Hello,
My name is Jason Stevenson and welcome to this peaceful sleep meditation.
It's designed to help you descend quickly and effortlessly into a deep restorative sleep.
If you are experiencing any signs of insomnia,
This meditation will help you to gently release that experience so that you can honor your body with the deep rest and healing that it yearns for.
As you listen to this meditation,
I invite you to gently open your heart and mind to your body's innate wisdom,
Allowing it to guide you effortlessly into the coming hours of rest,
Beginning in this very moment.
To begin this journey,
I invite you to take a few moments to adjust your physical body in any way that will support this relaxation process.
Before you come into stillness,
You may first wish to stretch any tight muscles in the body and then release them complete into the surface beneath you.
So take a moment now to move mindfully in any way you feel called to,
And then settle into a comfortable lying down position.
And once you are settled,
Take a few slow and steady breaths to ground yourself more fully into this physical sanctuary that supports you.
Continue to hold your attention on your breath for a few moments here.
And as you observe the movement of this life force,
Notice if its depth and rhythm changes in any way.
As we mindfully observe the breath,
We unconsciously invite deep relaxation into the physical body,
The breath naturally begins to deepen,
And its pace begins to lessen.
This is the very beginning of your journey towards deep release and relaxation.
When we sleep well,
The blessing of deep rest often goes overlooked,
But when insomnia arises,
We become acutely aware of just how important a good night's sleep really is.
This awareness of sleep's importance,
When it arises due to our present moment experience of insomnia,
Often becomes overshadowed by fear and anxiety about how we will not get the sleep we require for optimal functioning.
Though we may not be completely aware of it happening,
Our thoughts and beliefs about our experience of insomnia often reaffirm the very experience of sleeplessness we yearn to be released from.
Fear and anxiety work in opposition to our best efforts at achieving a solid night's sleep,
So I invite you now to quietly observe any stress or fears you hold about being unable to sleep,
And to gently allow this label of insomnia to be released into the universe around you with each coming exhalation.
Allow the experience of insomnia to be as temporary as the shape of a wave,
Releasing any fixation you may have on your perceived inability to fall asleep.
As your ideas about insomnia are released,
Sink more deeply into the silent spaces between your passing thoughts.
You are not any of the thoughts that pass you by,
You are the blank canvas behind whatever arises in your consciousness.
In the space created from having released any attachment to the idea of sleeplessness,
I invite you to plant an intention of deep inner peace and complete release.
Take a moment to consider the words you would like to use to convey this intent,
Wording them in the present tense to remind yourself what you desire is already here.
Your right to sleep well is waiting to be harnessed.
Repeat the words of your intent both calmly and confidently,
And then come back to the stillness that lives within the core of who you are.
Now,
Let's take a moment now to tune into the physical body,
Allowing it to become a mindful anchor to the present moment.
Take a moment to simply observe your physical body rooted in the space that supports you,
Simply witnessing every part of you that is in contact with the space beneath you.
Notice also the comforts that surround you,
Perhaps pillows,
Blankets,
And even a silent acknowledgement of the roof above your head and the walls surrounding you.
As you become aware of the physical support system that nourishes you here,
Just allow your breath to deepen even further,
Feeling yourself grounding safely into this space.
Now,
Draw your awareness to your feet,
Feeling into them through solely the power of your awareness.
Release them on your next exhalation,
And then quietly,
And in complete stillness,
Continue to observe your physical body as you move your attention gently up towards the crown of your head.
As you pass any areas of tightness or contraction,
Inhale your loving attention into these parts of the body,
And then exhale all stress and tension.
Continue to draw your awareness upwards mindfully until you reach your forehead,
Paying extra attention to the mind space for a few moments.
Soften the area around the eyes and the eyebrows,
Allowing all of the day's mental efforts to be completely released.
When you have reached the crown of your head,
Hold your entire body in your awareness for another moment,
Allowing your complete and perfectly whole body to melt just that little bit further into the physical environment that supports you.
Now,
One of the most powerful factors contributing to the experience of insomnia is the racing mind.
Oftentimes,
We hardly recognize that it is racing as our subconscious thoughts are so deeply ingrained within us.
So,
Let's dive further now into a deep release of the mind,
So that we may complete the process of relaxation,
Eventually surrendering effortlessly into sleep.
With your eyes remaining closed,
I invite you now to draw your awareness to the space between your brows,
Oftentimes called the third eye chakra.
When balanced,
This energy center is the seat of our intuition,
Our self-awareness,
And our emotional balance.
However,
When it becomes overactive,
We may experience over-rumination,
Mental exhaustion,
Headaches,
And even insomnia.
So,
With your attention held on this area,
I invite you to sink once again into the silent spaces between thought and into the vast emptiness that exists here behind your closed eyes.
