Nightfall Release: A Gentle Meditation to Unwind and Let Go

The human jaw can exert nearly three hundred pounds of force. In our last time together, the Nightfall Release, we focused on drifting into a state of calm. Tonight, we invite that same calm directly into the body, starting with the very places that hold the day’s effort.

So find your way into a comfortable position. Lying down if that feels right for you. Allowing your arms and legs to rest wherever they naturally fall. There is nothing to do now. Nowhere to be. Simply arrive here, in this moment. Begin by noticing your breath.

Not changing it in any way. Just feeling the gentle rise on the inhale… and the soft release on the exhale. Feel the weight of your body. The points of contact between you and the surface beneath you. Your head… your shoulders… your hips… your heels. Feeling held.

Feeling supported. Now, bring your awareness to the very top of your head. A gentle, soft focus. And allow any tension in your scalp to simply… dissolve. Let this feeling of softness travel down into your forehead. Smoothing out any lines of concentration.

Allowing the space between your eyebrows to widen. Let your eyes become heavy in their sockets. Releasing the effort of seeing. Softening the tiny muscles all around them. And now, your jaw. That place of so much strength. Let the teeth part slightly. Allow the tongue to rest gently in the mouth.

Releasing any clenching. Just letting go. Allow this release to flow down into your neck and your throat. And into your shoulders. Letting them drop away from your ears… feeling them grow heavy and wide. This wave of softness moves down both arms. Through the elbows… the forearms… the wrists.

All the way to the tips of your fingers. Your hands are soft. Your arms are heavy. Bring your awareness to your chest and your upper back. Feeling the gentle movement of your breath here. With each exhale, a little more softening. A little more release. Letting go continues down into your stomach… and your lower back.

Releasing any holding here. Allowing the belly to be soft. Feel the weight in your hips. A sense of grounding… of sinking down into the surface that holds you. Releasing fully. This feeling of heaviness flows down through your legs. Through your thighs… your knees… your calves.

All the way down to your ankles… your feet… and the very tips of your toes. Your legs are completely at rest. Now, for a moment, feel your entire body. Heavy. Soft. And still. Melting into the surface beneath you. There is nothing left to hold. The day is done.