Pre-Sleep Softening and Ease

Support the neck in a supine or side-lying rest. You do not have to stand; let the ground carry you. Notice the pillow's pressure at the ear without correcting it. If the eyes are closed, notice shades of dark; if open, soften the gaze on one point. If attention wanders, do not count it as failure; return to contact.

Silence (30s)

Preparation ends here. Bring attention to where heels meet the mattress, then to the lumbar gap. Do not lengthen the breath; let the breath already present complete itself. Notice extra effort in jaw and shoulders without ordering a melt.

Silence (35s)

Do not summon sleep; only release weight. There is no forcing. The title is a frame for attention, not a creed: Pre-Sleep Softening and Ease.

Silence (35s)

Wakefulness and a heavy body can stand together. Do not hunt for the correct sensation. Meet what is here today. The two sides of the body need not match.

Silence (40s)

On the exhale, allow extra effort in the belly to loosen a little. This practice is not a protocol for sleep disorders. Do not fuse tradition with today's seat.

Silence (40s)

Widen slightly: room temperature, cloth, the support at your back. Do not correct any of it. To explore a pre-sleep body scan through weight and contact, without promising sleep.

Silence (45s)

If a commentary starts inside, hear it and do not finish the sentence. Return attention to where body meets the room. Bring attention to where heels meet the mattress, then to the lumbar gap.

If the eyes are open, name one object and leave the light as it is. Hold this as one concrete gesture, not a success list. No hurried result is required.