Sleeping Tree

This guided audio track takes you into deeper, slower states of awareness. It is designed to calm the mind by dropping you down into relaxation in a staged way. It is actually more effective to go in and out of relaxation before surrendering to it for deeper sleep. You can also replicate this process without the audio, once you've done it a few times.

Transcript

Find a comfortable place where you won't be disturbed,

Either sitting up or lying down.

And close the eyes if you haven't already.

And allow your eyelids to become heavy,

As if weighted down with marble or concrete.

Loose and heavy,

Stuck down.

That's right.

And you can take a nice deep breath now into the belly,

In for the count of four.

And hold it for four.

And out for eight.

That's right.

And again,

In for the count of four.

And holding for four.

And out for eight.

And one last time now.

In for the count of four.

Holding for four.

And out for eight.

And noticing your body resting,

Observing the weight of the head as you begin to relax now,

More and more,

As that relaxation spreads into the face.

Is it tingling or warm?

Is it cool?

Perhaps it's heavy too.

As that relaxation moves down now,

Into the neck and the shoulders.

Down the arms and into the hands.

As you notice the placement of the hands.

And allow those hands to just become heavy too.

That's right.

And moving your attention down the body and into the chest.

And taking a moment now to notice your heartbeat.

That's right.

And with each breath that you take,

Focusing on that heartbeat and seeing if you can,

Slow it down just a little.

Using your focus and your concentration,

Which grows stronger and stronger the more you do.

Deeper and deeper.

That's right.

And now moving your attention down into the stomach.

Breathing gently into the stomach.

Relaxing the stomach.

And moving your attention down the body and into the tops of the legs.

Relaxing the tops of the legs.

And into the knees and the calves now.

Relaxing the calves.

As you move your attention down into the feet.

And noticing if your feet feel heavy too.

As you sink deeper and deeper.

That's right.

And allowing your attention to slowly drift back up the legs now.

Comfortably and peacefully.

And into the body.

Into the stomach.

Up into the chest.

Into the hands and the arms.

And up into the shoulders and the neck.

Into the face.

And all the way back up to the top of the head.

As you relax,

Even deeper still.

Like a blanket of relaxation resting over you.

And as you're feeling so relaxed,

I'd like you to picture in your mind an enormous old tree.

The sort of tree that you might find in the Amazon.

With its thick branches soaring high into the atmosphere.

And its roots spreading deep and wide towards the center of the earth.

And the top of this tree receives the warmth of the sun.

Rising majestically above the forest which surrounds it.

Bright and open.

While its feet rest deeply in the darkness of the undergrowth.

And the nourishing soil,

The lifeblood of this tree.

Providing nutrients,

Safe and secure.

And at the top of this tree is a sense of wonder.

With a wide awake curiosity.

And at the bottom of this magnificent tree is a deep and deep restful sleep.

And I wonder if you could gauge now how wide awake or deep asleep you were.

Right now whereabouts on this tree would you find yourself?

Would it be somewhere near the canopy?

Or somewhere near the center?

Or maybe even somewhere closer to the earth?

I'd like you to go and place yourself at that point now on this tree.

That's right.

And because this is your tree you can move up that tree higher.

Or you can move down that tree deeper.

Depending upon where you want to be.

If you would like to go into a deep sleep you can move down this tree.

Gliding gently down branch by branch.

Like a graceful bird resting on a breeze as you descend.

And right now just because you can I'd like you to begin moving down that tree by about 10 branches down towards deeper sleep.

Easily and fluidly moving down the tree.

Branch by branch.

Resting on the breeze.

That's right.

And as you do this you can leave any thoughts from the day on those branches as you pass by.

Moving easily and effortlessly.

And fluidly down that tree.

Going deeper and deeper.

Drifting deeper and deeper into relaxation.

Leaving any thoughts from the day behind.

Any worries.

Any apprehensions.

Or even any excitements.

Anything at all that could distract you from moving deeper and deeper down.

Easily and effortlessly.

And so comfortably towards deep sleep.

That's right.

And all of those thoughts and ideas resting on those branches can just blow away now in the soft rustling of the breeze as the leaves just usher them away.

And you keep drifting down deeper and deeper still.

That's right.

And now I'd like you to comfortably move down that tree some more by another 10 branches or so.

Going deeper and deeper.

So calmly and quietly.

So easily sinking into safety.

As you keep drifting further down.

That's right.

And as you go deeper now you can sense the rhythmic heartbeat of this magnificent tree.

Feeling it through your entire body.

From the top of your head down into the forehead.

Through the center of your mind.

Into the temples like a massage.

The heartbeat of this tree.

Into the back of the head.

All the way down your spine to the very tips of your toes.

Like mother nature's lullaby.

This resonating heartbeat.

Going deeper and deeper still.

Deeply relaxed.

That's right.

And now just because you can I'd like you to move back up that tree by just a few easy branches.

That's right.

Up towards the canopy just because you can by just a few easy branches.

That's right.

Leaving any leftover thoughts or ideas,

Worries or excitements on those branches to be dusted away by the gentle breeze.

So that they can simply disappear.

And now you can slowly descend back down that tree to where you were nice and comfortable.

Deeply relaxed.

Deeply relaxed.

And you can reconnect with that steady resonating heartbeat of this infallible altar tree.

This guardian tree.

Nice and heavy.

Nice and calm.

That's right.

Into mother nature's crib.

As you keep descending down this tree.

Slowly and steadily.

Drifting and floating.

Deeper and deeper still.

As far as you can go towards the roots of this tree.

Deep,

Deep in the earth.

Deep asleep where nothing can disturb you.

Drifting and floating down this tree.

Closer and closer to its enormous base.

Its steady rhythm guiding you.

Carrying you down to safety.

Sinking down the trunk slowly.

Descending steadily towards the roots.

Easily as if you were a part of this tree now.

Going deeper and deeper.

And deeper still.

To a place that's calm and content.

Safe and secure.

You continue to drift deeper still.

Feeling the steady heavy heartbeat of this enormous altar tree.

Its pulse beating through you.

Mother nature's lullaby.

Sinking deeper and deeper.

Into its heavy magical embrace.

Like a cradle of warmth.

Resting comfortably,

Steadily and deeply.

Deeply relaxed.

Deeply relaxed.

Deep into sleep.

Sleeping deeply.

And all of the information in your subconscious mind can now begin to unravel and to sort things out.

Here in the safety of the earth.

Easily and comfortably.

And restfully.

As if by magic.

So that it's all sorted for you.

Easily and effortlessly in the morning.

As if by magic.

And peacefully.

Deeply relaxed.

All sorted for you in the morning.

And you'll find that you sleep long and deep.

In the cradle of your guardian tree.

Deeply relaxed.

In the stillness of the earth.

And each night you will fall back easily into the cradle of this tree.

And upon completion of a restorative sleep you will awaken refreshed and calm.

With a clear mind and a positive mood.

Ready to get on with the rest of your day.

Calm and content.

Deeply relaxed.

Looking forward to the day ahead.