Slow Boat To Sleep

This meditation will help you fall deeply asleep. If your mind is busy, you don't need to 'clear it'; simply follow me on this relaxing journey into a deep and relaxing sleep. Designed for adults, each journey down the river to deep sleep will be more and more pleasant.

Transcript

I'm Daryl,

I'm going to help you sleep deeply,

So soundly,

Like when a child sleeps soundly.

Have you ever seen them sleep so deeply,

So peacefully?

I'm going to help you sleep like that tonight.

So just don't listen to this while you're doing anything but trying to sleep or nap.

No driving,

No working.

And it's important that you sleep long and deep,

Because when you sleep,

It makes sure that your memory works properly.

When you sleep well,

You're going to be more creative.

And wait for it,

You're going to be seen as more attractive.

I can see that you have slept well recently,

Haven't you?

When you sleep well,

It helps your body to fight off colds and flu.

A long and deep sleep lowers your risk of heart attacks and stroke.

It helps you feel happier,

Less depressed,

Less anxious.

Sleeping well recalibrates your emotions.

And if you've ever struggled with eating or bad habits,

You know that you want healthy emotions.

Getting enough sleep helps you to learn and to create new memories,

To make logical decisions.

Getting enough sleep improves your athletic performance and your recovery.

So if you're working out or you find going to the gym knocks you,

Sleep is going to help you to go more often and recover quicker.

But whatever your reason for wanting more sleep,

I congratulate you.

By being here,

You're already halfway there.

So why not set this intention now?

By the end of this recording,

You will be deeply and soundly asleep.

By the end of this recording,

You will be deeply and soundly asleep.

Or in that magical pre-sleep stage where your mind floats,

Wonders and creates beautiful images and scenes.

Letting you sleep deeply and soundly all night long.

I want you to let go of any attachment to the speed with which you will fall asleep.

It may be very quick or it may happen by riding waves up and down for some time.

But eventually,

You will fall asleep.

And in the meantime,

Your mind will be enjoying resting just as if it were sleeping.

Just by listening to my voice in this recording.

And your unconscious mind will be learning each time.

Making positive changes for your whole life.

And getting better and better.

And winding down.

And finding that place within you that feels so comfortable and restful.

So let's start.

We can start by imagining you are cozy and tucked up in bed as a child.

Maybe you can remember that.

All warm and safe.

And imagine that as you're tucked up in bed,

I'm going to read you a story.

And you're fascinated but sleepy.

And if you haven't already,

Close your eyes.

Because before I tell you the story,

I want you to think of all the people in the world who love you.

The animals and pets who love you.

The friends,

Past,

Present,

And even future who love you.

The family who are alive and your family who have passed away who love you.

Think of the way the sun loves you.

That water loves you.

The way the sky loves you.

And the way the birds that sing love you.

By telling you that things are safe just by their song.

Imagine that you find the most relaxing place you can.

Maybe it's somewhere you have been on a holiday.

By a beach,

On a mountain.

In a forest,

In a meadow.

Or maybe it's something you have experienced.

A massage,

A hot bath,

Bathing in a natural sulfurous hot pool.

Or simply being tucked up safely in bed.

And as you imagine that,

I want you to remember the feelings that you have and that you had.

I want you to bring back the body memories of you being so deeply relaxed as I tell you your story.

And the story is about someone just like you.

Someone who sought something and found it.

And it's a little different every time.

And it really doesn't mind if you change your story in your own head.

To make it better.

To enhance it.

To add flourishes or colors.

To add rainbows and magic and side quests.

It really doesn't matter what your conscious mind does.

Since your unconscious mind will simply be relaxing along for the ride.

Going deeper and deeper towards sleep.

Deeper and deeper into relaxation.

With every breath.

With every beat of your heart.

With every moment.

With every breath.

And this person who is just like you.

They lay down.

They lay down on the most comfortable of beds.

They sink right in.

It's so cozy.

And this bed,

This most comfortable of beds,

Is on a boat.

A small and safe boat.

That rocks gently.

And a part of you remembers the feeling of being rocked in a crib.

Or in the arms of someone who loved you when you were very young.

And this boat starts to float down the river.

A very calm and peaceful river.

And as it floats down the river,

They look out and see the things that they see.

They notice whether they see trees or mountains.

Whether they see towns or villages.

Or fields.

What do you imagine that they see as they go down this river?

And they feel safe.

They feel perfectly warm and just a little bit cool.

A cool breeze that touches their feet.

And they notice beautiful,

Relaxing smells of lavender.

The smell of sunshine hitting the air.

And they hear in the distance relaxing sounds of water lapping against the shore.

Of water lapping against the boat.

Of birds and other things.

And as they relax deeper,

You can also relax deeper.

Breathing in the way that's most relaxing for you.

And as you relax down the river,

You feel the boat rocking ever so gently.

Rocking you to sleep.

The person that's just like you sees a shape in the distance at the side of the river.

It's a baby animal and it's sleeping.

And it looks so cute.

Can you imagine,

Can you visualize this baby animal?

As the boat gets closer,

It can begin to take shape.

And maybe you can notice whether it's a kitten,

A baby seal,

A puppy or something else.

Whatever it is,

It means something.

And you can spend time thinking about the meaning of this animal.

Or you can let the meaning come to you.

Or you can just let your mind drift as the boat stops and the baby animal climbs aboard.

And cuddles up next to that person that's just like you.

