Twelve minutes, five segments. Written to be listened to lying down — the notes in brackets are for you, not the listener.
Setting up
1 min 30[low and even from the first word — do not start bright and fade down]
Hello. This is non-sleep deep rest — twelve minutes of lying completely still while staying just awake enough to hear me.
That distinction matters. This isn't a nap. The body goes as still as it does in sleep, but a thread of attention stays with my voice. That combination is what makes twelve minutes of this feel like considerably more.
Lie on your back if you can. Legs uncrossed, arms a little away from your sides, palms facing up. A pillow under the knees helps the lower back. [pause for 10 seconds — they are physically moving]
Let your eyes close. From this point on, the only instruction is to stay still and keep listening. If you drift off entirely, no harm done — but see if you can stay on the edge instead.
Letting the body go heavy
3 min[each body part gets its own beat — do not run the list together]
Start with the weight of your body. Notice every place it's being held — the heels, the backs of the legs, the hips, the shoulders, the back of the head. [pause for 20 seconds]
Bring your attention to your right hand. Not moving it. Just knowing where it is. The palm. Each finger in turn. [pause for 20 seconds]
And the left hand. The palm. Each finger. [pause for 20 seconds]
Now both feet at once. Then both legs. Let them get heavier than they were a moment ago — not by trying, just by allowing. [pause for 30 seconds]
The whole back, from the base of the spine to the shoulders. The jaw. The muscles around the eyes. The scalp. [pause for 40 seconds]
The long exhale
3 min[you are handing over control of the breath — then getting out of the way]
Bring your attention to your breathing, without changing anything about it yet. Just find it. [pause for 20 seconds]
Now, for the next few breaths only, make the out-breath a little longer than the in-breath. Don't force it. In for whatever's comfortable, and let the out-breath run on a beat past where it wants to stop. [pause for 30 seconds]
A long out-breath is the fastest instruction the body understands for standing down. You've just given it. [pause for 20 seconds]
Now stop managing it. Let the breath go back to doing whatever it does on its own, and just watch. [long pause — 90 seconds of silence]
Stillness
3 min[the deepest point — arrive quietly, say little, leave gaps that feel too long]
Nothing to do now. Nothing to follow. [long pause — 60 seconds]
Still here. Still listening. [long pause — 60 seconds]
If you've drifted, come back. Not with a start — just notice my voice and let it hold you here a little longer. [long pause — 45 seconds]
Coming back
1 min 30[gradual — four steps up to a normal voice, never one jump]
We're going to come back now, slowly. [pause for 10 seconds]
Start by noticing sound again. The room you're in. Anything beyond it. [pause for 15 seconds]
Now the body. Move your fingers. Move your toes. Take one deeper breath than you've taken in twelve minutes. [pause for 10 seconds, then lift the voice]
Stretch if you want to. Roll onto your side before you sit up — standing straight from flat will undo some of what you just did.
And open your eyes. That was rest, not sleep, and you should be able to feel the difference. Thank you for lying still with me.