Welcome to active meditation.
In this exercise,
We prepare for sleep by calming our agitation with a short meditation.
In preparing for meditation,
We start with focusing our attention and feelings by sorting through our usual mixture of thoughts that are swirling around in us,
While our attention wanders from memories about key events to people and things from past to present,
And from our fears or anger or discouragement about them.
We sense there is something in us that remains about the same,
That seems to hover above our negative feelings.
This is our ability to observe what happens to us,
How we feel,
What we think,
And what all of it seems to mean.
While all of this is happening,
Something deep within us remains about the same.
It is stable.
Acting is the part of us that watches what is happening and can interpret what is happening.
It is able to direct our thoughts and feelings when we want it to.
It knows how to use our intelligence and kindness to be helpful,
To soothe others,
To console ourselves,
To take charge of ourselves and what we say and do.
So something within us is always greater than what we think,
Always greater than what we feel,
And is able to exercise some measure of control over our thoughts and feelings,
And certainly over our doubts,
Resentments,
And anxious emotions.
As we move into this state of detachment,
We also move closer to our inner strengths of wisdom,
Goodwill,
And peace,
To help us cope with any challenges we might encounter.
Let's be aware of this powerful part of our consciousness,
Our ability to exercise order and control,
The ability to take charge of our feelings and thoughts.
And with this preparation,
Let us now move on to managing any agitation that might interfere with restful sleep.
As we prepare for sleep,
We will want to do the usual things that we ordinarily do before bedtime.
With those done,
We need to give our body permission to relax,
And also give our thoughts and feelings permission to relax,
And begin to stop churning our worries,
Doubts,
Resentments,
And fears about what might happen.
While it can be difficult to turn off the chattering thoughts and feelings,
We can,
Like a wise grandmother speaks to a small child,
Tell ourselves that we need to rest,
So we can face the new day with a clear mind and rested body.
We can acknowledge that so far we have put in a productive day,
At least to some degree,
And now we have earned our rest.
While certain concerns will need more attention and our involvement,
We need to focus now on our need for rest and renewal that good sleep can provide.
Though we may have many urgent duties and problems to solve,
We can declare a ceasefire for the duration of sleep,
So that we may rest and renew ourselves.
This is the best preparation for another round of effort tomorrow,
To do what has to be done,
To respond to our challenges.
No matter what our challenges may be,
Our best investment in surviving these difficulties is to rest our body and clear our head,
So we can have a fresh start on our new day,
Where we can take up our efforts,
Renewed,
With a clear mind.
As part of our preparation for sleep,
We should quiet the storm in our thinking and emotions.
Sometimes we so overthink the problems we face that we begin to create more agitation in ourselves than solutions or serenity.
We need to let go of our struggle to rest and give our subconscious time to sort out what is happening and find a path through what lies ahead.
This is not the time to try to figure out exactly what this direction is,
But we can temporarily give these matters over to the presence of our inner wisdom for the duration of our sleep.
In the meantime,
We can relax a bit during this ceasefire,
In the certain knowledge that we will continue our struggle with courage and confidence,
And that we can face whatever happens with strength,
Skill,
And the certain knowledge that we will continue to do what we truly need to do.
While we may adjust our standards and goals to accommodate the legitimate needs of our life,
We will not be surrendering to injustice or disgrace.
Instead,
We will continue to pursue what is right as we are given to see what is right for us.
And with this promise,
We declare a ceasefire for this period of sleep,
With the expectation of a good rest for the next few hours,
And the further expectation to take up our duties in the new day ahead.
In the meantime,
We give the body permission to relax,
Slowly releasing the tensions in our head,
About our eyes,
Jaws,
Neck,
And shoulders,
On down to the toes.
Just give our body permission,
Adding the wave of relaxation that occurs with every slowly exhaled breath,
And we remove all expression from our face.
This helps us to relax.
We direct our attention to how tired we really feel,
And how good it is to lie down,
Take the weight off our head and shoulders,
How good it feels to remove our shoes and clothing,
To take away whatever restricts our comfort,
And then turn more fully into the awareness of how wonderful it is to relax.
Lie down and close our eyes.
For now,
We have time to be aware.
We are very tired.
The fatigue of the day is now very obvious.
We gradually give ourselves into peaceful relaxation,
The innate fatigue that calls us to rest and drift off to sleep.
If some stray,
Troublesome thought comes to us,
We can just brush it away,
Let it go,
With the promise that we are already working on this issue,
And we will take care of it.
But now,
We need our rest,
To prepare for a new day,
Of doing the things that will provide for our highest good and success.
Continue to rest and relax.
We can enjoy our time of the ceasefire from all aggressive struggles.
We turn these problems over to the wisdom and powers of our inner or higher self,
To manage them while we sleep.
We relax.
With every breath we exhale,
We sense the tensions leaving us,
Letting it go,
Surrendering to an inner peace and the tiredness that is here.
We move into a well-deserved rest that will restore and renew our humanity and strengths,
And enable a fresh beginning for our new day ahead.
Continue to rest in the peaceful and sleepy state.
Breathing more and more,
With each breath we exhale,
Giving ourselves to embrace the tiredness we feel,
And into a restful sleep.
With every breath we exhale,
We sense the tensions leaving us,
Letting it go,
Surrendering to an inner peace and the tiredness that is here.
With every breath we exhale,
We sense the tensions leaving us,
Letting it go,
Surrendering to an inner peace and the tiredness that is here.
With every breath we exhale,
We sense the tensions leaving us,
Letting it go,
Surrendering to an inner peace and the tiredness that is here.
With every breath we exhale,
We sense the tensions leaving us,
Letting it go,
Surrendering to an inner peace and the tiredness that is here.
With every breath we exhale,
We sense the tensions leaving us,
Letting it go,
Surrendering to an inner peace and the tiredness that is here.
With every breath we exhale,
We sense the tensions leaving us,
Letting it go,
Surrendering to an inner peace and the tiredness that is here.
With every breath we exhale,
We sense the tensions leaving us,
Letting it go,
Surrendering to an inner peace and the tiredness that is here.
With every breath we exhale,
We sense the tensions leaving us,
Letting it go,
Surrendering to an inner peace and the tiredness that is here.
With every breath we exhale,
We sense the tensions leaving us,
Letting it go,
Surrendering to an inner peace and the tiredness that is here.
Chill.
