It's time for sleep now and your mind and heart may still be so busy.
This container practice can help empty your thoughts and emotions so that you can have deeper rest.
Notice what's happening in your mind and heart right now.
Become aware of speed of thoughts,
The valence of your thoughts if they're positive or negative,
Or any different emotions you may be having.
You may be replaying events from the day from interpersonal moments of goodness or challenge,
Or you may have lingering concerns about work,
Health,
Finances,
And so on.
Now,
In your imagination,
Sense yourself pushing all the stuff from the day out away from you.
What we are doing is clearing a space around us.
You could imagine this as moving all the furniture in a room off to the side or clearing a space in a forest.
If a lot of issues are really pressing in on you,
You can physically use your hands and arms to energetically push all the stuff away from you.
Clear the area in front of you,
To each side,
Behind you,
And above and below your body.
Notice what you begin to feel in your body as you clear this space.
This clearing space practice may be enough to help you empty your mind so that you can rest.
However,
If you're having some lingering issues that are persistent,
Try this next container practice.
Imagine a container where you can safely and sacredly put all the unfinished mental and emotional business from your day.
Your container may be an actual object you own,
Such as a box,
Mason jar,
Or trunk,
Or it can be one that you create in your mind.
Take some time right now to flesh out the sensory details of your container.
The size,
Shape,
Material it's made out of,
Color,
Weight,
The security of the box,
The security of the lid,
And so on.
When you have a rich sensory experience of your container,
Begin to pull out the thoughts,
Concerns,
Emotions,
And challenges from your day and place them lovingly in your container.
You can do this pulling out process from your brain,
Heart,
Or any place where these issues seem stuck.
Know that this container can hold your issues while you rest.
It will keep them safe but contained.
When you need to revisit these issues tomorrow or in the following days,
You will have access to them.
Continue to place your concerns in your container.
Be curious as to how you do this.
The thoughts may all fly into your container quickly where you don't even see the individual issues,
Or you may place each thought or emotion in your container one at a time.
This is a highly creative process,
So just watch and notice how your psyche empties your mind and heart into the container.
When you feel complete,
Gently close and secure the lid,
Knowing the issues are safely held and will be available to you when needed after you rest.
If an issue tries to escape,
Put it back in the container and create a more secure lid or lock.
Next,
Place the container far enough away from you that you feel some distance.
That you feel some distance.
You could place your container in another room,
Outside of your dwelling,
Or even further away.
Remember that this is a practice,
And the more that you do it,
The easier it will become.
Hopefully,
You're beginning to feel some distance and quiet from all these issues as you prepare your body and mind and heart for sleep.
Your breath may have slowed down.
Perhaps your muscles are softening,
Or you may notice other sensations,
Such as the warmth of your covers or the darkness of your room.
Allow your body to soften into the surface beneath it.
Savor these sensory cues as you settle in for sleep.
I wish for each of you deep and restorative rest.
Letting go into sleep.
Letting go.
Letting go.
Letting go.
Letting go.
Letting go.
Letting go.
Letting go.
Letting go.
Letting go.
