Hello and welcome to this guided sleep meditation that will help you to witness and step beyond the overthinking mind as you detach with ease from the spiraling thoughts.
My name is Jason Stevenson and I invite you to open your heart and mind to this journey as you gently surrender your attachment to your mind.
Over the course of this meditation you will mindfully settle into this space,
Develop a new relationship to the thinking mind and then take on a visual journey to detach from whatever thoughts are swirling.
To begin this practice just take a moment to find a comfortable lying down position that will support you during sleep.
Use any cushions and blankets you require to feel supported and closing your eyes as you begin to settle in.
Straightening your spine gently and relax your limbs as you consciously surrender to the surface that supports you.
Take a moment now to draw your attention to the breath,
To tune in to the life force that moves through you.
Without consciously having to work the breath in any way,
It effortlessly flows through you.
You might deepen it or slow it down as you feel called to and yet regardless it supports you unconditionally.
Just take a moment to really honour this blessing that comes to you,
Silently whispering gratitude for what the breath provides.
Continue to ground yourself in the natural rhythm of the breath and any time you notice the mind has wandered away,
I invite you to observe that moment with compassion.
And rather than judging or condemning the mind for ruminating,
See if you can tend to its tendencies with kindness and patience.
As you observe your thoughts in this way,
With both awareness and compassion,
You begin to transform the relationship you have with your mind.
This way of addressing the mind's tendency to overthink things is far more effective than pushing away or suppressing our thoughts.
As we begin to make peace with the mind,
We are likely to observe it shifting on its own.
So take a few more moments now to ground yourself in the breath,
Breathing in and as thoughts arise,
Witness them from the standpoint of an observer.
Watch what comes and what goes and watch whatever might stubbornly wish to hold on.
Where you observe sticky or firmly rooted thoughts,
Note what is there and then send it some love.
For instance,
You might note the presence of fear,
Anxiety,
Confusion or avoidance.
As you note the energy underlying your attachment to your thoughts,
Invite your compassionate heart to send this energy some love and care.
Continually come back to the breath as you breathe to re-ground yourself,
Letting this life force anchor you in this present moment.
You can also practice detaching from the overthinking mind by coming into the body,
By compassionately inquiring,
What is present in my body right now?
Your attention shifts away from the world of thought and into the world of form.
Just take a moment to practice this now,
Tenderly noting what it feels like to be in your body right now,
Not in the mind,
Just in the body.
And now,
As you breathe in and as you let out,
Just before we begin our visualization to help us further detach from our overthinking mind,
I invite you to take three full deep breaths at your own pace.
As you exhale,
See if you might like to release a sigh,
Offering your worries or ruminations to the atmosphere around you.
Let your breath return to its natural pace and depth now,
And then draw your attention to the space before your closed eyes,
To the creative,
Imaginative capacity of your mind.
When used in the way we will use it now,
The mind is a powerful contributor to our well-being.
When we direct our thoughts and internal imagery in a positive and inspired ways,
The mind becomes an agent of empowered change.
That is what we will tap into now.
So begin by softening the muscles around the eyes,
And then visualizing yourself resting not on the surface that supports you now,
But rather on a plush bed in a small island villa overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
Lying flat on your back here,
You feel the support of the bed beneath you as you look around at the walls of this room.
Sunlight trickles in,
Filling the room with mid-day light,
And you know that just beyond the windowsill,
There is a quiet,
Peaceful space.
Tumble staggering cliffs that lead down to the vast and mystic sea.
From where you rest in bed,
The world seems small.
You know that great freedom exists beyond the confines of these walls,
And yet,
For this moment,
They are all you can see.
The walls appear to you as a metaphor for the confines of the mind,
Confines that you long to be free from.
You yearn to make peace with your mind,
To escape from the place in which it holds you.
You long to release your attachment to its overactivity.
You long to be free from the confines of your mind.
And so,
Understanding that the power to step beyond these inner and outer walls rests within you,
You observe yourself as you swing your two feet off the bed in this visualization,
Rooting yourself into the cool,
Stone floor beneath you.
Rising to your feet,
You immediately feel a power growing within you.
Though not forceful in nature,
Rather it is subtle.
It is a quiet whisper that reminds you of your true potential to experience greater inner peace,
Silence,
And freedom.
And though you indeed wish to move beyond the limitations of this room and your mind,
You do not rush out of this space.
You do not wish to avoid or deny your experience,
But rather to witness it,
To embrace it,
And to then move into a more expansive place with grace.
So take a moment now to mindfully observe whatever is present in your room that is in the room of your mind.
What fears,
Concerns,
Or restless energies wish to be seen and held?