If thoughts arise,
Whether positive or negative in nature,
Witness them for a brief moment,
And then compassionately release them,
Taking this opportunity to revel in the complete silence of your wide open mind.
Remember that in this very moment,
There is nothing you need to accomplish,
Nothing you need to manage,
And nothing you need to figure out.
Most often when we are in the grips of an overactive mind,
Especially in the quiet moments before sleep,
We are consciously or unconsciously trying to things that have happened in the past,
Or trying to predict and control events that we believe will unfold in the future.
But by drawing our awareness to the present moment,
We come to realize that neither the past nor the future is real,
All that exists is the present.
Allow your breath,
Your body,
And your attention on your third eye to continually root you in the present moment.
Practice witnessing.
Witnessing.
As you move deeper into this meditation,
You will likely notice a sense of calmness,
A sense of peace washing over you,
Yet even this sense of peace may come and go like waves.
If it leaves your presence for a moment,
Becoming overshadowed by thoughts of any kind,
Simply notice this mental tendency.
Bless it with your compassion,
And then guide your attention back to the silent,
Peaceful abyss within you.
Now,
I invite you to continue this process of release by gently guiding your attention very slowly down towards the heart space.
As you land in the center of your chest,
Invite your breath to fully expand this cavity on the inhalation,
And to soften completely on the exhalation.
As you breathe from the heart space,
The mind softens and energy begins to flow into your into and out of the center of your chest,
Rather than through the mind.
While holding your attention here,
Again individual thoughts may continue to creep up in the background,
Slowly overtaking your awareness.
As they do,
Gently guide these energetic thought bodies into the heart space,
Allowing the heart to reaffirm your intention to let go of anything that impedes your ability to rest with ease.
Now,
I invite you to solidify your intention by taking a few moments of silence now as you repeat a few words to strengthen the belief that comes easily to you.
Into your heart space,
I invite you to repeat,
Deep peace flows through me,
Deep peace flows through me.
Deep peace flows through me,
Deep peace flows through me.
As you repeat these words,
Continue to make the heart space the physical center of your attention.
Breathe these words into and out of the chest,
Slowly and steadily.
Now I invite you to visualize a golden orb beginning to pulsate from the center of your heart.
As you hold your attention on it,
Witness it very slowly beginning to expand.
This golden orb is capable of transforming any and all thoughts or energy bodies that stand between you and the deepest sleep you are capable and worthy of.
So,
I invite you to allow any and all beliefs,
Thoughts,
Or ideas that are not conducive with complete surrender to enter into this loving golden light body,
Opening yourself up to the possibility of ultimate relaxation for the evening.
Now,
With nothing left to transform,
The golden glow in your heart begins to diminish,
And a beautiful silence permeates your energetic body from within.
Feel deeply into this spaciousness,
Knowing that you are in complete harmony with the world within you and the one around you.
They are the one in the same.
There are no lines within the ultimate peace of the universe.
You are the universe.
Tune into your physical body once again,
Silently observing your presence in this space now.
Now,
Make note of any differences you notice from when you first move into this space for the night.
Perhaps there is now a growing lightness or an expanded feeling of freedom.
Even if the feelings that may now be passing you by are more positive or more pleasant than before,
Continue to be mindful of any tendency to hold onto them.
Just continue to practice witnessing and releasing,
Witnessing and releasing.
Releasing the mind in life is an ongoing process.
As we come to accept the mind's nature for what it is,
Blessing it with our love and compassion,
We begin to make releasing it second nature.
Rather than our thoughts controlling our physical experience,
It is we who control our thoughts.
So,
As you slowly make your way into your final relaxation,
Into a deep sleep for the coming night,
Continue to practice letting go.
True peace only exists in this present moment.
It is not something we can hold onto for a later occasion.
So,
With that deeper understanding in mind,
Allow yourself to relish in the peace that lives in this very moment in time.
As you surrender completely into a restorative night's sleep,
Allow the following words and affirmations to mingle with your subconscious,
Shifting your inner world so that peace begins to flow effortlessly throughout your entire being.
Deep peace flows through me.
Deep peace flows through me.
I am in harmony with the universe.
I am exactly where I need to be.
I am exactly where I need to be.
Tranquility is my natural state of being.
Sleep comes effortlessly to me.
Sleep comes effortlessly to me.
I value silence and stillness.
I value silence and stillness.
Rest helps me to heal and restore.
Rest helps me to heal and restore.
I trust the natural flow of life.
I trust the natural flow of life.
I am rooted in presence.
I am rooted in presence.
I am in control of my experience.
I am safe and supported.
I am safe and supported.
It feels good to rest.
It feels good to rest.
My body is at peace.
I release my thoughts with ease.
I release my thoughts with ease.
My sleep cycle is in balance.
My sleep cycle is in balance.
I trust my body's innate wisdom.
I trust my body's innate wisdom.
All is well.
And until next time,
Goodnight my friend,
Goodnight.
