A short and soothing mindfulness meditation aimed at relaxing the body and mind before sleep.
In my 20’s I found myself frazzled and burning out, unable to sleep until I was so exhausted I could not stay awake. I wondered how I could help myself because I did not feel I had the resources to get help while trying to pay a mortgage and raising my children. One night, as I lay trying to sleep and the usual million thoughts raced through my mind, it occurred to me that I needed sleep mostly but how could I achieve this? I had experienced insomnia like this for most of my life since childhood. A small voice within prompted me to relax but I had no idea how and so I began telling my body, one part at a time, to relax.
At first, I was quite insistent and bossy, it’s how I approached everything back then - matter-of-fact, get-it-done type of style. That did not work too well and I learned over time, with practice, to be softer and more caring when I spoke to my body. Something within me really wanted this to work and I persevered. I think it took about 6 months of practicing every night before it really began to work for me. Each night I would get into bed in complete darkness and quiet and my mind would race. I would begin my practice and my mind still raced but my awareness would slow and focus. My mind usually and often raced off with my awareness, dragging it all over the preceding day and worrying, sorting, regretting, etc, but I learned to star noticing and gently come back to my body.
Finally, after 6 months, I noticed it getting easier and easier to sleep. I added in a children’s prayer (another story) and suddenly began experiencing sleep so instantaneous that I often awoke the next morning remembering that I had not gotten all the way through my practice. To this day, even though I sleep almost instantly every time I go to bed, if my mind wants to get busy in bed, I restart tis practice, much the same as what I have created in this meditation. I always go straight to sleep when I do and I wake up feeling refreshed and relaxed - ready to start my day at any time I like, no alarms either!
I hope this meditation helps you to relax and unwind at the end of your day - or any time you choose to listen to it. It has a gentle harp sound to accompany it and ends with enveloping yourself in a safe, pure, white light as you sleep.
A short and soothing mindfulness meditation aimed at relaxing the body and mind before sleep.
In my 20’s I found myself frazzled and burning out, unable to sleep until I was so exhausted I could not stay awake. I wondered how I could help myself because I did not feel I had the resources to get help while trying to pay a mortgage and raising my children. One night, as I lay trying to sleep and the usual million thoughts raced through my mind, it occurred to me that I needed sleep mostly but how could I achieve this? I had experienced insomnia like this for most of my life since childhood. A small voice within prompted me to relax but I had no idea how and so I began telling my body, one part at a time, to relax.
At first, I was quite insistent and bossy, it’s how I approached everything back then - matter-of-fact, get-it-done type of style. That did not work too well and I learned over time, with practice, to be softer and more caring when I spoke to my body. Something within me really wanted this to work and I persevered. I think it took about 6 months of practicing every night before it really began to work for me. Each night I would get into bed in complete darkness and quiet and my mind would race. I would begin my practice and my mind still raced but my awareness would slow and focus. My mind usually and often raced off with my awareness, dragging it all over the preceding day and worrying, sorting, regretting, etc, but I learned to star noticing and gently come back to my body.
Finally, after 6 months, I noticed it getting easier and easier to sleep. I added in a children’s prayer (another story) and suddenly began experiencing sleep so instantaneous that I often awoke the next morning remembering that I had not gotten all the way through my practice. To this day, even though I sleep almost instantly every time I go to bed, if my mind wants to get busy in bed, I restart tis practice, much the same as what I have created in this meditation. I always go straight to sleep when I do and I wake up feeling refreshed and relaxed - ready to start my day at any time I like, no alarms either!
I hope this meditation helps you to relax and unwind at the end of your day - or any time you choose to listen to it. It has a gentle harp sound to accompany it and ends with enveloping yourself in a safe, pure, white light as you sleep.