Can you tenderly look towards the room of your mind and experience these,
Blessing them with your kindness and care?
Silently now,
You whisper to your overthinking mind,
I see you,
I hear you,
I set you free.
Grant yourself permission to set yourself free as you prepare to step beyond the walls of the villa that holds you.
Now,
You make your way over towards the front door of your Mediterranean abode,
And as you place your hand on the doorknob and begin to turn it,
You honour this transition into non-confinement,
Into release,
Surrender,
And freedom.
You honour the inner voice that yearns to be free from overthinking,
Setting an intention to soften and to surrender into the present moment.
As you step out into the cobblestone road outside of your villa,
You feel a weight drop from your shoulders.
The fresh,
Warm breeze gently whistles through the quiet streets,
Filling your lungs completely with each inhalation,
Each exhalation.
With each exhalation,
You let go of any thoughts that attempt to pull you away from this beauty of this present moment,
Your eyes taking in the colourful,
Painted stone buildings of this Mediterranean island.
You imagine you are somewhere off the coast of Italy or Greece,
Though you can't be too sure.
However,
The precise location matters little.
What matters is how you relate to what is right here.
As you begin to walk through the narrow streets,
You realise that nothing else matters but this.
The past is not relevant to you in this moment,
Nor is your future.
Though there is indeed a time to plan and prepare,
Now is not the time for that.
Now you are called to simply be present,
To let the mind soften into pure awareness of this moment.
You begin by tuning directly into your five senses,
Beginning with your sense of sight.
Your eyes take in the patchwork of stones beneath you,
The pastel buildings that surround and the wide open sea that engulfs this tranquil island.
You come to your sense of smell next,
Leaning over to inhale the floral aroma of the pink and white buds on the delicate trees lining the street.
Your ears open to the whistling wind,
To the pitter patter of other inhabitants of this island and to the singing birds in the trees.
You feel into your physical body through your sense of touch,
Sensing the air that brushes your skin,
Noting the clothes that comfort you and feeling into the solid earth beneath your feet.
And as you walk along,
Wandering further away from the small village,
You pass by a beautiful fig tree.
Reaching up to pick a ripe fruit from a low branch,
You notice what it is like to hold this gift of the earth in your hand.
You consider how miraculous it is from a small seed,
Hundreds of delicious fruits will come to life on this tree.
Digging your thumbs into the soft flesh of the fig,
You peel the fruit into two and then let your taste buds come to delight in its sweetness.
As you savour the fruit,
As you take your time to enjoy it,
Feeling completely immersed in your present experience,
Letting the flesh of the fruit return to the soil to compost,
You continue on your walk away from the colourful town.
The road beneath you is turned from cobbled to paved,
Weaving around the dramatic cliff face of the island.
The warm sun beams down on your skin,
Nourishing you with its late afternoon energy.
The world is quiet and so is your mind.
You feel free to absorb the freshness of the simple things,
The sun against your skin,
The lingering sweetness on your tongue,
The road that leads into the unknown and the spaciousness that surrounds you.
You are free.
You continue to wander the weaving road,
Noting that it begins to descend.
All around you,
Majestic cliffs reach up towards the skies,
All the while sinking down into the sea below.
You feel caught in between in the same way that these cliffs are,
Peacefully hugged by both the cosmos and the earth.
You take a moment to pause on the side of the road,
Turning back to look at the small village from where you came.
The pastel painted buildings stand out beautifully against the rocky cliffs.
You think about the villa you came from,
And though you are grateful for its comfort,
You revel in the freedom you now feel in the open air.
Continuing down the road for a short while longer,
You soon come to pause again as you reach a long and narrow staircase and a sign that indicates it leads to a beach.
You cannot see the beach from where you stand,
And yet you trust that it is in the direction you long to go in.
Mindful step by mindful step,
You follow the narrow staircase downwards,
Inching closer and closer towards the sea.
As you approach the final steps,
You count them,
Ten,
Softening your shoulders to free the weight they once carried.
Nine,
Releasing the mind from old stories that once captivated you.
Eight,
Letting go of fear,
Uncertainty and anxiety.
Seven,
Opening up to trust the future.
Six,
Attuning your heart to the compassion and courage within.
Five,
Releasing your grip on beliefs that don't serve you.
Four,
Coming back to your body.
Three,
Breathing a bit deeper.
Two,
Completely letting go.
Coming into peace now.
As both feet make their way off to the final step and into the sand,
You release a deep and refreshing sigh.
You are here.
You are free.
You have arrived in this moment with peace,
Clarity and presence completely embodied.
The beach,
Stretching perhaps a hundred yards in the direction of the setting sun,
Is soft as silk.
