Sleep Talk Down, Calming An Overactive Mind

For deep sleep, use our guided Sleep Meditation Sleep Talk Down to help calm an overactive mind. This meditation is designed to gently guide you into a state of deep relaxation, soothing your thoughts and releasing the tension in your body. With calming words and gentle guidance, you’ll be able to quiet your mind, letting go of any racing thoughts or worries.

Transcript

Hello,

My name is Jason Stevenson and welcome to this guided meditation that will help you to soften and soothe an overactive mind.

Each one of us experiences periods in life when the mind struggles to quiet down,

To surrender to what is,

And so this practice will support you in that.

It will guide you to come back to the quiet,

Tranquil center within yourself.

Before we move further,

Just take a few moments to find a comfortable resting position.

Make sure your entire body is well supported and using any cushions or blankets you require to settle in deeply.

Now closing your eyes if you've not yet done so,

And just take a moment to check in with your breathing.

Without judging or shifting your breath just yet,

Notice its natural rhythm and flow,

Its depth and its pace.

Know that the breath will naturally shift its rhythm and depth on its own.

All you are invited to do is to be present to it,

Just to let all else melt away.

Now let's just take a few measured breaths together,

Softening more deeply on each exhale.

In a moment we will begin following a breath pattern of inhaling for four,

Holding for one,

Exhaling for six,

And holding for one.

Now if this becomes uncomfortable for you at any point,

Please feel free to adjust the pattern as is soothing for you.

So begin by letting all the air leave your lungs slowly and gently,

And together now begin by breathing in slowly for a count of four,

Holding at the top for a brief pause,

And then lengthening the exhale,

Breathing out gently for six.

Pause just for a second at the end of the exhalation,

And then begin again when you are ready,

Breathing in for four once again.

After a brief pause at the top,

Exhale for six,

And continuing on with this pattern for a short while now on your own.

Complete one more full breath this way,

In for four and out for six,

And when you have finished,

Let your breath come back to its own natural rhythm.

Observe whatever sensations are present within you,

Noting the gentle rise and fall of your body as you breathe steadily,

And now notice where your mind is.

Though breath awareness is simple in a way,

It is not always easy,

And like many things it is much easier said than done,

And so now I invite you just to take some time to notice where your head is.

Is it caught in the past?

Is it caught in the imagined future?

Maybe it is running through stories that fuel unsettling emotions or limiting stories.

Wherever your mind might be,

I invite you just to observe the stories it is telling you,

Bearing witness to them as if you are a bystander.

Notice also any inner voices that judge your thoughts to be right or wrong,

Good or bad,

Just noticing without any judgment of what is present.

Now relax the muscles around your eyes and your forehead,

Letting the mind space soften.

Racing thoughts might naturally dissipate as you relax the physical body in this way,

And if they don't,

Just take a moment to compassionately and patiently whisper to your mind,

I see you as you inhale,

I release you as you exhale.

Take a few more breaths in complete inner silence,

Or while silently whispering these simple words,

I see you,

I release you.

If you have been whispering affirmations to yourself alongside the breath,

Just gently allow these now to soften,

And wherever you find yourself,

Draw your attention to the space between your brows now,

This is sometimes called the third eye area.

Here in the mind's eye,

We will begin our visualization,

And so I invite you to imagine that you are standing in a long,

Bright corridor.

Marble walls,

Soft Persian carpet,

And stained-glass windows delight your eyes and enchant your heart.

Sunlight floods into the open space through the skylight windows above you,

Bringing a warmth to heart,

Body,

And soul.

Standing before you at the end of the hallway,

An elevator rests.

You take a long,

Deep breath in and out,

And then slowly you begin walking your way towards its brass doors.

Slippers are wrapped cozily around your feet,

Guiding you to tread lightly,

And soon you arrive at the charming elevator,

Noting the sign above it that reads 10.

You are on the tenth floor.

Unsure of where this elevator will take you,

You trust that this is a part of your destined journey.

You long to explore the world outside,

And so you hit the door,

And you step in.

The elevator itself is just as grand as the hallway that brought you here,

Adorned in rich colors and fabrics,

Stained-glass accents,

And a velvet bench.

The doors close behind you,

And slowly the elevator begins its descent.

At the ninth floor,

Your forehead melts,

All thoughts about your day,

Yourself,

And your world beginning to dissipate.

Passing the eighth floor,

Your shoulders loosen and drop.

The weight of the world dissolves,

And you sink deeper into presence.

Moving past the seventh floor now,

Your heart-space opens.

A breath flows gracefully into and out of this space,

Grounding your energy in this loving core of you.

You pass the sixth floor,

And all judgments melt away.

At the fifth floor,

All self-doubt and insecurity dissipates.

By the fourth floor,

Your belly softens and relaxes even more.

And at the third,

You grant yourself permission to let go of anything that does not serve you.

At the second floor,

You sink into greater trust and tranquility.

And when the elevator arrives at the first floor ground level,

You open yourself up entirely to the present moment.

Nothing matters to you now,

But the journey as it unfolds before you.

