Let Go of the Day: A Gentle Nighttime Meditation

Find a comfortable position. Lying down, if that feels right for you. Your heart has beaten close to one hundred thousand times today. In our last time together, we focused on the breath to release the day. Tonight, we invite that release into the entire body, one small piece at a time.

Begin by bringing your awareness to the very top of your head. Just noticing. Allowing any tension in your scalp and forehead to simply melt away. Let your eyes feel heavy in their sockets. Soften the space between your eyebrows. Unclench your jaw. Now, allow this feeling of softness to drift down into your neck and shoulders.

This is where so much of the day is held. On your next exhale, just imagine the weight of the day sliding off your shoulders, down your arms. Feel a sense of heaviness in your upper arms. Your forearms. Your hands resting, fingers gently curled. Nothing to hold onto now. Bring your attention to your chest and your stomach.

Feeling the gentle, steady rise and fall with each breath. No need to change anything. Simply observing the rhythm of your body at rest. Allowing the breath to soften your belly. This gentle awareness now flows down through your hips, into your legs. Feeling the weight of your thighs on the surface beneath you.

Releasing your knees. Letting your calves become heavy and soft. And finally, bringing your attention all the way down to your feet. Noticing your heels. The arches. And the very tips of your toes. Your whole body is now resting. Heavy, soft, and still. There is nothing left to do. Simply allow this stillness to carry you into sleep.