.
Being aware of this rhythm of life.
No need to judge it.
But just bring curiosity and observe.
Breathing in,
Breathing out.
Now bring your awareness to the back and spine.
To the sense of contact with the surface we are lying down on.
Are there any pain or unpleasant sensations?
Tightness or softness?
Notice your mind shifting towards any thoughts,
Judgments or sensations that may arise.
Let them go and bring attention to the shoulders and arms now.
Stay open to any experience accepting it.
Now exploring the sensations that may arise in the wrists and hands.
Tingling,
Dryness,
Pulsation or tension.
If at any point you feel discomfort,
Bring awareness to the breath.
Anchoring yourself and just breathing in and breathing out.
Moving on.
What do you feel now in your neck?
Light or relaxed?
Perhaps there are no sensations.
And no need to create them.
Simply exploring your living body.
Now bring your awareness to your head.
Is it heavy or light?
We are bringing a curious and non-judging attitude.
Exploring parts of the face and noticing how sensations may arise when we bring attention to them.
Tingling,
The touch of the air,
Any tightness there?
Now expand the attention.
Being aware of your head including all parts of it.
Choosing to be exactly as we are right now,
Right here.
Size Bring your attention to the whole body now.
A sort of expanded awareness that includes all parts of the body.
From the tips of the toes to the top of the head.
Feeling sensations in the body in the present moment.
Noticing the breath.
And taking a deep breath in.
And a deep breath out.
Once again,
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
Now bring attention and notice sounds around.
Allowing your body to stretch or move in any way as it wants.
Maybe you have not fallen asleep yet and that is absolutely okay.
I invite you to ask yourself,
How do I feel now?
Is there any tension or tightness?
Is there any fear or anxiety?
Do you feel any difference from the beginning of the session?
And remember,
You always have access to your body and by practicing you have a chance to come back to the present moment.
Listen to the messages of your body and make a choice to let any tension go and get calm and restful sleep.
