Gentle Nightfall: A Calming Meditation to Unwind Your Day

The average adult takes about twenty-three thousand breaths in a single day. In our last time together, we focused on using the breath to unwind the mind. Tonight, we will invite that same sense of letting go directly into the body. So find a comfortable position now.

Lying down if that feels right for you. Allowing your eyes to gently close. Simply begin by noticing your breath. Not changing anything. Just feeling the gentle rise and fall of your chest or belly. Each breath an anchor to this present moment. Inhale. And exhale.

Releasing the day. Now, bring your awareness to the very top of your head. Just noticing any sensation that might be there. A feeling of warmth, or coolness, or tingling. And as you exhale, imagine any tension just melting away. Allow that softness to travel down into your forehead.

Smoothing out any lines of worry. Letting the small muscles around your eyes relax. Allowing your eyelids to feel heavy. Peaceful. Bring your awareness to your jaw. This is a place where we often hold tension from the day. See if you can allow a little space between your teeth.

Letting the jaw go slack. Softening the tongue and the root of the tongue. Let this wave of relaxation flow down into your neck and your shoulders. Imagining the weight of the day simply sliding off your shoulders. Letting them feel heavy… dropping down toward the surface beneath you.

This feeling of release moves down both of your arms now. Through the upper arms… the elbows… the forearms. All the way down into your hands. Noticing your palms. The back of your hands. And each one of your fingers. Perhaps they feel warm. Or heavy. Simply allowing them to be at rest.

Now, bring your attention to your chest and your upper back. Feeling the gentle movement of your breath here. With each exhale, letting go a little more. Feeling supported by the surface you are resting on. Let your awareness travel down into your stomach and your lower back.

Releasing any holding. Any tightness. Just allowing the belly to be soft. Rising and falling with ease. Feel the weight of your hips. Heavy and grounded. A center of stillness and stability. And from here, let the relaxation pour down into your legs. Down through your thighs.

Softening the large muscles here. Flowing past your knees… into your calves and shins. All the way down to your feet. Bringing your full attention to your feet. The heels. The arches. The balls of the feet. And finally, all ten of your toes. Letting your feet go completely limp.

Heavy and relaxed. Now, for a few moments, feel your entire body at once. From the top of your head to the tips of your toes. One single field of peaceful sensation. Heavy. Calm. And deeply at rest. There is nothing to do. And nowhere to go. Simply being here. The day is complete.

This quiet stillness is yours to carry into your rest. May your sleep be deep and peaceful.