The elevator comes to complete stillness and the heavy doors glide open,

Revealing to you an awe-inspiring and radiant landscape of fields,

Forests,

Flowers,

And open water.

Your heart melts as you step out of the elevator.

The doors close behind you,

And like magic,

The entire elevator shaft disappears.

It is just you,

The natural world now.

It matters not how you got here or whatever exists beyond this beautiful space.

You allow yourself just to be present.

You look down at your slippers and the earth they root into.

A smooth stone pathway extends out from beneath your feet,

Moving far into the distance through the field of flowers you stand in.

On both sides of this open field,

Dense,

Rich,

Evergreen forests cover the land,

Tall pines reaching up towards the late day sky.

And before you,

A fair distance away from where you are now,

A glistening lake sits at the bottom of the valley.

Surrounded by mystic woods,

It is held snug,

Fully embraced by the landscape that supports it.

You tune into your breath before beginning your journey down the narrow stone road,

Taking a long,

Full,

Deep breath in,

And then slowly letting it out,

Extending your exhale as far as it comfortably goes.

You continue to breathe naturally,

Letting the crisp air of your surroundings replenish you with each cycle.

And as it does,

You begin on your way,

Following the path that leads further into the tranquil world before you.

The grasses that line the pathway are tall,

And so you extend your arms outwards,

Fingertips brushing the greenery.

You listen to the swooshing sound this makes,

Sinking into the soothing hum of it.

Your mind is nowhere but here.

It seems that as you tune into your direct senses in this landscape,

The mind is left with nothing to feed on.

The beauty,

Radiance,

And quietude of this place naturally calls you into it,

Away from whatever might tend to occupy your thoughts.

You continue further on still,

Weaving through the high grasses of the meadow.

Crickets chirp,

And the smell of wildflowers and wild grasses fill your nostrils.

Deeper into the world you go with each breath.

Soon,

The meadow begins to transition,

Guiding you towards the outer edge of the forest.

It is the forest that surrounds the peaceful lake up ahead,

And so you journey into these enchanting woods.

The air cools as you enter,

And the aromas shift to that of pine and cedar.

You notice the way your body moves as you walk through this stunning forest.

Your arms swing freely by your sides.

Your feet move slowly and softly,

And your chest is fully open,

Embracing of the world you find yourself in.

You admire the dense and diverse life of these woods.

Thriving in complete peace and harmony,

They invite you deeper into your own inner peace.

Your forehead softens yet again as the mind fears nothing,

Controls nothing,

And resists nothing.

You are fully embracing of the world around you,

And it fully embraces you.

Soon,

The trees part and the shimmering lake appears through the space between the evergreens.

The sun prepares for its final descent behind the horizon,

Casting early evening rays of gold across the open water.

The lake is nearly still but for a gentle current that flows towards the east.

And as you make your way out of the forest completely,

You slowly meander your way down to the tranquil water's edge.

The soft sand is still warm,

And so you come to take a seat by the water that gently laps against the shoreline.

As you rest on the soft earth,

You come back to your breath,

Watching as it flows in,

And as it flows out.

The setting sun catches your eye and opens your heart to the magic and wonder of the world.

As the world turns away from this radiant star,

It casts a soft pink glow across the horizon as Robin's egg blue still paints the furthest reaches of the cosmos.

Here by the lake,

You feel yourself continually lulled into inner silence.

Just as the water gently caresses the shore again and again and again,

So too does the harmony of the natural world coddle you into a quiet peace.

All in your heart is well,

All in your mind is quiet,

The full moon slowly makes herself known in the atmosphere above you as the night sky grows darker.

Soft pink turns to magenta before transitioning into a deep violet.

You rest and watch it,

Feeling no need to achieve anything and no desire to be anywhere else but here as it should be.

Just before the last of the lost sun's light slowly fades,

You take a look around for a place to rest your head for the night.

To your delight,

You find a hammock swimming in the trees just behind you.

Slowly you make your way there,

Climbing in and wrapping yourself in a warm wool blanket.

You let your entire body melt into the cocoon.

It sways gently between the trees,

Slowly moving towards complete stillness.

And as the sky turns to onyx,

Illuminated by that radiant full moon and thousands upon thousands of stars,

You feel yourself settling into whole-bodied harmony.

Your mind is at peace,

Your body is at ease.

When your heart is wide open to the beauty of the world,

You are in full,

Peaceful alignment.

You take one last look at the night sky,

The full moon and its reflection in the open water.

And when you are ready,

You close your eyes to this landscape,

Coming back to the surface that supports you in this reality.

Notice how well you are supported here,

Inviting your entire body to surrender to this space and time.

And as you slowly drift off into a tranquil slumber,

With a quiet mind and open heart,

Allow the breath to guide you.

Let it move through your heart with ease and grace,

Lulling you again and again into the peace that lives within you.

Good night,

My friend.

Good night.

Reviews

Another great track that put me to sleep quickly, thank you Jason. I slept deeply and soundly for almost 8 hours. 🙏😊

Excellent. 🙏 I listened to this several times on the first night I discovered it, curious about the journey you were going to take me on...but I never stayed awake past the breathing exercise. I slept well! 🥱💤😌 Namaste.