Twelve minutes, five segments. Written to be listened to in bed — there is no wake-up at the end, by design.
Arriving at the end of the day
2 min[already quiet — start where a morning meditation would end]
Hello. This is an evening meditation — twelve minutes to put the day down properly, rather than just stopping.
You can be in bed for this. Lying down is fine. If you fall asleep partway through, no harm done — but the aim is to finish the day deliberately, not to be knocked out.
Get comfortable. Let your eyes close. [pause for 15 seconds]
Take one breath in through the nose, and let it out slowly through the mouth. Longer on the way out than on the way in. [pause for 20 seconds — two or three cycles]
Putting the day down
2 min 30[brisk and kind — do NOT linger here, this is where rumination starts]
Let the day come to mind briefly. Not to sort through it — just to acknowledge it happened. [pause for 20 seconds]
Some of it went well. Some of it didn't. Both are true of most days, and neither needs settling tonight. [pause for 20 seconds]
If there's something unfinished — an email, a conversation, a decision — notice it, and let this be the sentence that closes it: it will still be there in the morning, and you will be better equipped to meet it then. [pause for 25 seconds]
Nothing that happened today needs another thought from you tonight. That's not avoidance. It's just the right time for it. [pause for 30 seconds]
The body letting go
3 min[slower with each item — the list should decelerate audibly]
Bring your attention to your feet. Let them be heavy. [pause for 20 seconds]
Your legs. Heavy, and done for the day. [pause for 25 seconds]
Your hands. Let the fingers uncurl. Hands hold on to a day longer than anything else. [pause for 25 seconds]
Your shoulders. Let them come away from your ears. [pause for 25 seconds]
Your jaw. Let the teeth come apart. Let the tongue rest. [pause for 30 seconds]
And the muscles around your eyes. Nothing left to look at tonight. [pause for 30 seconds]
Breath, and stopping
3 min[quieter again — you are handing over]
Let your attention rest on your breathing. Not managing it. Just noticing it carry on without you. [long pause — 60 seconds]
Each out-breath a little longer than the one before it. No counting. [long pause — 60 seconds]
If thoughts about tomorrow arrive, let them come and go without following them anywhere. They're just the mind doing its last bit of tidying. [long pause — 45 seconds]
Closing
1 min 30[softest of the whole recording — do NOT lift the voice, they may already be asleep]
The day is finished. Everything in it can stay where it is. [pause for 30 seconds]
You don't need to do anything else tonight. Not even this. [pause for 30 seconds]
Rest well. [fade to silence — no closing music, no wake-up, let the recording simply end]