The fine beads of sand welcome your feet to sink into them.
Slowly,
You step your way towards the water in bare feet,
Remaining completely present with the sensory experiencing of walking.
You practice meditation and movement,
Focusing your attention on each of the three phases of walking.
Rising,
Moving,
Falling.
Rising,
Moving,
Falling.
Rising,
Moving,
Falling.
You silently repeat these words to yourself with each step.
Rising,
Moving,
Falling.
You soon arrive at the water's edge,
Letting the waves brush against your feet.
The water is cool and crisp,
Deeply cleansing and refreshing.
You turn to face the sun,
Letting its late day rays kiss your skin.
And slowly,
You begin to walk in its direction,
Letting the Mediterranean Sea continue to swallow your feet as it crashes into the shore.
As the sun behind you sets on the horizon,
It casts a warm amber glow into the sky.
You revel in its beauty,
In its majesty and power.
And as you approach the end of the beach,
You stumble upon a small fire pit,
Just waiting to be lit.
A few meters away from it,
A small shed houses matches,
Extra kindling and warm blankets,
And so you grab what you need and then return to the pit.
Striking a single match,
You light the fire on multiple sides,
Watching as the flames slowly consume the branches and small logs.
As the sun sinks further away from the horizon,
The sky darkens and the burning fire provides you with the light and warmth you yearn for.
As you stare into the flames,
You consider what you might like to offer to this fire.
You ask yourself what thoughts no longer serve you,
That can be transformed into fertile ash,
Air and space.
Through silent words,
You feed the flames of fire the thoughts that do not support your well-being,
Offering up any attachments you might still have to the ruminating mind.
Your body feels even lighter than it did when you first arrived on the beach.
You are able to let go,
To experience your innate peace.
And as the flames grow brighter,
A voice rises in the silence around you,
Whispering the words of poet Rumi,
The voice speaks.
Put your thoughts to sleep,
Do not let them cast a shadow over the moon of your heart,
Let go of thinking.
And as soon as these words come to you,
The full moon takes her place in the night sky,
Your heart opens as your mind sinks into the sea.
You rest your back on the sand,
Wrapped in warm blankets and being held by the universe.
The fire continues to burn a short distance from your feet,
As hundreds of stars begin appearing in the sky.
You find the brightest,
Taking this time to set an intention for continued inner peace.
And then,
As you close your eyes,
The words of Rumi come back to you once again.
Put your thoughts to sleep,
Do not let them cast a shadow over the moon of your heart,
Let go of thinking.
Closing your eyes on this Mediterranean landscape,
You slowly come back to this reality,
To the bed or other surface that supports you,
And to the room that holds you.
Notice how your body feels,
And then consciously invited to surrender completely into this night.
Allow your breath to take over your mind,
Allow your breath to continue to anchor you in peace,
While also letting the following affirmations flow through your subconscious.
As they do,
They will continue to reaffirm what you uncovered here tonight.
I release the thoughts that no longer serve me.
I am connected to the peace within.
I empower myself through positive thinking.
I live in the present moment.
I am confident in my ability to navigate difficulties.
I inhale trust and exhale fear.
I listen to my inner voice with compassion.
I surrender my need to control life.
I am safe and supported.
I trust the flow of the universe.
I accept that which I cannot change.
I forgive myself and others.
I focus on what matters most in life.
Ease is my natural state of being.
I am calm,
Content and courageous.
My mind is at peace.
I listen to the whispers of my body.
I am in control of my thoughts.
There is nothing I cannot overcome.
I surrender my concerns about the future.
I embrace the unknown with a sense of curiosity.
I am free from the confines of the mind.
I am attuned to the blessings of my life.
I know that I can survive anything.
I believe in myself.
I honour the path ahead of me.
I see obstacles as opportunities for growth.
I reach out for support when I need it.
I am not afraid to be vulnerable.
There is an infinite well of strength within me.
I ground my fears in love.
I offer myself the same kindness I offer to loved ones.
I nurture my mind,
Body and spirit.
I witness and release self-limiting beliefs.
I believe in my continued evolution.
I face the future with confidence.
I am joyful and deeply content.
My mind is free from concern and anxiety.
I know how to ground myself when I need to.
I empower myself to create the life of my dreams.
I do not sweat the small stuff.
I let go of what is not meant for me.
I trust that things happen for a reason.
I honour the lessons that come my way.
During times of difficulty,
I find the silver lining.
I am attuned to my inner peace.
I flow through life with grace.
I am open and accepting.
I release negative patterns of thinking that bind me.
And until next time,
Goodnight my friend,
Goodnight.