And they feel safe and they feel loved and they feel cozy.

And it feels so nice to cuddle up to this baby animal.

And you might be able to hear the little animal snoring.

The sound of the animal gently asleep next to the crook of your arm.

Or nuzzled into your side.

Or wherever feels comfortable for you.

But as the river continues to carry the boat,

Gently and safely,

Rocking it gently.

Smoothly,

Hearing all the sounds in the distance.

The person that's just like you is really relaxing.

And as the boat goes down the river even further,

In the distance,

They start to notice an old table.

An old table at the side of the river.

And there are two draughts on the table in glasses.

As the boat pulls up next to the table,

The person that's just like you gets out and picks up the first glass.

This draught of liquid is full of something.

It's in a way magical and natural all at once.

It will imbue the drinker with a sense of freedom.

With whatever quality they desire.

Confidence,

Patience,

Peace,

Motivation,

Excitement,

Relaxation,

Whatever they need.

And you can imagine what it was like for them to drink that draught.

And be filled up by the qualities that are in it.

You can imagine how they felt that quality go down their throat.

Into their shoulders,

Into their arm,

All the way down their arms to their fingertips.

Down their chest and their stomach and all the way down their back.

They were infused with this quality,

This feeling.

Down through into the legs and the feet and the toes,

All the way down.

Feel it infuse you if you like as well.

And beside that draught,

There was another one.

And on it said the word sleep.

The person that was just like you knew that if they drunk the draught that said sleep,

Then they would immediately become very drowsy,

Very heavy and drift off into a deep and relaxing sleep.

And that everything from that moment on would be but a dream.

So they drunk the draught and lay back down on the boat and started to dream dreams.

And if you want that,

You can have it.

You can lay down and feel heavy and drift off and dream dreams.

It's yours now.

And they dreamed a dream of an elderly person further down the river.

And as they got closer,

The boat rocking gently,

Relaxing and safe.

The elderly person began to take shape as someone that they recognised.

Perhaps this person is the same every time they go down the river.

Or perhaps it's someone different.

Perhaps it's a future you.

Someone that you love.

Someone that's past.

A spirit guide.

Or a famous sage from history.

No matter.

It's someone wise.

And they have something that you need to know.

And it's the person that's just like you.

Dreams a dream of speaking to this person.

You can listen in to any advice that might come from them.

And after some time,

The boat seems like it's gone a long,

Long way.

And the sensation is of it going down.

Gently downhill.

You don't worry.

You just enjoy the gentle rocking.

The gentle breeze.

The sound of the birds.

Whatever you hear.

And you have a sense that even deeper relaxation is on its way.

You have the sense that you're about to arrive at some relaxing place.

And you arrive at a gate.

A big double gate.

And to pass through this gate,

You have to relax yourself.

You have to relax your whole body very comfortably.

You have to relax your body so comfortably that it becomes like air.

For this is a place of much peace.

And you start just like the person that's just like you in that boat over there.

By imagining all the muscles in your eyes and your face.

Relaxing twice as much as they're relaxed now.

The muscles in your scalp and your neck.

Fully relaxing.

Taking a deep breath.

Anytime you want to relax one level deeper.

You can relax all the muscles in your shoulders.

And your arms.

And your hands.

They can feel so heavy.

And so light and free at the same time.

Your fingers and your fingertips.

And you can imagine all the muscles in your chest and stomach.

Relaxing down.

All the muscles in your back.

Like every muscle from the base of your skull.

Down to your lower back.

From top to bottom.

Just all unwinds.

Unhooks.

Unhinges.

Just relax.

And the muscles all through your buttocks and the tops of your legs.

All the way down to your feet and your toes.

So relaxed that they feel light.

And you can get a feeling of floating.

A feeling of floating.

And rocking while floating.

You're so light.

So very,

Very light and comfortable.

Very much at peace.

Very safe.

And you know you're meant to be here.

And that's just like the person that's just like you.

Who becomes so very light.

That they float up into the air.

Turn into nothingness.

Turn into the breeze and just fly through the gate.

And then they land with their feet on the ground.

And in front of them.

And you can imagine seeing through their eyes.

This is the biggest,

Most beautiful,

Most stunning garden that you could ever imagine.

It's full not just of flowers and trees,

Bushes and birds.

Of fountains and ornaments.

But it's full of all the people you love.

All the people you have ever loved.

And all the people that you will love.

And I want you to take your time to walk around.

Notice who is there.

I want you to take more time to walk around.

Keep noticing these people.

Notice who they are.

How does it feel to have them near you?

How does it feel to be right there in the garden with them?

Now you may choose someone to be near.

Or they may choose you.

Take your time.

There's no right or wrong.

Just take your time.

Converse with them.

Tell them about your life and what is going on for you.

Or listen to them.

Listen to them tell you all about where they are right now.

And what they are doing.

Or you can talk about anything that you like.

The stars.

The moon.

You can talk about the birds.

Talk about the weather.

The sun and the beautiful rainy days where you can tuck up warm in the house.

You can talk about your journey here.

Or where you would like to go to next.

Where the boat might take you.

If you could go anywhere you like.

Talk about whatever your heart tells you to talk about.

And later,

If you need me,

I'll be waiting to take you on your next journey.

Enjoy your time here.

Allow it to help you feel safe and relaxed.

And let your mind drift.

I'll be quiet now.

To allow you some time to explore.

To find.

To embrace.

To talk and connect with these people.

Sweet dream.